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Certification Training Information
Certification Training Schedule
Certification Training Registration Form
Information Request Form
Texas SuperCyclist Curriculum
SuperCyclist Curriculum Highlights
SuperCyclist Curriculum Resources
The Texas SuperCyclist Program is a nationally recognized and
comprehensive bicycle safety education course for Texas’ 4th and 5th
grade elementary school students.
In an attempt to institutionalize bicycle safety and physical fitness
standards in Texas schools, the Texas Bicycle Coalition Education Fund
( TBCEF) sends field instructors to school districts across the state to
train and certify teachers in the program. Currently, TBCEF offers the certification training and all curriculum materials to participating teachers for free.
The Texas SuperCyclist Program has gained both national and
international recognition, and is considered the model for bicycle
safety education. In 2003, the National Highway and Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) conducted an evaluation of the program and
concluded that the program positively influenced children's behavior,
essential skills, and knowledge gain. Teachers report that the
SuperCyclist Curriculum is easy to implement in the classroom and that
students enjoy the materials.
If your school or district have already set up a training and you
wish to register for the training, you can submit a SuperCyclist
Teacher Training Registration Form.
The Texas SuperCyclist Curriculum
The Texas SuperCyclist Curriculum 2.1 represents more than ten years
of dedicated multi-organization support, work, research, and training.
In 1993, the Texas Bicycle Coalition (TBC) worked with the Texas
Legislature to pass a bill mandating a child bicycle safety curriculum
for the state. In 1996, TBC,
as part of the steering committee, and funded by the Texas Department
of Transportation (TxDOT), worked with the Texas Department of Public
Safety (TxDPS) to introduce the first state bicycle safety curriculum.
With subsequent funding from TxDOT,
the Texas Bicycle Coalition Education Fund (TBCEF) developed The Texas
SuperCyclist Curriculum Teacher’s Guide, and implemented a SuperCyclist
certification training program for existing Texas elementary school
teachers statewide. In 2004, TBCEF extended this training to future
elementary school teachers by implementing the SuperCollege Project
which offers SuperCyclist certification at participating Texas colleges
and universities. By January 2005, over 3,000 teachers and youth
workers had become certified, extending the potential reach of the
program to over 500,000 children each year.
Since 1996, state and federal grants combined with contributions
from corporate sponsors and partners, have enabled TBCEF to update,
expand, and evalate the program. Beginning in 2002, TBCEF also sought
support and partnership from SuperCyclist certified teachers to update
and enhance the curriculum’s Teacher’s Guide and Teacher Master Pages.
The result, the Texas SuperCyclist Curriculum 2.0, distributed in
both hardcopy and digital format, not only improved and expanded the
lessons on bicycle laws, and equipment maintenance, but also
incorporated the mandated state education requirements for physical
activity. In addition to the classroom activities adapted from the
original lesson plans, curriculum 2.0 introduced a set of physical
activities, including stretches and exercises, which improve
coordination, balance, strength, and flexibility - very important
skills for cyclists and other athletes.
TBCEF further broadened the curriculum’s original scope by introducing elements of the BikeTexas
Safe Routes to School Program. The curriculum utilizes five lessons
which help students develop skills necessary to evaluate public roads
and sidewalks as potential bicycle routes. Brisk walks, the physical
activity component of these lessons, offer “field training” which
reinforce the classroom activities.
Texas SuperCyclist Curriculum 2.1, the latest curriculum update,
funded in part by a grant from the National Highway Transportation
Safety Administration (NHTSA), significantly enlarges the audience of
the curriculum by incorporating Spanish translations of all 38
SuperCyclist Curriculum Master Pages. The Master Pages are designed as
homework and reference materials which students take home and share
with family members. These translations bring the Texas SuperCyclist
Program to Spanish speaking households across Texas.
SuperCyclist Curriculum Highlights
The original one-week, five-lesson Teacher’s Guide was expanded to a
three-week, fifteen-lesson guide with more than 200 pages. Each lesson
lasts approximately one hour, with 30 minutes devoted to
bicycle-focused academic/classroom activities and 30 minutes devoted to
physical activities that improve strength, balance, and flexibility.
The curriculum includes:
More than thirty-five (35) pocketed, camera, or copy-ready "Teacher
Master Pages" in English and Spanish designed to be reproduced as
overhead projector teaching aids and/or distributed as student
handouts. These include reference and class discussion materials,
homework assignments, puzzles, and tests.
Numerous lesson plans to teach and reinforce Texas cycling laws,
general bicycle repair and maintenance, and safe cycling practices
applicable to both traffic and recreational environments.
Lessons on how to spot and avoid potential hazards, improve reaction
time skills, and apply those skills in potentially hazardous situations.
More than fifteen (15) thirty-minute robust physical activities and
exercises, illustrated and described in detail. These exercises improve
the balance, flexibility, strength, and endurance skills one needs to
prepare for the physical demands of cycling and other challenging
sports.
"Health & Lifestyle" lessons to reduce ever-increasing national
childhood obesity statistics and address youth inactivity. Among other
things, these lessons include a coloring book-style Food Pyramid, and
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention findings on the
importance of children's physical activity.
More than eighty (80) original "kid-friendly" illustrations and five
character mascots that appeal to eight to thirteen year olds, encourage
participation, and promote study of the material.
An optional SuperCyclist Quick Course that focuses on five primary
lessons for those schools/teachers who don't have 15 hours to devote to
the full program.
Quick Reference & Resource sections to aid teachers in preparing
to teach the lessons. These sections include summaries of lesson plans,
objectives, required materials, related reading material, and reference
Web site addresses.
The Curriculum complements and encourages development of national
and state-sponsored initiatives such as the BikeTexas Safe Routes to
School Program.
Supplemental material made available with the curriculum includes
the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA)
Bikeability and Walkability Checklists.
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