PE Update: So Many Things in the Way, in a Good Way

Alex Tzelnic, physical education teacher and mindfulness director
September 16, 2022

Obstacles are hard. It can be tempting, when working with young children, to remove them so that things flow and ease is attained. However, in physical education, we prefer to add them. All the better to build resilience, strength, endurance, and grit.

That is why our pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade students jump into the year with obstacle courses early on. Running, leaping, balancing, crawling, and climbing are all gross motor skills that they’ll continue to hone in other units, but seeing how our students respond to these challenges can be instructive and inspirational.

There is often awe when first beholding an epic set-up of obstacles and then excitement as they begin to explore. There can be frustration when the going gets hard and fatigue when the course has been completed several times. Watching students help one another, reset an area of the course that was knocked over, and end class sweaty and smiling is what it’s all about. Bring on the obstacles!

By Belmont Day School |

June 2, 2023

Seventh Graders Explore Many Dimensions in Math As seventh grade students wrap up their last math unit of the year, they’re expanding on some geometric ideas to think beyond the two and three-dimensional figures from their workbooks. What would a…
The second grade class poses together at Gaining Ground.

BDS

May 26, 2023

We are proud to present the final tally for our second grade changemakers’ efforts to raise funds for Gaining Ground. During Read for Seeds, this group of second graders read 59,774 pages in two weeks and raised $5,097.84 to support…

By John O'Neill, director of athletics |

May 26, 2023

The boys’ lacrosse team exploded for five goals in the fourth quarter against Shady Hill this week for a come-from-behind 7-4 win. The win was the team’s third straight, improving their record to 5-3 and guaranteeing a winning season with…
Scroll to Top