Sneakers and Beakers

Each January my children's elementary school hosts a Math and Science Night.  In a weak moment, I reluctantly agreed to chair the event this year.  As someone who avoids math and science classes, discussions, and attempts at solving math and science problems, I was in over my head.

Despite my reluctance to organize this big night, things started to click this summer, and my theme for Math and Science Night formed as I read Boys Adrift, which reinforced what I already know as a teacher:  we need to make learning active and hands-on, especially for boys.

Right around the same time that I was reading Boys Adrift, I had just started taking classes at KC Bootcamp, and I loved that bootcamp was helping me improve as a recreational tennis player, cyclist, and runner.  Bootcamp was improving my strength and endurance for all sports.  My brain was swirling around the ideas of hands-on, multi-sport, and voila, I had a theme for Math and Science Night...  Sneakers & Beakers:  The Math and Science of Sport.

Summer came and went, the frantic pace of life and the school year set in, and before I knew it, it was late fall, and I needed to pull this Sneakers & Beakers gig together.  Ultimately, we had nearly 35 exhibitors from a variety of sports lined up to lead students and their parents through 2-3 minute sporty drills, and I needed to come up with math word problems for each of the sport exhibits.  Thanks to a lot of help from my friends Math and Science Night came together.

I took two personal days from work, the days before and after Math and Science Night, to coordinate all the last-minute details.  Taking two days off work isn't easy for a teacher.  The sub planning, plus the mountain of paperwork that await my return, are overwhelming.  I thought for sure that I would be sunk on my Paleo-challenge and workout schedule.

But, I'm happy to report that I made it.  Three weeks into the Paleo-challenge I didn't cheat once, and I made it to five workouts throughout the week leading up to Math and Science Night and the days after.  Thanks to Paleo and bootcamp, the kernel of the Sneakers and Beakers idea was born, and I had the energy and endurance to power through work and family responsibilities as well as Math and Science Night.  Did I mention that Coach Dan from KC Bootcamp was one of our featured exhibitors?  The kids love him!

I love that Paleo and bootcamp are working for me.  This one pull-up by 12.31.11 WILL happen.

Peace, love, Paleo,
jpq