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Challenging Times for Physical Education
News about physical education continues to excite
and depress us. An additional $60 million will be available next
year for PEP grants. Simultaneously, here in the state of Washington,
Governor Locke has proposed eliminating required assessment in physical
education.
This week a former student contacted me with news
that her school district was proposing to reduce time allocated
for physical education. A couple of months earlier we learned that
a large California study found a positive relationship between fitness
and academic performance.
Almost daily we hear reports of programs receiving
accolades and programs facing cuts. The pressure of the President's
Elementary and Secondary Education Act is forcing all states to
refocus on academic standards. The challenge of HOW to increase
academic performance will undoubtedly lead many districts to propose
reductions in physical education.
There exists a simplistic assumption that more time
spent in the classroom will increase scores. Will having students
sit longer and be less active improve their learning? To most of
us the answer is an obvious NO. But what we need to remember is
that school administrators and school boards (of which I am a member)
face dwindling budgets and have to make cuts.
If you teach in a school, or are the parent of school
aged children, we need you to publicly advocate for physical education.
Keep reminding yourself that administrators and boards do not have
access to the information you have about the value of physical education.
Share with them press releases and data supporting physical education
and present it to your parent groups.
Don Hellison once remarked to me that good physical
education programs won't be eliminated. The error we mustn't make
is assuming that school decision makers are aware of "good"
programs. Why should they be unless we routinely share information
with them?
The support of the PEP grants is allowing us to develop
some outstanding model programs. Hopefully, we can continue to share
ideas and help others succeed. But let's not relax and assume our
future is secure. Whenever you have the opportunity please - like
Fred Rogers who sadly passed away in February - share the good things
that are happening in physical education in your neighborhood,
Steve Jefferies
PELINKS4U/Central Washington University
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""One way to think about
play, is as the process of finding new combinations for known
things-combinations that may yield new forms of expression, new
inventions, new discoveries, and new solutions....It's exactly
what children's play seems to be about and explains why so many
people have come to think that children's play is so important
a part of childhood-and beyond."
Fred Rogers
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In this edition of the Technology and
Physical Education section, editor Dr. Michael
Dumin discusses "Start-up and Shutdown in Widows."
Your questions are also invited!
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Links to some informative nutrition
web sites |
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Use technology to find information
on sportsmanship. Link to materials, articles, discussion areas
and other tools for stimulating thought on sportsmanship among
coaches and athletes. |
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Athletes for a Better World
has a code for individuals, teams, and society that can be downloaded.
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Heard about the Citizenship Through
Sports Alliance? - a group formed to promote citizenship
and address concerns about the decline in sportsmanship,
ethical conduct in athletics. |
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Links to more teacher created web pages and
a source for finding many other pages. Check out what
others have done to help you decide how you want to design your
site. |
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Click here
to read these and much more... |
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| In this issue Section Editor, Cindy
Kuhrasch urges us to reflect on the challenges we face and
to celebrate what we already possess. Other topics include:
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Chris Stopka,
this month's Adapted PE Section Editor shares news about a new director
for APENS, together with information about Disabled Sports USA
- one of many organizations dedicated to improving the lives of those
with disabilities.
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Using Adapted
Aquatics Equipment to Facilitate Aquatic Skills by Students
with Disabilities |
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Learn
more about different types of adapted aquatics equipment that
can be used to enhance aquatic skills. |
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Special Olympics Get Into It
- is a free curriculum that celebrates gifts - the diverse gifts
of every student whatever his or her ability. |
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Want to visit more "adapted
PE" web sites. Check out this list. Click here
to read more... |
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Lloyd Gage, focuses our attention this month on how to motivate
and keep students interested in running.
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Track and Field activities that you
can use in your curriculum to make running more exciting. |
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Learn more about a hassle-free school
recess program called, the Feelin’ Good Mileage Club. |
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A survey of 3,000 certified fitness
professionals by the American Council on Exercise yielded a
list of the ten most common mistakes people make in the gym |
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Children's growing bodies have different
nutritional requirements than those of adults. Here are a few
ways to adapt the Food Pyramid to meet their needs. |
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Want to increase school spirit? Try
Families in Training. This program combines fun, family
activities with cool, colorful incentives. |
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For these and more click here.
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| Coaching section editor Dr.
Mike Clark discovered that the simple query "sportsmanship"
in a search engine resulted in 184,000 sites listings! Learn more
about sportsmanship in this month's section.
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Physical Education Workshop
Ellensburg, WA, April 26th featuring
Beth Kirkpatrick, Debbie Wilson, Rene Bibaud, Deborah Tannehill
and more!
Click here
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March
Book Features
Click on book for details
Sport
Progressions presents an exciting, sequential approach
to teaching skills that are essential to eight sports. The activities
and lead-up games included in this book put beginning students
directly into game-like situations where they can practice skills‹and
get excited about learning
Pedometer
Power shows how pedometers are can be effectively used
to teach students about physical activity.
All purchases of Human Kinetics products made
through this link
support PELINKS4U. Thanks!
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Want to apply for part of the $60
million available in PEP grants? Click here
to directly hyperlink to the application packages in both the
electronic and PDF (Word) formats as soon as they become available.
(Should be sometime in March). Also at the AAHPERD Convention
on Saturday, April 5, 08:45 AM-10:00 AM there is a session on
Physical Education Grant Writing Tips from 2002 PEP Grant
Recipients and Reviewers |
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May is National Physical Fitness
and Sports Month; May 1-7 is National Physical Education and
Sport Week; Wednesday, May 7 (this year) is ACES Day and Thursday,
May 1 is National Physical Education Day. Paula
Kuhn invites you to email her your ideas for promoting May
activities |
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Academic performance improves as fitness scores
increase! You've heard it. Now read more and even download a
powerpoint presentation to share with teachers, parents, and
school board members. Click here. |
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Michigan
Fitness Foundation offers position statements advocating
PE. Good source if you need to defend the value of physical
education. |
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Congratulations to Jennifer
Jordan, the Dept. Chair at Sequoia Middle School in Fresno
who was one of a half dozen teachers selected throughout Fresno
County as an "Excellence in Teaching" award winner |
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New Version of the School Health
Index includes Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, and Tobacco
Use Prevention is available online
or by phone: (888) 231-6405 |
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The CDC's Youth Media Campaign VERB.
It's what you do is preparing for its second year of
implementation. It's mission is "To increase and maintain
physical activity among teens (9-13 year olds)." |
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Teaching Tolerance presents
a new 26-song CD and sing along activity book: "I Will
Be Your Friend: Songs and Activities for Young Peacemakers"
FREE upon request on school letterhead at Teaching Tolerance,
400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104 |
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One of the primary movers behind
New PE is right in the Chicago area. The PE
program in the Naperville schools has been around long enough
that it's showing some unexpected benefits. Click here
for a copy of the article. |
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CDC offers presentation materials to promote
Kidswalk-to-School
programs. |
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Students (undergrad or grad) wanted to present
at the student poster session for National Association for Girls
and Women in Sports (NAGWS) at AAHPERD Convention. Contact Ingrid
Johnson |
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Were you aware that you should NEVER
get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas? Apparently
several vehicle fires have been traced
to static electricity. Maybe share with others? |
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"Physical Activity and Teacher Education"
seminar scheduled March 30th-31st, 2003 at Penn State. Click
here
for details |
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The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention has recently revised the Pediatric
Growth Chart Web site to include growth charts in Spanish
and French |
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Health Canada and the Canadian Society
for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) recently released new resources
to address physical inactivity and obesity among Canada's children
and youth. |
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The American Academy of Pediatrics
has a position
statement on Strength Training by Children and Adolescents.
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One upcoming workshops worth noting
(because we organize it!) is the PEAK
Workshop on April 26th in Ellensburg, Washington. Join us
if you can. |
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CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP CALENDAR |
| If you have news or an event we can add to our
calendar, please email
us. Thanks. |
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Elementary Section Editor, John
Williams, shares more sources heart related activity ideas
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Learn how to sponsor a "Jump
Rope for Heart" event at your school. You can get free
ropes, curriculum guides, and more! You can even sign up online.
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Visit a source for jump rope lessons
that will have your students jumping with excitement. |
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On Friday, March 28th 2003 in cooperation with
the North Carolina SDI, John will be conducting a one day
combination technology and gymnastics workshop at my school.
Interested? |
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For these and more, click here. |
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| Bart Cagle, this
month's Secondary Section Editor, offers some innovative and practical
ideas to recognize and celebrate sportsmanship with your students.
Additional topics include:
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