Kids, kayaks come together via phys ed

Whenever I get the chance to observe a “classroom” situation with elementary school youngsters, I renew my respect for teachers and confirm in my mind that I wasn’t cut out for their job. Teaching youngsters takes lots of patience and understanding.

I was reminded of this Tuesday when I was invited to tag along with a physical education class of the Adams School in Castine – in kayaks! Gym class sure isn’t what it used to be when I was a kid in the dark ages. I don’t know whether today’s youngsters are able to appreciate the differences, but I’d take a wintertime tromp on snowshoes or a day on the water over trying to shinny up a two-inch hawser any time.

Jon Floyd, physical education instructor at Adams School and athletic trainer for Maine Maritime Academy, has worked with the community, MMA, and the school to expand the types of programs offered in physical education classes: swimming, team building challenges, snowshoeing, strength training, a climbing wall, mountain biking, and kayaking. The future holds the possibility of orienteering, hiking, and other such activities, Floyd said. I’d bet on it, based on what I’ve heard about the current class offerings.

I asked Floyd, who has been running the program now for about six years, how his class offerings had been received to date.

“The Adams School principal, teachers, parents, and students have been very receptive and supportive of the changes in the physical education program,” he said. “Flexibility has been a key in offering these programs. There has been a better attitude, and more participation by the students with the activity changes. The hope is that by giving the students the opportunity to try these various activities it may spark an interest that will continue on into adulthood.”

So much for roller skating in circles around the gym or tumbling around on a mat like I did in the early ’60s.

“Four years ago, we began to look at changing the physical education program to a more lifelong learning and confidence-building approach,” Floyd added. “This was an effort to improve on students’ attitudes, discipline, and group interaction. We began by starting the school year off with a section on confidence, team building, and challenge activities. These included the use of some of Maine Maritime’s orientation equipment like A-frames, rope ladders, etc. The students responded well to these activities, seemed to enjoy them and also get a lot from them. We then continued on with cooperative games.”

Cooperative games, he explained, teach kids to work together to accomplish a task. For example, each team might be given items such a tire, a traffic cone, or a mat and then have to use these items to get from one point to another. The in-between area is considered “toxic,” and the youngsters have to get across this area and get the equipment across as well.

That Floyd wears a second hat, that of athletic trainer at MMA, is a plus for the small Adams School. “With the ability to use the Maine Maritime facilities, we have incorporated a section on fitness. The section covers aerobic [cardiovascular fitness] as well as basic strength training using Body Master equipment [machines] to minimize the chance of injury.”

The academy’s pool and climbing wall are also available.

“I began talking with a senior student at Maine Maritime, three years ago, about the use of the climbing wall as a physical education class activity. This student had worked with teens in climbing activities before and had some very good ideas. We worked together and in conjunction with Jim Sheridan, director of student services, put a four-week program together for the students. The program is structured to teach the students equipment basics, knot tying, belaying, rappelling, and basic climbing techniques.

“The students learn to belay for each other and have the opportunity to try climbing routes of various difficulties. This program has been a great success. MMA student climbing-wall workers help teach the course giving the students a great deal of hands-on help. The MMA students have been paid for their time through work-study funds. Funding for the program came from the Adams School student activities fund. Jim Sheridan, director of student services, has kept the cost at a minimum for this program, Floyd said.

Looking to expand on these offerings, Floyd started talking with Karen Francoeur of Orono, owner of Castine Kayak Adventures.

“I met Karen approximately four years ago when the River Keepers came to town. We worked together to offer a kayaking program for Castine residents through the Castine Recreation Committee that I was chairman of at the time. From that, discussion continued on the possibility of some type of youth program. Two years ago we started the P.E. kayaking program with funding from the Castine Education Foundation. The students have really enjoyed the program. The areas of concentration have been cold-water survival, PFD education, self-rescue and partner rescue, and basic paddling techniques. These programs have been once a week for four weeks [three 75-minute classes at the MMA pool and one two-hour paddle].”

And that’s where I was Tuesday. Francoeur rounded up a dozen sea kayaks and had them all lined up on the beach at Wadsworth Cove just as the big yellow school bus came grinding to a halt. Out piled 11 more-than-eager sixth-graders in various stages of dress, none of which would be considered kayak-appropriate.

Francoeur kept the reins tight as she instructed the gaggle on paddle grip and basic strokes as 11 windmills began flailing the air. It always amuses me to hear the words go out and see how they are interpreted. Most of the paddles wound up facing the right way.

Then it was time to hit the water. I took five squirming wigglers one way and Francoeur took six the other way as we paddled along the shoreline practicing and reinforcing what was said on the beach. My first thoughts were pessimistic. I figured we’d be fishing wet, shivering kids out of the drink. But they surprised me, even though they didn’t seem to hear a word I said!

By the time we’d explored a wetland and the rest of Wadsworth Cove, the gang looked like they were pros – well, almost.

We made it back to the beach barely in time to catch the bus, but I grabbed a few of the paddlers and asked them how they liked the outing. Here’s what these sixth-graders had to say:

. Ben Slocum – “It was very fun. I learned how to turn around faster and a way to go very fast [I nicknamed him Speedy Gonzales] and how to do some maneuvering.”

. Anthony Codega – “I liked exploring the tidal wetland up under the bridge. I learned how to paddle more efficiently.”

. Ben Easley – “I learned how to paddle more efficiently and that kinda thing. I haven’t done a lot of paddling before. I had fun, I learned something, and I would do it again.”

. Sasha Brouillard – “I have paddled before. I thought today’s outing was a lotta fun. I feel I’ve really learned a lot of stuff from Karen. After today I feel like I’m a lot more experienced paddler, because I’ve only been out once before. I learned about strokes, turning, and how to use my legs when paddling.”

. Brittany Olivari – “I liked to learn how to turn, that was fun, and going under the bridge.”

. Dillon Stewart – “I liked the whole trip. I have been in a kayak many, many times. I would do the trip again.”

. Sierra Reed – “This was my first time on the water in a kayak; it was awesome. I was in a sailboat when I was little. It was all fun.” She said what she liked the best was being on the water and the fact that “I didn’t tip in it!”

Jeff Strout can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail at jstrout@bangordailynews.net.