Since childhood, Kevin Mitchell Regales (32) could never sit still. If he wasn’t playing baseball or soccer, he was running track, climbing hills, or spending hours in the cunuco planting and caring for trees. “In short, I was a child who could never stay put,” he recalls with a smile. Kevin grew up in Santa Cruz, in a home filled with unity and love, together with his mother, father, and two sisters. With both of his parents being teachers, education ran through his veins. Today, he continues that family legacy as a teacher at Cacique Aterima and Sint Jan Kleuterschool, where he teaches movement and health to children ages 3.5 to 6.

When asked which teachers influenced him most, he remembers several:

• His mother, Juf. Lucita, who laid his foundation and showed him different ways of learning especially helpful for a hyperactive child.
• Juf. Crispina at Fatima College, who taught him structure.
• Juf. Pourier at San Antonio College Mavo, who emphasized the importance of study.
• Juf. Mirscha Winterdal at IPA, who helped him with the pedagogical and didactic side of teaching, showing how to present lessons in an engaging way.

Kevin didn’t see himself as a teacher until his love for sports opened the door. “My father always pushed us into sports for discipline and confidence.” During his first year of studies, he realized the impact a teacher can have on children using movement as a pedagogical tool. For example, during movement lessons you can work on building students’ confidence while at the same time developing their physical abilities. This is just a small example of everything that can be achieved through movement education.

Kevin says he enjoys teaching movement classes, which teach students the rules of games, physical development, and teamwork. In health lessons, he likes to focus on topics such as recognizing and regulating emotions, even including small breathing exercises. “Practicing my profession doesn’t feel like work I truly enjoy teaching. The biggest challenge I face is making sure that the lessons I give in health actually reach home and stay alive there. For example: healthy eating, the importance of drinking water, and general hygiene.”

How do you manage to involve parents in the education of their children?

There is communication and open feedback from the parents.

Can you share an inspiring anecdote about a student who left a mark on you?

With the CoolToBeFit project, I experienced how motivated children can be to make changes and lead a healthier life.

Kevin has noticed many changes in the student profile compared to 10–15 years ago. “Their concentration is more limited. The speed of digital games and gadgets is influencing the children’s minds.” His response: maintain balance. “We must prepare them digitally, but everything must be in moderation.”