Phy ed moves to the Web (sweating included) Steve Brandt; Staff Writer Publication Date: June 22, 2005

Page: 01B Section: NEWS Edition: METRO

It was well into the evening by the time 15-year-old Chris Ransom slid in front of the computer in an alcove off his family's kitchen. He'd finished six hours of classes at Minneapolis Washburn, two hours of baseball practice, a shower, and the bulk of that day's homework. Now it was time for his online physical education course. Did someone say online phy ed? "It's sort of counterintuitive," concedes Chris' mother, Judy McQuade. "Snicker, snicker - do I just click my mouse?" Initially, Minneapolis physical education teachers had questions, too. "It's kind of an oxymoron to have online PE," said Jan Braaten, the district's lead teacher for physical education and health. "My staff was leery at first." But Braaten and others who developed the class are proud of their creation and say it's drawing interest from around the state and beyond. Online phy ed made its debut in Minneapolis this spring and is being offered this summer as well. Online learning offers a way for busy students to shoehorn the state-required academic courses - the district requires one year each of health and physical education - and the electives they want into their schedules. Take Ransom, for example. As a freshman, he took required social studies, science, English and math courses, which consumed two-thirds of his academic day. He also took Spanish as an elective, and a woodworking class for the technical design program in which he's enrolled at Washburn. "I'm really tight on schedules at school," Ransom said. Historically, students who participated in two varsity sports could waive physical education. But that policy ended this spring. The district's online physical education classes had started just in time. (Online health started the previous school year.) But online phy ed doesn't just help those with tight schedules.

Some students have flunked phy ed and need the credit to graduate. Others prefer working out on their own. "I had a student severely overweight who was successful in the class because he didn't feel intimidated working out," said Tamara Cowan, who taught the second-level section of about 20 students. The student began with an elliptical trainer, rowing machine and free weights, then added walking and running. The point, according to first-level online physical education teacher Frank Goodrich, is to start at whatever fitness level the student has and try to improve that. The course begins and ends with face-to-face meetings between student and teacher. Those sessions include testing components of fitness such as strength, flexibility and endurance. Students also are provided with a heart monitor and record its readings and how hard they perceive they're working, along with other workout notes, in an activity journal. They e-mail their work for each weekly unit to teachers. Goodrich concedes it's hard to demonstrate improved fitness for a trained athlete like Ransom. He's played baseball and hockey for years. This spring, he played three positions for the Miller varsity as a freshman, and had a batting average of .373. But other course features can benefit fit students. "Athletes can actually learn what to do to take care of their body," Ransom said. "It's the difference between being in a sport and actually knowing fitness," said Goodrich, who is also a teacher and football coach at Edison High School in Minneapolis. For example, students study nutrition. One assignment uses an online shopping service to shop for healthy meals on a budget. Ransom learned that it's best to stay away from fats and junk food, although he concedes it's not always easy to live up to that. . Jumping, not jacks Some students use nontraditional routes to meet the course requirement of 30 documented hours of exercise. One student climbed mountains while out of state. Another was a competitive figure skater. A teen mother walked her child. Students record warmups and cooldowns, as well as their heart rate and any flexibility or strength work.

Abbie Modaff used the online course to juggle phy ed while taking band as a South freshman. She combined soccer, Pilates and riding a horse. There was some initial skepticism about the horseback riding, but Modaff has the monitor to prove that her heart rate was usually in the 160s - about the same as soccer - and peaked at 180 when she was jumping her horse. Plus the pressure she maintained to guide her horse through dressage exercises paid off in leg strength. "It makes me real sore and it's hard work," Modaff said. "It works a lot of muscles that you don't know you have." Despite not seeing students each day, Goodrich and Cowan say their relationships with the students are equally strong. They keep in touch by e-mail; Goodrich gets to know families by calling each student each week. Minneapolis will present the courses to health and physical education teachers from across the state next fall. The district's physical education teachers got a look at the course in March. "Some of them who had reservations were really excited about it," Braaten said. Counselors also make sure that tightly scheduled students know of the online option. They plan revisions this summer, but those involved say it's clear they're on the right track. Cowan said she's in touch with physical education teachers from around the nation: "They're fascinated by it." . Steve Brandt is at sbrandt@startribune.com and 612-673-4438. . ON THE WEB For more information about the content of online physical education in Minneapolis public schools, visit the Web at www.startribune.com/310. Recipient Email Address: Sender Email Address:

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Phy ed moves to the Web (sw eating included)

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