“Can we do it again and again?” one student asked excitedly after the workout ended.
Having the students get so excited and having so much fun isn’t always the case. Ryan Fletke teaches an adaptive physical education class every day for students with special needs. He tries to offer a variety of activities, games and exercises. The Pound routine, he said, was definitely a hit.
“They loved it. You can see them all smiling and participating. That’s fantastic,” he said.
Besides teaching second grade at Lee Elementary School, Tricia Mosley is also a Pound instructor. She took some time out of her classroom to introduce the high school students to the heart-pounding, rhythmic workout. She explained Generation Pound is a modified program to better suit the needs of participants. The class is a mix of drumming, cardio and strength training. A little yoga is thrown in to help stretch and strengthen muscles.
“It’s really just modified a little so it’s not as complex,” said Mosley who said the goal is to just get the students moving, stretching and having fun. “This also gets them to try something new.”
Fletke said he was thrilled to see the students having so much fun and being engaged in the activity. High school Linker students also participated in the class. Linkers are high school students who provide support and guidance for students with special needs.
“I could tell they were all having a lot of fun,” said Fletke. “This was exactly how I wanted this to go today and I don’t get to say that very often.”
Fletke said during their PE time, he uses a variety of sports, exercises, and games to help students with special needs build strength and conditioning. “It’s just important to get them in here and get them moving with some kind of physical activity,” said Fletke. “I can’t say enough about the Linkers who help make this possible. They really make the class work.”