The UW–Madison School of Education offers academic excellence in areas spanning the arts, health, and education. We are a proud community of innovative leaders, creative thinkers, and fearless trailblazers. Our talented students are committed to making their college experience a meaningful journey that aligns with their interests and helps them achieve their future goals.
Following is a Q&A with Lucas Mandel, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education with a minor in Adapted Physical Education and graduating in fall 2025.
What grade/subjects do you hope to teach once you graduate?
Right now, I prefer elementary ages. Grades 3–5 have been my favorite ages to teach and coach.
What is Adapted Physical Education and how did you get involved with it?
I’m minoring in adapted physical education and it’s teaching me how to integrate people with disabilities in general physical education in the most inclusive and least restrictive environment possible.
Why did you pursue teaching at UW–Madison?
I decided to pursue teaching fairly late in my academic career. I was a Kinesiology major until last year, halfway through my junior year, and still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I stumbled upon the teaching degrees while looking at different majors and had always been interested in the idea of teaching and working with kids. I used to work with kids all the time at summer camps. I didn’t really consider teaching as an option, but when I looked into it it seemed really interesting, so I decided to go for it. Now I’m really enjoying it!
Was there someone at the School of Education, whether it be an instructor or an adviser, that helped you during your transition from kinesiology to teaching?
Professor Dan Timm, head Physical Education instructor and adviser, has been a huge help. I went to him first and he has made the whole transition process so much easier than I could have imagined. He helped me realize a lot of my kinesiology classes transferred nicely to the physical education major, and he’s just been so helpful.
How has the Teacher Pledge helped you in pursuing your goal of becoming a teacher?
Since I started the teaching major late, I wasn’t sure if I was able to take the pledge, but was able to take it this past summer. I’m now on the Teacher Pledge and it applied retroactively to my tuition. I’m still considering my options — what makes the most economic sense for me since my family is in San Francisco, California. I’m not sure yet if I want to teach in Wisconsin, but what’s really nice is that I can take the Pledge and not be bound to it. Since I’m not sure where I will end up, it’s nice to know I have options and that I can pay back tuition and fees if my path leads me to teaching outside of Wisconsin.
Is there anything else that you’d like to add about your experience in our teacher education programs?
I think one of the most impactful and important aspects of this program is how often I got to go into schools, am involved in volunteer opportunities, and just work directly with students and people with and without disabilities. There’s a lot of great opportunities to get involved in hands-on experiences instead of just being in a classroom. That’s been very valuable to me.