By Sofie Schachter
UW–Madison alumnus Andrew Sokol, a 2022 graduate of the School of Education’s
Physical Education Teacher Education program, pioneered an adaptive physical education program in his Oak Creek, Wisconsin, elementary school that has now spread throughout the district.
Students in the program receive an extra day of PE each week, catered specifically to their physical, cognitive, and emotional needs. For Sokol, this means that seven kids in his elementary school come to him every Wednesday morning for an extra, supplemental PE class. “This way, they aren’t being removed from their class setting with their peers,” says Sokol.
With the project underway, Sokol has a lot more he wants to accomplish in the development of his program, including a “Best Buddies” system that gets 5th grade leaders involved in helping and supporting their peers.
Sokol credits his passion for working with individuals with disabilities to his time at UW–Madison, where he worked as a student with the Adapted Fitness program under Tim Gattenby.
“If the UW–Madison PE department didn’t have such a big emphasis on helping those with specific needs or students with IEPs, the addition of this program at Edgewood would still be neglected ” Sokol says. Other professors such as Cindy Kuhrasch and current Oak Creek Teacher James Huemmer also played a pivotal role in creating Sokol’s enthusiasm for the program.
Sokol hopes that highlighting this program will inspire others and prove that it is possible for other physical education teachers to do similar things in their school districts. Sokol thanks his fellow elementary physical education teachers, his principal, and special education team for their assistance in launching this program: “It was a months-long process that required a true team effort and I am excited to be a part of such a great team going forward.”
“Every once in a while, PE can begin to feel like an afterthought in a school, or as a place that is thought of as an additional recess for students,” Sokol continues. “But in reality, it’s a group of highly collaborative individuals with a focus on serving and educating students with diverse needs across many different domains. And my goal is to eventually help change that narrative.”