"Making Yourself Tired Today for a Stronger Tomorrow"

The first field trip our leadership group took this semester, was to a small school in Fayetteville, NY called Mott Road Elementary School. Walking up to the school you can tell a lot just by looking at it. The school had one floor and every classroom window seemed to be decorated with student art work, which may be typical of any upstate elementary school. But once you walked inside its almost as if you walked into a world of student achievement. You can tell from the atmosphere that Mott Road Elementary School was big on character education and started it from a very early age. Throughout the school there were several bulletin boards that displayed good behavior or acts rewards that the students received monthly.

Now for the purpose of our trip we wanted to meet the teachers of the physical education program that C-State has been hearing so much about. Tom Winiecki and Kory McMahon (both Cortland Grads), who run a program that encompasses all that we feel Phys Ed should be. This program gets students motivated, active and enthused about fitness and physical activity. Speaking to Mr. Winiecki and Mr. McMahon was about the best thing I did all last week. Its great to see people in the field you are wishing to embark on that still enjoy and care for what they are doing. After a brief interview with Mr. Winiecki, he says "... teaching P.E is what I love to do and wouldn't change it for the anything..." The Mott Road Elementary P.E. program offers several units for the student to participate in that ranges from dancing skills to juggling, and bowling to adventure activities. When we took our visit we happened to walk in during the gymnastics unit for which they have actual parallel and uneven bars (this equipment happens to be shared throughout the district).

What makes the program extraordinary besides the teacher's care and enthusiasm, broad pick of units and use of technology in the classroom???  Mott Road Elementary (MRE) has a before school/recess program where students are allowed to come in and play Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) to get their heart rates up and going.  Students have access a total 6 DDR mats and each station is split 2 complete with a large projector so that the game is projected onto the wall. While DDR is going student can also wear pedometers keep track of their steps. Once students reach over certain amount of steps the get different prizes depending on the achievement.


As we all know many schools in New York and around the US fail to make the required minutes of PE each week but MRE has taken a stand against that and started the "Morning Fitness Walk".  At 9:00 all students (and I do mean all the students K-4) poured out of each and every classroom and begin a vigorous walk along the walls along through the entire school. All teachers and administrational staff participated too! (so did I).
                                                                  Click these words!!

Overall, I truly enjoyed my visit to Mott Road Elementary. If I had to change anything I was change very little.  I enjoyed the morning fitness walk but instead of having one music station in the middle, I would have 4 different types of music in each corner. I commend Mr. Winiecki and Mr. McMahon for there successful program!