Skate PE Mission Statement from Open Road NYC

"Students understand and demonstrate movement concepts and principles in a variety of movement forms: Skateboarding requires self awareness, balance and physical control. Students learn to walk, push, glide, skate forward and backward, hop and jump (ollie), all of which demonstrate different movement concepts and principles. Momentum, inertia, friction, slope, incline and other concepts are learned naturally while skateboarding, in a fun, experiential and challenging atmosphere.

Students use interpersonal communication skills that respect differences and demonstrate responsible and social behavior: In Open Road skateboarding physical education classes students depend upon one another, learn from each other, work on skills in a group and work independently. Students learn to respect one another's physical capabilities and differences. Skateboarding as a group requires students to demonstrate responsible and social behavior by respecting one another's physical space, learning not to skateboard into one another, enjoying the achievements of others, and learning to assist one another in mastering the skills. In skateboarding culture when a skateboarder falls in public others show respect. Students in the class quickly adopt this standard.

Students exhibit a physically active way of life and understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self expression, stress reduction and employment: By participating in Open Road skateboarding classes and being encouraged to skateboard on their own after school, and at citywide skateboarding events with their families, students participate in a physically active way of life. Skateboarding is naturally enjoyable and fun for children. Learning the sport is challenging, and by increasing the skills learned, the skater is continually challenged to learn more. Skating encourages self-expression by teaching the students at their own pace and allowing them to create their own choreography. The physical and mental focus required to skate well, along with the sensation of freedom felt gliding, reduces stress. The career and employment opportunities provided by skating are evident from the sponsorship relationships associated with skateboarding events, and through exposure of students to skating instructors – professionals who earn a living by skating and teaching the sport.

Students demonstrate competency in physical skills with proficiency in several: Skateboarding requires competency in a variety of physical skills. At the conclusion of the school year, the students are able to demonstrate competency in numerous physical skills on the skateboard, including standing, pushing, gliding, skating forward and backward, balancing on one foot, hopping, jumping, turning forward and backward, and navigating safely through the playground.

Students demonstrate safe and responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings: In Open Road skateboarding classes, students learn and are able to demonstrate safe behavior while using a skateboard. This includes the proper way to wear and care for the equipment, the safe way to fall and get up, and how to distinguish between safe and unsafe skateboarding behavior. All of the skills learned will include the proper and safe way to execute each maneuver, with discussion of the possible consequences of not executing the maneuvers safely. Students learn safe ways to assist someone who has fallen, to avoid bumping into other skateboarders, and to respectfully alert other skaters who may not be aware of their proximity."

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