Richard W. Wolf has been teaching since 1999 spending most of his career at P.S. 1 in Brooklyn, NY. He arrived at P.S. 280Q in 2014 with great knowledge of the subject area. Mr. Wolf graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Phys Ed and Health from Adelphi University and Masters degree in Liberal Arts from Touro College and has spent his entire career as a PE teacher.
Since arriving at P.S. 280, the program has seen much growth. Mr. Wolf has created two different clubs that has students getting up an hour earlier, four days a week, to enjoy his coaching and the sports they love to play. Working with the students is always rewarding and drives me to challenge them while building self-esteem and confidence that will benefit them for years to come.
Mr. Wolf’s philosophy of teaching is to develop the “whole child.” The subject of physical education has grown leaps and bounds from the days of old. Building the athletic prowess of the students is not the main goal. I wish to develop the students physically, of course, but I try and promote social, emotional, and cognitive skills whenever possible. Leaving P.S. 280 with skills that will allow them to problem solve and face the challenges of the world head on.
The field of health and fitness has interested Mr. Feliz for as long as he could remember. In his 35 years as an athlete he has participated in gymnastics, circus arts, boxing, latin dance, basketball, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He also received certification as a personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise as well as a certification as a Russian kettlebell instructor from the Russian Kettlebell Challenge. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from York College and his Masters Degree in Health Education from Lehman College.
As a teacher Mr. Feliz believes in being flexible and sensitive to the individual differences in students while patiently guiding them to be the best that they can be. Teaching students how to care for their health and how to work with others in games and sports is empowering for them. These are life skills that must be shared with students so that they too can find personal enjoyment and develop an appreciation for the incredible strength, grace and beauty that their bodies are capable of. As the great leader Gandhi once said, “Today I know that physical training should have as much a place in the curriculum as mental education.”