Physical Education
School Age
School Aged students have physical education class once a week for fifty minutes. During each class, the students are challenged with different activities that incorporate skills that are emphasized in traditional physical education classes such as throwing, catching, kicking and various sports/games. They also practice specific and appropriate activities that are geared towards our students’ needs. This year, the physical education teachers are in contact with the school’s physical therapists in implementing goals for each student to work on during physical education class. The students are using physical therapy equipment (gait trainers, standers, bikes) during physical education class in addition to the main focus activities and units. One of our main goals is to have as much independence as possible for the students. The staff have high expectations for the students and are working hard to make sure that each student has the best chances possible to shine! ☺
Kristine Hahn
Physical Education Teacher
Preschool
Stephen Knolls amongst its other great attributes offers physical education to students in MCPS who are enrolled in PEP within the school. Beginnings, Classic, and INC, receive physical education services once a week. PEP physical education consists of lessons related to skills in the areas of motor discovery, sensory integration, turn taking, and basic spatial awareness. Age appropriate themes, and music combine to make PEP at Stephen Knolls a great introduction into activity.
Students are being introduced to the P.E. setting by learning how to establish and modify personal activity goals, while monitoring their own progress. For example, obstacle coursing is a theme of preschool physical education that is "spiraled" throughout the school year and consists of following directions, sharing, taking turns, climbing, running, jumping in, on, through, and around various obstacles. Students will be increasing their duration of activity time on the obstacle course, as the year goes on … Goal setting, therefore, is vital to understanding personal achievement as it relates to their personal effort. Some student’s power-walk the course – others run – some do both - but everyone keeps moving! Also on tap in preschool P.E. are the fundamental skills of using balls, balancing, catching, throwing, rolling, jump roping, plus the locomotor skills of running, hopping, jumping, galloping, and skipping … Themes are spiraled throughout the year which means that themes are revisited, extended to new levels, and/or modified throughout the year in order to adapt to different skill levels and anchor learning. If there are ever questions, we are here to help and our doors are always open to discuss your child's physical education progress."
Matt Klein, B.S M.S.Ed
Richard House, B.S., M.Ed.
PEP Physical Education Teachers