There is no learning, like doing

There’s no learning like doing, and both University of Minnesota-Duluth and Lester Park Elementary students have discovered that through an adapted physical education class.
Professor Kahyun Nam says it may look like random playtime with balloons, hula hoops, and soccer nets in a gymnasium, but it’s very organized.
“It’s adapted, so it’s more engaging and fun than you would see in a normal, general phy ed setting,” Dr. Nam said.
Jake Mogensen is a senior studying physical education, adapted physical education, and health.
“We try to incorporate just about every single game that you can think of, just to make the environment really, really fun for them,” he said.
He works with 10-year-old Brody, who was full of energy and wearing a robot shark T-shirt at one Wednesday morning class.
“I’m here because I have some busy things to do today,” Brody said.
Brody and Jake are working on skills like throwing. Brody described it as “seeing how I get my agilities.”
Another duo, 10-year-old Charlotte and Caleb Janeksela, a sophomore, are also working on coordination.
“Charlotte’s been awesome. She’s very good at following directions,” Janeksela said. “She throws it with proper form every time, actually.”
Her favorite exercise, though, is gymnastics. She’ll happily demonstrate her cartwheel skills.
“The one thing I always stress is to have fun while we’re learning,” Nam said.
The potential future physical education teachers are being prepared to work with students of all levels of mental and physical abilities.
“They get a better sense of how to be more inclusive in general physical education classes too,” Nam said.
Both Janeksela and Mogensen said they’ve seen progress over the fall semester. The last class with the kids is on Dec. 4.
“This is something I really want to do for a long time,” Mogensen said. “So being able to see the progress just makes me more motivated to continue doing it.”