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An Arlington P.E. teacher
uses innovatiove games to get his pupils involved.
By Amy Carden Suardi
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| P.E. teacher Andrew McGrath lines up two kindergarten classes. Photo By Amy Carden Suardi |
Most parents remember the schoolyard game Red Light, Green Light, but how
many have heard of Hungry Crabs or Shipwreck?
These games are innovative ways that Abingdon Elementary Physical Education
teacher Andrew McGrath is using to engage children.
"We are the spiders!"
"We are the flies!"
"We�re
going to eat you!"
"Just you try!"
And so begins the Spiders and Flies game, where kindergarten, first and second
grade students divide into teams and try to catch each other or try not to be caught. Once a fly is caught, he becomes a spider
too. The game is over when the last � and fastest � fly is captured.
Kids get so passionate about the
games that they don�t even realize they are doing something good for themselves: becoming physically fit.
McGrath�s
Physical Education class fits in with Abingdon�s special hands-on focus, where kids learn by doing, and have fun along
the way.
"Mr. McGrath has done a great job implementing games and activities to take the focus off winning and losing,"
Abingdon Assistant Principal John Koutsouftikis said. "Now you see many children who many not enjoy traditional sports and
games participating in these newer, creative games and activities, which is great."
McGrath said he uses a lot of
cooperative teamwork games where kids must achieve a goal together. In the game Alligator Alley students help each other stay
on an "island" � really a mat - by holding hands. In Don�t Dent the Car, teams of three kids must cooperatively
drive a "car" where one child is the horn, one is the driver, and one the backup lights.
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| Abingdon kindergartners do the "twist" in the Ice Cream Scoop game Photo by Amy Carden Suardi |
To reach children with different strengths and talents, McGrath uses creative
approaches. Sometimes he plays the guitar to certain games, or asks children to complete a task like lining up in birth date
order without talking.
"My son has moderate developmental delays, and in the past P.E. has always been his least favorite
class," Abingdon parent Marti Mefford said in an email. "But� McGrath has changed all of that. He stresses fun and
not competition."
Abingdon parent Kate Maxwell said that her daughter now "looks forward to gym every week. She speaks
with such excitement� that I don't think she knows she's getting exercise!"
One of the students� favorite
games is Clean Out Your Backyard. "See these colored yarn balls?" McGrath asked students. "This is trash that your neighbor
is trying to throw into your backyard." The object of the game is to throw all the "trash" back over the imaginary fence and
keep your backyard clean.
"I try to get the kids to name the trash, too," McGrath said. "Like, what is this white
ball?" he asked the students.
"A diaper!" the kids shout. "Ewww!"
"And this yellow ball?"
"A banana peel!
Yuck!"
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