During my semester as a teacher assistant at Valleywood Middle School I was given an opportunity to teach an APE class. The class consisted of students with all different types of disabilities. Students with ADHD, specific learning disabilities, speech and language disorder, autism, intellectual disorders, emotional impairments, behavioral disorders, and other health impairments. Obviously a wide range of diversity with all different types of needs and interests to be met.
Why was this considered an "opportunity"?
I was able to see how much of an impact PE had on my students. For them to be able to participate in adapted physical education everyday is amazing (sometimes unheard of in schools).
The purpose of PE is for students to learn, practice, and master skills that will allow them to be physically active for a lifetime. While APE has the same purpose, APE curriculum allow for students to work on a more individualized curriculum that focuses on each student's strengths, needs, and interests. I was able to work one-on-one with almost all of my APE students. I observed a great deal of growth and development of specific skills (non-locomotor, locomotor, and manipulative), as well as be around students who are passionate to be in an APE environment. We incorporate specific activities to help the students become more active in their daily lives and all of the students love it.
APE is important to have for these students because they are allowed the ability to release energy, therefore, releasing stress and other feelings they may be having on that day. Some of my students would come in upset because of an incident that may have happened in the hallway or somewhere else, but the second we start moving, running, playing games, or doing other activities they forget about what had happened 20 minutes ago. Our APE students get to socialize in a different environment than normal (hallways, classrooms, etc.) which helps the students tremendously. These student's want to socialize with their peers, but many people disregard this because they may not be able to have a "full" conversation with them because most struggle with communication skills. In fact, these students are fully capable of having a conversation, expressing thoughts, feelings, and other emotions like any other person does.
Here is a video of a day in APE (count the smiles):
A day in APE
I asked the Special Education teacher if there is a difference in her students academics because of APE. She said this, "The students start to get mentally drained by the time APE comes, when they return back from APE, they are usually (90% of the time) more awake, more engaged, and progress better for the rest of the day. I've designed some specific lessons to take place after APE so I can get more progress done with my students." Many teachers told me because of APE the students don't have as many physical or social outburst's during class time.
Clearly, APE is important for these students and makes a big impact on their educational experience.
