Assistant Professor
School of Health and Physical Education
Office Location: Institute for Collaboration, Room 326
Telephone: 630-844-4223
Fax: 630-844-6182
Email Address: dcurby@aurora.edu
A great coach once told me to make an effort to have some form of personal contact with each and every student, in every class session. I still remember the day that I received that great advice and it has helped to shape my career. I believe that all of my students can achieve and that it is my duty to help them reach their potential. I have always focused on improvement, as this allows one to focus on the individual, and also demands growth of students at all points of the ability spectrum. If you always focus on getting better you do not have to worry about anyone else's performance, only your own. Great teachers should model the importance of education. In today's world that means being a life-long learner. Several years ago I adopted the advice from an ancient Greek philosopher to, "Never stop shaping your own statue." I try to pass this along to my students.
Education
Ed.D. Educational Psychology - Northern Illinois University
M.S Physical Education - Northern Illinois University
B.S. Physical Education - University of Michigan
Areas of Specialization
Measurement and Evaluation
Youth Fitness
Combative Sports
Courses Taught
Assessment in Physical Education
Teaching Individual and Dual Sorts
Inclusive Physical Education
Student Teaching Seminar
Highlights of Publications, Honors and Professional Contributions
Fulbright Scholar, Helsinki, Finland 1990-91
IAHPERD Presentation, Winning Blue Ribbon Recognition-What We Learned from the Process, November 2006
Presented a keynote lecture in Sofia, Bulgaria, at the Fourth International Scientific Congress on Olympic Sport of the National Sports Academy-"Sport, Stress, & Adaptation." entitled "Sport Science Research in Wrestling: An American Perspective." 2006
IAHPERD Presentation, Teaching the Olympic Martial Arts in the High School, November, 2008
Presented a lecture at 17th International Congress of Physical Education and Sport, Komotini Greece. Analysis of the 2008 Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling Competition. May, 2009
Other Interests
Biking with my wife.
Elected to USA Wrestling Sport Science Committee (2007)
Chair of American College of Sports Medicine Interest Group on Combative Sports
International Travel-My involvement with the sport of wrestling has taken me to 28 counties around the world, including Iran, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Mongolia and China.
