Reaping the Rewards of Recess
Training for a teaching career at Longwood? Step in professor Matthew Lucas' class, and you'll learn why recess is as important as math for today's elementary students.
Lucas, who teaches in Longwood's College of Education and Human Services, has done extensive research that indicates that recess and social activities are essential harbingers of life lessons, such as conflict resolution, cooperation, sharing and problem solving.
At Longwood, Lucas focuses on adapted physical education, working to educate Longwood students on how they can successfully teach physical education to children with disabilities. He has written several research papers on how students with disabilities can participate in, and reap the benefits of, recess. He also teaches health and movement in the classroom, which helps Longwood students studying to be elementary classroom teachers discover how they can use physical activity, movement, games and activities to keep students on their feet and learning in the classroom.
Lucas' passion goes beyond the campus classroom. Lucas leads Farmville Challenger Baseball, a T-Ball league he founded for local children with disabilities. This league provides children with special needs an opportunity to play T-ball in a non-competitive atmosphere and enjoy the team experience of the sport.
Why does Lucas love teaching at Longwood? "With the small class sizes at Longwood University, you really get to know students personally and understand where they want to take their careers. I love helping them get there."