In the week of September 15, Speer’s senior students wrapped up their challenging benchmarks in Mr. Moebus’ PE class, also widely referred to as “AP gym”, proceeding through 7 abnormal workouts:
- 10-meter AMRAP Shuttle Run: Students are to run 10 meters back and forth as many times as possible in 10 minutes.
- 2 x 4’ Cal Row: Students must row at a fast and efficient pace for 4 minutes, completing 2 sets.
- 50-yard Sled Sprint: In the fastest time possible, students must drag a heavy plate on the ground behind them for 50 yards. Girls were given a 35 lbs. plate and boys were given a 45 lbs. plate.
- 3-Minute Burpee Test: Students had to complete the most amount of burpees they could in 3 minutes.
- Bearhug Plate Carry: At the fastest pace they could, students had to carry a heavy plate in their arms while traveling 200 meters. Girls were given a 35 lbs. plate and boys were given a 45 lbs. plate.
- MedBall Thruster: Students had to complete the most amount of MedBall thrusters they could in 8 minutes. A MedBall thruster consists of a squat, followed by the MedBall over your head.
- 100-yard Plate OHWL: In under 8 minutes, students have to lunge across 100 meters while carrying a heavy plate over their head. Girls were given a 35 lbs. plate and boys were given a 45 lbs. plate.
In Chicago Public Schools, a typical PE class usually consists of only the pacer test or timed mile–potentially both. The class is coupled with Health class, creating a balance between health and fitness. Similarly, Speer’s freshman, sophomore, and junior classes balance health and fitness, with health only taking part once or twice a week. Treatment with the senior class differs; students are expected to already understand their health and wellness from prior years. For that reason, fitness in Speer’s PE class is the most recognized and important factor, justifying the challenging workouts Mr. Moebus assigns to his students.
I interviewed Mr. Moebus to directly hear his perspective on the structure of his class.
What is your favorite aspect of teaching P.E class?
“It’s coming up with challenging exercises for every student and balancing it between being able to finish it[workout] and not being able to finish it to finally met that threshold between the two.”
What motivated you to become a P.E teacher?
“I wanted to positively impact people at a younger age. I was used to teaching adults, and I found that adults were already stuck and not wanting to challenge themselves to change, so if I could get to a younger demographic sooner, I would be able to set them up for their future success.”
Which benchmark did you find most difficult to perform yourself?
“Probably the overhead walking lunges. That one was the most mentally and physically challenging, and I think most of the students would agree.”
How can students apply what they learn in P.E to their outside lives?
“I think P.E is probably the biggest or most important class for all students, and the lessons learned in P.E will transfer to life outside of school. I think if you get used to doing hard things in P.E class, you can tap into that when you are not in P.E class, whether it’s math class, science class, credit card payments, or whatever life throws at you; I think you are more resilient for having done hard things in P.E class.”
Mr. Moebus highlights the importance of P.E in high school students’ curriculum despite many students disliking the workouts he assigns. It is important to recognize that although the class can be difficult at times, it is for the better of students’ health and future success in life outside of and after high school.
