Motor Development Clinic

CPP Course Involvement

Academic courses involved with MDC

During the academic year, students in the following courses participate in MDC and acquire a variety of professional skills relevant to their teaching and health-care professional career.

  • KIN 2460: Foundation of Adapted Physical Activity (Fall & Spring)
    • Observation & Teaching Assistant at MDC
  • KIN 3460S/AS: Applied Adapted Physical Education/Activity (Fall & Spring)
    • Lesson Plan Development & Teaching at MDC
  • KIN4310AS: Students with Disabilities Field Experiences Activity (Fall)
    • Behavior Intervention Development at MDC
  • KIN 4330S/AS: Adapted Physical Education Motor Assessment/Activity (Spring)
    • Motor Assessment at MDC
  • KIN 5750S/AS: Program Development for Individuals with Disabilities/Activity (Spring)
    • Leadership development, Behavior Intervention, & Mentoring at MDC

Student Stories

Armando Herrera

Kinesiology 
Expected Grad year 2023/2024

What I had experience from this course compared to other courses was that I was able to have hands-on experience with the public. With the many classes that I took and being able to recognize what muscle groups need improvements, I would like to say that I enjoyed the fact where I am able to recognize certain patterns of movements in a clinical sense rather than reading it from a book.

What it was like volunteering for this experience was intriguing! I finally get to work with the community and being able to observe and help with the assessment sessions in MDC. This class is a great way of having a 1-to-1 experience with the children's and adults.

 At the start of this course, I was a little nervous about working with the community, since I had no experience with working in this type of environment. Now at the end of this course I am no longer nervous and I would like to continue on with helping with the community. It brings joy to me where I can get involved in helping with the community and gaining so much experience and knowledge.

My expectation was surpassed with the many types of involvement of what Dr. Mai had provided her students with. Getting to know how adaptive sports are being played along with giving the experience of what people with disabilities/diversability move of their day to day lives.

I would love to take another service-learning course. I do believe students should get a chance to work in this environment at least once in their academic careers, so not only they can graduate with some type of experience, but to also to keep in their mind after they graduate of what they can improve for their community if not the world.

Priscilla Ramirez 

Kinesiology
Expected grad year: Spring 2024 

* What have you experienced in this course that is different from others? 

-  One aspect that sets this course apart from others is the hands-on experience of volunteering in the community. As someone who wants to become an occupational therapist and work with disabled individuals, this course has allowed me to gain first-hand experience working with multiple children and adults with different kinds of disabilities. It has been incredibly rewarding to see the impact that this work has on their lives and has helped me to develop the necessary skills to communicate and work with them effectively. 

*What was it like to volunteer in the community? 

-  My experience volunteering in the community has been an incredibly valuable experience that will undoubtedly impact my career in a positive way. This course provided me with a unique opportunity to volunteer in a variety of different settings, including observing at Cal Poly Pomona’s Motor Development Clinic, an Adaptive Physical Educator at an elementary school, and participating in Adaptive Sport Events. Through these experiences, I was able to gain exposure to individuals with a wide range of diagnoses that affect their daily lives. Specifically, I had the privilege of working with multiple children who had diagnoses of Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, and many others. 

Participating at the Motor Development Clinic was a valuable opportunity that allowed me to apply the knowledge gained from the course in my interactions with children and adults with disabilities. I primarily volunteered during the adult session at the clinic, where I worked closely with an individual diagnosed with Autism. This experience taught me the importance of patience, as well as the effective use of visual and verbal cues in communication. In particular, sign language was a crucial visual cue for this individual. Working with this individual was a highlight of my experience because it helped me to better understand how to apply the concepts I had learned in the course. Although I had learned the key information in class, I was uncertain how to apply it until I worked closely with the adults with disabilities at the Motor Development Clinic. Through this experience, I learned how to adapt my teaching methods to each student and developed a deeper understanding of the course material. 

I thoroughly enjoyed working at the Adaptive Sport Events, as I was able to partake in adaptive sports such as blind baseball, wheelchair basketball, and sit-down volleyball. Prior to taking this course, my knowledge of adaptive sports was limited, so it was truly eye-opening to experience playing some of these sports and to see how they can be modified to be inclusive for all individuals. 

Volunteering at Sumner Elementary School was a most rewarding experience for me, as it completely changed my perspective on teaching. I came to realize that each child is unique, learns differently, and has their own set of challenges. It was inspiring to witness the inclusivity of the school setting and see how well the children with disabilities were accommodated. I was particularly moved by the fact that many of the children with disabilities played with the other children at the school, highlighting the importance of inclusivity in all aspects of life. 

Unfortunately, there is a limited number of inclusive settings for individuals with disabilities, which makes it all the more important to advocate for inclusivity. My volunteer experience has reinforced my passion for creating inclusive environments and has given me a newfound appreciation for the importance of inclusivity. I will continue to volunteer and work with the disabled community to make a positive impact and help these individuals in any way that I can. 

*How would you describe this course or the experience to other students? 

- Participating in this course has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Through my volunteer work with individuals with disabilities, I have seen firsthand the impact that adapted physical education can have on their lives. This experience has prepared me for my future career as an occupational therapist and has surpassed my expectations in terms of the knowledge and skills I have gained. I have learned the importance of adapting to the unique needs and abilities of each individual, and the importance of using visual and verbal cues to facilitate their understanding. 

In addition, this course has given me a new perspective on disabled individuals. I have come to appreciate the challenges they face and the incredible resilience they show in overcoming these challenges. This has been a humbling experience and has made me more motivated to continue working with individuals with disabilities in the future. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this course to other students who are interested in pursuing a career in the field of adapted physical education. It provides an unparalleled opportunity to gain hands-on experience and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. This experience has equipped me with the skills and knowledge I need to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals with disabilities, and I look forward to continuing to do so in the future. 

*Were course expectations matched or surpassed?   

- I would say that expectations for the course were definitely surpassed. I gained a ton of practical experience from this course that I hadn't imagined, and getting the chance to make a positive difference in the community has been really rewarding. I've been able to adapt the theoretical ideas I gained in the classroom to actual problems thanks to the practical experience. Through this course, I was able to significantly improve the lives of people with disabilities, and I feel that the knowledge and skills I have gained will be extremely useful in my future professional endeavors. 

*Would you take another service-learning course? 

I would eagerly sign up for another service-learning course because I truly feel that it is an essential component of education that gives students a deeper comprehension of course material by applying it to real-world situations. I have greatly benefited in both.

Margery Claire Steward

Kinesiology
Expected Graduation Year: 2026

* What have you experienced in this course that is different from others?

This course is more hands-on than any other courses I have taken. Yes it is a lecture course but the lecture is carried and applied to the group work during class. The class is also encouraged to ask questions and discuss the lectures because a lot of people prior to taking 2460 have minimal knowledge about APA/APE/ADA.

*What was it like to volunteer in the community?

Volunteering in the community to me has always been satisfying. The thought of giving back to the community that has given so much to you and your development is such a nice feeling. Volunteering in the community has also given me the opportunity to talk with other people who have different experiences than I do thus diversifying my viewpoint.

*How would you describe this course or the experience to other students?

This course is deceptive in regards to the amount of work that needs to be done. The workload at the beginning of the semester seemed overwhelming but as the semester went on it all became a part of my weekly schedule. It also helps that Dr. Mai, the Professor of this course, was very accommodating and flexible with the assignments and the amount of observation/volunteer hours needed.

*Were course expectations matched or surpassed?

In my opinion the course expectations were surpassed. I thought all the volunteer and observation hours were going to be boring but they were actually very interactive. All of the sites I visited were very welcoming and encouraged the volunteers to participate in whatever activity was being offered.

*Would you take another service-learning course?

Yes, it was a great experience that I think everyone should participate in at some point.

Jose De La Torre

Kinesiology General Opt
Expected grad year: 2023

-What have you experienced in this course that is different from others?

This course was different in many ways compared to my previous courses. Kin 2460 provided me with skills and experiences that I believe no other course will be able to provide. Skills that I obtained are teamwork, communication skills, and the ability to facilitate adapted sports. I would like to add that this course would not have been as amazing without Dr. Mai. She is always passionate when lecturing and introduced inclusion activities (sitting volleyball, beep-baseball and wheelchair race) which for me were my favorite moments in this course.

-What was it like to volunteer in the community?

It was an amazing experience to be able to help and spread awareness in the community. I did not know what to expect when volunteering however I can say now that everyone should volunteer if given the opportunity. Making new friends, improving my confidence, and being able to give something back in the community are benefits that I was able to experience.

-How would you describe this course or the experience to other students?

I would describe this course or the experience to other students by telling them that this course will prepare and provide skills that you will need in your future careers. It doesn't matter if your future career is a Physical Education Teacher, Occupational Therapist, or a Physical Therapist, this course will prepare you for either career.

- Were course expectations matched or surpassed?

My expectations for this course were surpassed because I did not think that I would feel as comfortable volunteering and expect this course to have such an impact in my future career choice which is to become an ABA Behavior Technician.

-Would you take another service-learning course?

I would 100% take another service-learning course for various reasons. You are able to obtain volunteer hours for your future careers, you learn key information that will stay with you even after you graduate, and it looks amazing on your resumes.