One Class at a Time: MVHS teacher helps train brains

A Bend health and physical education teacher is using his knowledge of sports psychology to develop a plan to get students more focused. But the equipment and software needed is expensive.

NewsChannel 21’s Audrey Roberts paid a visit to Richard Chroninger’s sports psychology class and says she did not find students sitting and reading textbooks in silence.

For one thing, the teacher and students were dressed up for Spirit Week. They were also competing for gold, silver and bronze medals in teams.

“Sports is like a metaphor for life,” Chroninger said.

As it turns out, this unconventional health class is actually an opportunity for students in the 10th through 12th grades to also earn college credit.

Mountain View High School teacher Sorahi Harati nominated her colleague for the One Class At a Time $500 award, saying, “He continues to get feedback from the students, and he’s very good about shifting and adjusting things to match what the kids are asking for.”

“It’s really fun and you do competitions to learn how to deal with stress and stuff in a real-life situation, like in sports, ” sophomore Olivia Keane said. ” It ‘ s really cool to learn it in the classroom and then apply it in life.”

And this is where things get even more interesting. A couple of years ago, “Coach Chron,” as the students call him, read a psychology book called Head In The Game , and ever since, he has wanted to get his students an electroencephalography that syncs to an iPad — also known as a wireless EEG headset.

“What I’m looking to do is to get a portable EEG, ” Chroninger said. ” It’s a device that measures brain waves, and through their brain waves, you are able to focus, you’re able to control distractions.”

Maybe even more interesting: The user can do this through video games — yes, video games at school.

“When you focus a certain way, the plane will actually start turning to the right. And then if you want to focus to the left, it will start turning to the left, ” Chroninger said. ” So you actually fly this device just staring at the screen, trying to manipulate it.”

This high-tech tool comes at a cost — Chroninger estimates $1,000 to $1,200 total. After being denied a grant, and short about $500, NewsChannel 21 and Mid Oregon Credit Union decided to step in.

This technology could be used to help a variety of young minds, Chroninger said.

“If we can get multiple devices, and really look at beyond sports psychology — look at the kids who are struggling, you know, with focusing in class, at different grade levels — I mean, I think it’s so open-ended. This is cutting-edge technology.”

We asked sophomore Olivia Keane what she’ll take away from Chroninger’s class.

“To learn how they coach and how to adapt to them and so you can really have a bond with your coach and just make it better on and off the field, ” Keane said.

And will she try the EEG helmet?

“I’m going to be the first one to do it, ” Keane said. ” For sure, it sounds really cool — I’m excited.”

“I’ve been obsessed with this idea for the longest time, I just never knew how I could get the money,” Chroninger said. “And now I have a big chunk of it, and so it ‘ s like, I’m excited to make more phone calls — and yeah, I’m excited!”

NewsChannel 21 Cares for kids, One Class at a Time!