Nik Kolkmeyer
physical education teacher, Aspen Community School
Ialways like to begin each year with my story to my students.
My dream was always to become a physical education teacher, since I was in middle school. It was at Capshaw Middle School, under the guidance of Christina Lujan, where my ambition was set in stone.
I am so fortunate to be a PE teacher at Aspen Community School, but everything changed for us in March, when COVID-19 hit our state. Before then, I thought of my career as sort of a kaleidoscope — a multifaceted agenda with so many angles and options. I was driven to get youngsters moving and breathing hard.
Now, I feel teaching has more of a Ouija board effect — one narrow, distorted viewpoint through a lens (the webcam and PC screen) and at the control of some higher order (the internet and governing officials).
Instead of walking into my gym on a mission to perfect my craft, I’m just trying to compile effective lessons, copy and paste video links and figure out the different learning platforms we use. Searching on a computer screen and filling out survey questions was not what they taught me at university.
This year is really just based on hope that my students get the most of their lessons, COVID cases dissolve so we can return to the gym and the field, my internet doesn’t disconnect, and I get more than nine students to log in and participate fully.
It has not deterred my attitude toward education or its delivery. That’s a credit to my school and the amazing, unrelenting leadership that really works for us. They want to know how we feel and what works best or doesn’t work at all. I would teach on Mars with a stick and rock if an administration and leadership is personable and friendly, organized and effective, as well as approachable.
It sounds strange, but I can ask for an inch, and they will give me a mile, no questions asked.