We all remember the "three R's" from grade school, even if it is a misleading misnomer: reading, writing and arithmetic. Judging by the success one elementary school teacher in Ontario is having in his innovative class, we should start adding the two T's: table tennis. Mike Harmanmaa, who teaches 5th and 6th grade at Pinecrest Public School in Timmins, Ontario, came upon the idea as a fun way to bring the class together. “It focuses a lot on eye-hand coordination, teamwork and sportsmanship," explains Harmanmaa. "It’s just something different to get the kids engaged... Something new is always exciting and good to pique some interest.” Obtaining the 9" X 5" (or, rather, 2.74 X 1.52 meter) teacher's aide would not have been possible without the help of the Lions Club. Harmanmaa wrote to Schumacher Lions Club President Terry Stevens, asking for $1,000 to get a proper table for his class. “We thought it’d be a great idea to help the kids; keep them busy here as opposed to being on the streets," said Stevens. Indeed, the students are quite delightfully preoccupied with the game. Sixth grader Mesha Patel says, “I was really excited because I love playing ping pong and it’s really fun playing." Others are starting to see the benefits of hard work, patience, practice and persistence, transferable skills which will serve them well throughout their lives. “It’s fun 'cause when you practice, you miss, but when you get better, you start to learn how," reports sixth grader Chase Tessier. With table tennis proving to be such a healthy way to keep students engaged in school, don't be surprised to see more future Olympians practicing in a classroom near you.

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