It's been over three decades since I took anything resembling a class in physical education. Urged by students and teacher alike, I visited and was amazed at what I saw at Lisa Doser's physical education class. This was definitely not the P.E. class I remembered from three decades ago as the enthusiasm of both teacher and students resonated throughout the gym at the Mid-Prairie Middle School in Kalona.
A typical workout students experience is far from typical with different activities woven into their day such as "Poker Run" where they run around the gym, with a student periodically choosing a card stating 'do 10 pushups, 12 side leg raises, 5 sit ups, 7 crunches or some other exercise. This activity takes a basic workout and makes it fresh and interesting as well as making a simple run into something unexpected. What is more, the students enjoy the anticipation of what comes next, eager to draw the next card to see what they will be required to accomplish before resuming their run.
Ms. Doser is a teacher who not only works on basic fitness but is a teacher who plans carefully her students physical well being. Lessons are planned carefully in order to keep our kids in the best physical shape possible, with interesting and unique ways of fitting in more physical work outs. The ease in which she works in all important body fitness is interesting, thorough, and just plain fun.
We know as a nation that our children are suffering obesity at an ever growing rate and video games and satellite TV are partially to blame for the inactivity in our children's lives. Think back when you were a kid. Remember riding bikes, skating down the street or playing a pick up ball game in someone's backyard? Reports tell us that fewer and fewer of our children are actually choosing physical activity over the virtual reality games and other "couch potato" games.
"Fitness is the focus," stated Doser. "The curriculum I use works with the basic idea that it wants to be fun and creative with it but it wants you to teach kids how important good fitness is in their lives too."
Teaching for 10 years at MPMS, 6th through 8th P.E. Doser is kept busy not just with classes but with working to be on top of the latest in physical fitness.
Doser further explained, " I wanted to incorporate the 'Kansas curriculum' or 'the American fun curriculum' into my classes. And so, by incorporating the two together with these guys really works. They seem to like it, they aren't as bored and they get a lot of exercise. Plus as you know, the state has said the kids need to exercise more and get more activity in and so this works for them." The main focus of both of these curriculums is fitness on a whole and the combination of the two is a combination that according to Doser, is working well.
Learning more about how the classes keep fresh, Doser explained, "I try to keep things interesting for the kids too. We don't always do the same things. They do tag games, which they love. They are still moving and that's still a lot of exercise. We have incorporated different fundamentals of fitness without doing the same thing over and over."
The middle school students themselves know that P.E. class isn't going to be a bore at Mid-Prairie.
"It's kind of difficult at the start. But then you get used to it and it really isn't as hard as it first seemed. It's not boring, that's for sure," commented middle school student Jerrica Gossen.
"I like this P.E. class. It's awesome!" Ali Riggan stated, "I think it's fun because of the games we play."
Dylan Schrock added: "It's a lot more fun than just jogging. We do games now and that's fun. It isn't boring at all."
Though these were but a few of the 20 or so students in the class, they seemed to speak for the entire class as the atmosphere was one of upbeat fun and not that of "Oh no, I have to exercise!"
After a short break the class changed pace with a game called "British Bulldog" where the students put their all into a fast paced game of running, dodging and general maneuvering to save their tags from others with the winner being the individual with the last tag remaining. On that particular day the cheer went up, "Anna Mayer is the winner!" with Mayer beaming from ear to ear.
"I want people to realize that games and activities today involve so much more than just playing games," said Doser. "They cover a wide range of fitness goals. The kids don't just come in here to play, they come in to learn about being physically fit and how that can actually be fun."
Giving me a hint about a new fitness game she has planned which involves not only visual memory, mental acuity, memorization, communication and physical activity, Doser promised to inform me when they unveil the new game.
Doser's P.E. classes seem interesting as well as challenging and Doser's dedication to her goal of fitness for each child clearly shows in every activity.
"No one is too young or too old to learn good physical fitness," said Doser.
It seems her philosophy has rubbed off on her students as well. After class as the students were filing from the room, I was told by one student: "You should have worked out with us, it's really a lot of fun!"
Maybe I will. Something tells me, I'd be having just as much fun as they did.