2008 Woodie Awards
Hot Wheels
Lewis shares hobby with class; teaches cool tricks on hot wheels
Jordan Krueger
Issue date: 1/25/08 Section: Trinity Life
Those who doubt the diversity of Trinity's course selection must have overlooked PHED 1137. Offered only in the spring semesters, Mark Lewis's roller skating course pleasantly reminds Trinity students just how alternative and fun their courseload can be.
Lewis, associate professor of computer science, has always enjoyed skating.
"As soon as I got my daughters interested in skating, I started going [to the Rollercade] more regularly," Lewis said. "So we got out there weekly and some students started coming out. And one of my students suggested I teach this as a class."
Lewis initially thought he was not technically qualified to teach a Physical Education (P.E.) course.
"But I wrote to Dr. Robert Hockey in the P.E. department and asked what is required to teach a class in the P.E. department. It turns out it only requires that you have a degree…and that you have to be proficient in what you're going to teach."
The course came into creation smoothly. As a salaried employee, Lewis did not charge extra, whereas normally in special skilled classes instructors would receive additional salary. And since Lewis already roller skated every Tuesday anyway, he felt no strain on his schedule.
According to Lewis, "The goal of the class is to improve [the students'] physical fitness during the class, leave them with an improved attitude toward physical fitness and hopefully make it so that they're proficient enough at roller skating to use it as a means of achieving physical fitness throughout their lives."
Out of 100 total course points, 50 points are attributed to skills tests, an endurance test fulfills 20 points, a written exam fulfills 10 points, and the remaining 20 are determined by attendance and participation. Though the course is entitled "Roller Skating," students are allowed to wear roller blades if they can comfortably skate with them.
As well as finding a means of transportation to the Rollercade, students must also purchase or rent skates and pay $4 each week to enter the roller rink. For the first 30 minutes of class, they have private access to the rink to learn and practice new techniques. The remaining two hours of the class overlap with the Rollercade's business hours, but students must still practice skating during this time.
Lewis, associate professor of computer science, has always enjoyed skating.
"As soon as I got my daughters interested in skating, I started going [to the Rollercade] more regularly," Lewis said. "So we got out there weekly and some students started coming out. And one of my students suggested I teach this as a class."
Lewis initially thought he was not technically qualified to teach a Physical Education (P.E.) course.
"But I wrote to Dr. Robert Hockey in the P.E. department and asked what is required to teach a class in the P.E. department. It turns out it only requires that you have a degree…and that you have to be proficient in what you're going to teach."
The course came into creation smoothly. As a salaried employee, Lewis did not charge extra, whereas normally in special skilled classes instructors would receive additional salary. And since Lewis already roller skated every Tuesday anyway, he felt no strain on his schedule.
According to Lewis, "The goal of the class is to improve [the students'] physical fitness during the class, leave them with an improved attitude toward physical fitness and hopefully make it so that they're proficient enough at roller skating to use it as a means of achieving physical fitness throughout their lives."
Out of 100 total course points, 50 points are attributed to skills tests, an endurance test fulfills 20 points, a written exam fulfills 10 points, and the remaining 20 are determined by attendance and participation. Though the course is entitled "Roller Skating," students are allowed to wear roller blades if they can comfortably skate with them.
As well as finding a means of transportation to the Rollercade, students must also purchase or rent skates and pay $4 each week to enter the roller rink. For the first 30 minutes of class, they have private access to the rink to learn and practice new techniques. The remaining two hours of the class overlap with the Rollercade's business hours, but students must still practice skating during this time.
Be the first to comment on this story