UW–Madison alumna Mackenzie Swenson, a first-year physical education teacher at Lodi Elementary School, was featured in a WKOW/Ch. 27 news report about her unique approach to connecting with students while her school is operating virtually this fall.
Swenson is bringing exercise and outdoor fun right to students’ front doors, the report said, by going to every student’s home for an in-person, outdoor gym class.
“Kids have been so excited,” Swenson said. “I’ve pulled up to houses and they’re watching out the window for me, and they jump up, they’re ready to come out and play.”
Swenson is a new teacher in the district, and she thought this would be a great way to meet her students, the report explained.
“With what we’re doing, I don’t get live video interaction with the students,” Swenson said. “Everything I put out is prerecorded. I just thought, this is the best way to break that barrier.”
Her students think it is a good idea as well.
“I thought it was pretty cool,” a fifth grade student named Max told 27 News. “We don’t really get to do it this year, but now we get to do it social distancing.”
Swenson graduated in May 2020 from the Department of Kinesiology‘s Physical Education Teacher Education program.
Check out the full report on the wkow.com website, here.