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We have all seen similar headlines advocating the positive role
of physical education in pro-social development, literacy, character
building, childhood obesity, and brain function among others.The
most recent headline announced that "physically fit children
do perform better academically!" (cited by our National Association
for Sport and Physical Education as a "hot news item"
at www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm.
Further our colleague website PECentralreferred to it as a “landmark
research study. And candidly, I am as excited as anyone to read
more details about this study conducted by the California Department
of Education. More details can be found on the California Department
of Education website including several graphs, etc.
My concern, I suppose, is that it seems we always have to rationalize
K-12 physical education because of what it can do to help youngsters
perform better academically or socially as if the pure health benefits
of leading a physically active and healthy lifestyle are not enough.
It seems as if a “healthy lifestyle” is not an appropriate
stand alone goal for schools, but rather only important if it helps
to enhance academic achievement. For example, coordinated school
health programs claim (1) higher academic performance, (2) increased
school attendance, (3) positive youth development, (4) improved
school morale, and (5) enhanced learning development as their lofty
goals. Now don’t get me wrong here, I certainly believe that
healthy children are more productive and will definitely perform
better in schools.I just wonder why we can’t be allowed to
feel comfortable standing alone in our own shoes.
Can you imagine math teachers having to explain that K-12 math
education is needed because it will help youngsters live longer
and healthier or reading teachers having to argue for more K-12
reading education support because data suggest that youngsters who
read better also have a greater chance of not developing various
chronic diseases?
Clearly, health and physical education teachers are in a bit of
“rock and hard place” on this because while we cannot
deny the educational value in enhanced academic performance, I believe
many of us see living a healthy lifestyle as a valuable goal in
itself and do not want our programs only promoted when they seem
to achieve academic goals. Further, if I’m not careful in
this editorial, I will be receiving unwarranted hate mail claiming
that I don’t care about improving the academic performance
of our Nation’s youth.Trust me…I’m a parent, too.
I want my own children both strong physically and strong academically.
Jon Poole
Secondary Section Editor
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