This fall, Patagonia Middle School sixth-graders had something new to look forward to in PE class: riding brand new mountain bikes.
The bikes are part of the Riding for Focus (R4F) program grant that physical education teacher Aaron Gudenkauf and Patagonia resident Steve Watts applied for last year. The grant included bikes, helmets, curriculum, and instructor training.
Gudenkauf, who also teaches Middle School science, was excited when he first heard about R4F. “It sounded like a fun program,” he said. “Admittedly, I was also a little intimidated by the idea of herding 15 sixth-graders on bikes, but I was up for the challenge!”
The students were excited, too, and a little nervous, several because they hadn’t been on a bike in a while, or hadn’t been fully taught. “I haven’t ridden a bike in a long time because the bikes at my house don’t work,” said one student. “When I heard that we were gonna be riding bikes at school, I was just excited to ride the bikes.”
“[At first] I was kind of stressed, because I’d never really learned too much, but now I’m enjoying it,” said another.
An evidence-based program
Ride for Focus was developed by Outride, a nonprofit organization that sponsors research into the physical, attentional and mental health benefits of cycling. Their initial question, asked back in 2012, was “Can cycling impact learning, health, and well-being for kids with ADHD?” They launched a pilot study with neuroscientists where students participated in a regular biking program. When the before-and-after results showed improvements in attention and mood, cognitive performance, and social relationships, Ride for Focus was spun into a full middle school curriculum.
Since then, the program’s focus has broadened to overall benefits for all students, and has reached 400 schools around the country. A follow-up study published in 2021 of students in 20 middle schools showed increased outdoor and physical activity, reduced screen time, and improved sense of well-being across all groups after participating in the R4F program.
Start with the basics
This fall’s program at Patagonia Middle School was a PE class option for sixth-graders. Fifteen students joined the class, entering with all levels of bicycle experience, including almost none. The program starts with riding in the gym, working on the basics of balance, movement, braking and bike handling. Riders got used to feeling the sense of instability without being thrown by the discomfort of it. Instead, they learned to use their bodies to come back to center, or easily put a foot down to catch themselves when necessary.
“Starting simply” let beginners build confidence, and gave experienced riders more awareness of the subtleties of what’s happening when they ride. For example, practice drills emphasize going slow, which challenges balance and is a key skill to develop for mountain biking on uneven terrain. “It was relieving [to start with the basics],” said one student.
Re-learning the fundamentals helped more experienced riders round out their skills, too. In a later class, students practiced stopping and turning at an intersection, including making hand signals for left, right and stop. Teacher Gudenkauf set up an intersection with cones and stop signs. The students spun around the outside track, then entered the intersection one by one to practice each direction and hand signal.
They learned there is some tricky coordination and timing involved to make the signal with their left hand when approaching the turn, and then put it back on the handlebars in time to make the turn. Learning biking skills with this level of detail builds kinesthetic awareness and safety consciousness from the ground up.
At the same time, “the spread of skills is probably the biggest challenge [in teaching the class],” Gudenkauf said. “Some kids were ready to ride fast now. Others were not comfortable on bikes and needed a different level of support.”
Learning on many levels
Taking care of the bikes is part of students’ responsibilities, too. They were matched with a bike for their size, and each session began with taking them out of storage and making a general function check of tires, wheels and brakes. They learned that focus and discipline on those tasks pays dividends; over the semester, the group cut the setup time by 60% and gained 15 minutes more riding time.
Watching the students practice, it was evident that the students were having fun. Class time was full of laughter and encouragement for each other when they tried something new, or when someone lost their balance. Beginners were supported as they steadily got the hang of basic balance and riding skills. Gudenkauf often heard comments like, “I’m so proud of you today!” He said, “This sixth grade class has a positive reinforcement culture overall, and these students bring that to cycling class.”
Over the semester, the students’ biking skills developed rapidly. “What we learned in this class was like, shocking,” one student expressed.
“Before this, I didn’t like [riding] really. Since I learned it again [here], I think it’s pretty fun. I hope I don’t stop, so I won’t unlearn again,” said another.
For Gudenkauf, “The highlight for me, hands down, was teaching two [beginning] students how to ride a bike—getting them over the initial fear and working towards being road ready.”
Students appreciated the growth challenge offered by the class, gaining confidence by pushing past their fears. They noticed the training effect, too, that honed physical skills that help them move more easily in general.
Community support
Supporting lifelong habits in physical activity and interest in biking is a fundamental goal of the R4F program and the Patagonia team who brought it here. That brings up the question of ongoing access to bikes—some students have their own bikes, others don’t. Some have bikes they can’t ride because they need repair.
Creating ongoing access to bikes so that students can continue with the fun and benefits of cycling is where community support comes in. Steve Watts is building connections among Patagonia cyclists and bike techs to help put students’ bikes back in working order, and to source donated bikes. He is organizing a fundraiser for the efforts in February.
As Gudenkauf said, “The Patagonia bike community has been [so supportive] towards the project. Multiple people donated their time to help assemble and prep the bikes for the program. It’s been amazing to be a part of!”
What’s next for R4F?
What happens next with Ride for Focus at Patagonia Middle School? “We plan to integrate the R4F program as a unit in PE,” said Gudenkauf. “So as kids rotate through, they will encounter the unit multiple times over the years at PUSD. Effectively, we’ll build an education pipeline for bike riding skills across multiple years at the school.”
In addition, the Patagonia Youth Enrichment Center (PYEC)’s monthly cycling program developed by Watts and Rob Broadfoot gives another opportunity for youth to ride. The next trips are Saturday, January 3, and Saturday, January 31. The day starts at 10am at PYEC. Bikes and helmets are provided, and lunch follows at noon.
Gudenkauf commended his first group of students who pioneered the Riding for Focus program. “Across the entire group, I noted that the kids understood an investment (via the grant) was being made in their education,” he said. “They understood the equipment was brand new, and they made sure to take care of it. The recognition of that investment in them got them really excited to participate in the program.”
Their enthusiasm showed, and transformed into skills that will make biking safer and more fun for years to come.