Mar 04, 2016

Friday

8th Grade Students Get Loud During PE

On Monday afternoon, the 8th grade had a surprise physical education class with a very special guest: Lower School Literacy and Learning Specialist Lehla Olson! In addition to Lehla's work in the classroom, she is also a well-known exercise instructor - and the only certified Pound Fitness instructor in Philadelphia.

Lehla led the students in a Pound Fitness workout, in which every student had a set of RipStix, which resemble drum sticks. Tracks focused on squats, lunges, and core-work, all the while students would loudly bang to the beat with their RipStix.

The students enjoyed letting go and making noise during the workout. Their PE teacher Laura Kroculick said that's the point of what she's teaching this year. She is focused on exposing the 8th grade to new types of exercises.

She has also worked leadership skills into the curriculum, giving students an assignment to create their own active and inclusive games using any props in the gym. Each student then had to run their game for their classmates. The students were very creative, inventing wild relay races and a new form of fencing using foam noodles.