For most people, physical education – P.E. – was a class they either really enjoyed or greatly disliked. For P.E. instructor Matt Butler, who teaches at Lenihan Intermediate School, it’s all about creating a learning environment that encourages kids to take a life-long interest in their physical health.

“One of the old ideas of what a P.E. teacher is is they just throw a ball out and we play a game. Physical education nowadays is a lot different,” Butler said. “We care about movement, focusing on not just skill development, but increasing cardiovascular endurance — different ways to make ourselves healthy.”

He instructs five P.E. sections every school day, beginning around 9 a.m., each lasting 45 minutes. He co-teaches alongside Casey Moberly.

“We’re trying to introduce them to different fitness equipment and activities, so as they get older, they can use those skills that they learned here,” he said.

T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ For P.E. instructor Matt Butler, who teaches at Lenihan Intermediate School, it’s all about creating a learning environment that encourages kids to take a life-long interest in their physical health.

Butler, who is a Marshalltown native, graduated from West Marshall High School.

“It was one of those things where, like a lot of kids, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do,” he said. “When I graduated high school, I went to business school to be a computer programmer, but I didn’t like the idea of sitting in a cubicle working, so then I went to Hawkeye Community College and got into teaching. At UNI I knew physical education was what I wanted to do.”

He earned a degree from the University of Northern Iowa, with a focus on physical education and health education. He also holds a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration — knowledge he utilizes as a coach for local high school and middle school sports.

He has taught P.E. at Lenihan for 10 years.

“This is my first job out of college,” he said.

Butler said he likes the school’s gym, which includes an attached fitness center. The extra room comes in handy for keeping the approximately 65 students occupied in gym class.

“There’s a growing problem of students being sedentary. We do the best we can. The kids that are above and beyond we give a little bit extra to do, and the other kids we try to make it more simple,” he said. “Our time is limited. If we could see kids every day, that would be amazing, but we can only see them twice every six days … we try to push them to achieve their individual best.”

He and Moberly use the SPARK P.E. curriculum in developing coursework. Activities include learning the fundamentals of golf, basketball, volleyball, soccer and tennis, as well as playing games including dodge ball, kickball and a hybrid of soccer and basketball known as boccer. Students wear heart monitors on their wrists, which record progress.

“We do an activity two or three times before we switch so they get a little better at the skill,” he said.

Butler said he loves working with Lenihan students — all fifth and sixth graders — who range in age from 9-12.

“Fifth graders aren’t quite elementary kids but they’re not middle schoolers. They still like P.E. class and are okay with getting sweaty. After spring break, we see some of our sixth graders moving into ‘I don’t want to do that’, but for the most part, our kids are pretty good,” he said.

P.E. time is also used for discussing good hygiene practices and general health. He said he is trained to spot behaviors that could lead to eating disorders.

“(At this age) we start to see kids worrying more about their physical appearance; we see kids not eating at lunch. We’re educated on what some of the signs are,” he said.

The best part of the job is the children.

“There are some challenges, but for the most part, they’re excited to be here,” he said. “You need to get to know them and figure out what interests them and what they can do today to make themselves a little bit better. That second year (sixth grade) I really see that change in people who weren’t as interested in P.E. in fifth grade.”

——–

Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at

641-753-6611 or

sjordan@timesrepublican.com