Becky Eserhaut to Bring DrumFIT to Madison Using Grant
by Margaret Hurlbert
February 10, 2020

MUSCATINE, Iowa—In the past, Madison Elementary School physical education teacher Becky Eserhaut discovered DrumFIT at a professional development event. A creative form of exercise where participants drum on an exercise ball while dancing to fast paced songs, Eserhaut thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “A couple years ago, I tried it at a gym teachers’ convention, and it was a lot of fun,” she remembers.

After seeing other schools use DrumFIT successfully, including at McKinley Elementary School, Eserhaut looked for ways to bring it to Madison. With the help of Bridgestone Bandag’s third Classroom of the Quarter grant of the year, Eserhaut now has the opportunity to get her students active in a whole new way.

With her Classroom of the Quarter grant, Eserhaut has the funds to purchase 30 exercise balls, supports, and drumsticks. With these simple pieces of equipment, Eserhaut will have everything she needs to lead her students through this engaging workout. Along with providing cardio and overall toning, DrumFIT helps students develop rhythm and other listening skills more often associated with music classes than with physical education.

Eserhaut loves this cross curricular aspect of DrumFIT and believes it will motivate students to do well in many subjects, not just in gym. “I hope that they get some health benefits just from the movement, but I also hope they enjoy the rhythmic music aspect of it,” Eserhaut shared. DrumFIT also features a variety of different routines and songs suited to children of different ages and abilities. Eserhaut likes this aspect of the program and thinks it will appeal to students who do not enjoy playing sports in gym.

As Eserhaut waits for the new DrumFIT equipment to arrive, she plans on working with McKinley physical education teacher Nate Randleman, to learn how to best use it with students in all grades. When the set arrives, she looks forward to making gym classes even more of a smashing good time than she already does.

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