VINCENZO PIZZUTI

PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

As the first full-time physical education teacher at PS 527, Vincenzo passionately expresses the importance of physical fitness: “Every student can benefit from physical education class. Studies have shown that a positive health environment is associated with an improved socio-cognitive development. I will teach my students that fitness is more than an outlet. It’s the base from which complete well-being emerges.”

What excites Vincenzo most about teaching at PS 527 is the opportunity to create a curriculum from the bottom up, focused on fitness and overall health, at a school where physical education is clearly valued. “For far too long, ‘gym class’ has been associated with students just playing competitive sports such as dodgeball and kickball, and performing timed activities such as the mile run. This can often times lead to students feeling singled out and not experiencing any joy from being physically active. My dream is to create an inclusive environment that is just like any other classroom, which promotes learning. I want my students to leave my gymnasium having learned something new, whether it is a new sport skill or a new fact about the human body. It is time to take physical education out of a 50’s-era methodology, and I am here to impart the importance of physical fitness within a 21st-century context, allowing students to thrive in the classroom and make it a part of their lives for decades to come.”

Vincenzo obtained his M.A.T. in Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy from Manhattanville College, serving as a student teacher at Edgewood Elementary School in Scarsdale, New York. He also holds a B.S. from Penn State, where he majored in Kinesiology with a concentration in Fitness Studies. In addition, Vincenzo has extensive experience as a coach and sports specialist in summer camps in Westchester County. In his free time, Vincenzo enjoys distance cycling and plans to make it a competitive endeavor in the near future.