Happy 23rd annual PE and Sport month! This month we highlight a number of topics. There are suggestions to promote PE and sport in school and at home, some excellent articles about sun exposure, and inspiring those "challenging" students. As always, feel free to contact me with comments and ideas. Enjoy!

Ed Kupiec
Secondary Section Editor

Despite the research documenting the prevalence of childhood obesity and the positive correlation that physical activity and fitness has on learning/academic success, we still continue to struggle with a lack of respect and battle for class time. A quick search on the Internet reveals how many school districts continue to grant exemptions for physical education to athletes. As professionals in the field we understand the difference between athletic experiences and a quality physical education program.

Below are some articles that you can print to help advocate for your program, whether it is to protect it from cuts, or to try to get it reinstated.

Opposing Substitutions and Waivers/Exemptions for Required Physical Education - "It is the position of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) that all K-12 students should take all required physical education courses, and that no substitutions, waivers, or exemptions should be permitted." Read the rest...

Sample Policies to Encourage Physical Activity - In their guidelines for developing policy related to physical education, The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) recommends the following with regard to exemptions in physical education. "Physical education teaches students essential knowledge and skills; for this reason, exemptions from physical education courses shall not be permitted on the basis of participation on an athletic team, community recreation program, ROTC, marching band, or other school or community activity." Read the entire set of policy suggestions for physical education.

Physical Education: What Some in the Medical Profession Believe - Increased demands for time to prepare students for high-stakes assessment has put many physical education programs in jeopardy. For many students, this is also the end to regular physical activity. The health consequences are obvious to us.

Dr. Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. writes "A child who is truly healthy is healthy in body, mind, and spirit. Physical health means more than just the absence of disease. It means having a body that is strong, flexible, and coordinated, and having the skills to use that body in joyful ways. If you watch three and four year old children, many of them already demonstrate these fundamentals of physical health. But as children get older and spend long hours sitting in schools and doing homework, physical fitness declines, and many of them slip into an inactive, unhealthy lifestyle." Read the rest...

Public Attitudes Towards Physical Education - Are schools meeting the desires of parents and students? The results of a NASPE survey suggest that they may not be. Read the results.

The Teleolympics are a great way to promote PE and Sport internationally. Although this year's event is scheduled for April 17 - May 3 (too late by the time this is posted), I highly recommend taking part next year.

The site describes aspects of competition, good sportsmanship, and interdisciplinary ideas. In addition, students find extra motivation to compete against other participants from different schools and countries. There are competitions for different age groups up to age 18. I actually had a student place first in two events out of all the competitors in the Teleolympics last year! This really increased the student interest in my track & field unit.

Family exercise can be the key to healthier lifestyle for kids - The summer is a great time to exercise as a family. A quick Google® search will find local parks, swimming pools, and other recreation opportunities. In Central New York, my county even maintains a webpage of health in fitness opportunities in the area. I'm sure there are others as well. There are also numerous state and national parks throughout the country that you can bike, or take hikes in.

Being active with your family is a great predictor of future exercise. "University of Michigan exercise physiologist Audrey Hazekamp suggests that parents teach their children by example to get up, get out and together make exercise fun. Doing so will keep the whole family physically and emotionally healthier." Read the rest...

Here are some websites that you may find useful if you are interested in pursuing some personal or school-wide professional development during the summer.

NASPE Stars - This link takes you to the NASPE Stars program website. This schoolwide program can lead to nationwide recognition as an outstanding environment for quality physical education.

PE4Life - This site is dedicated to the "New PE," and contains advocacy materials, tips for PEP grant applicants, newsletters, and much more. This is a regular stop on my web browser, right along with PE Central and PELinks4U.

School Health Index - This link takes you to the download page for the School Health Index. Remember that all schools must have a wellness policy in place by September 1, 2006. Also, a completed school health index could be used to help with PEP grant applications.

There are numerous ways to promote your physical education programs throughout the year: newsletters, webpages, theme nights, etc. Below are some ideas that may find favor with your administration, and help you satisfy a learning standard or two.

PE/Sports Fair - Many of us use the Sport Education model in our instruction. Why not have a visiting panel of actual coaches, officials, trainers, sports reporters, and others come and speak to the students? They can discuss and answer questions about how their life is impacted daily by sport, and how their experiences in physical education and athletics contributed to choosing these careers.

Student Shadow - Much like a take your child to work day, allow interested junior or senior students an opportunity for a behind-the-scenes tour of what life as a PE teacher/coach is really like. This may help them with their college selections. Show them that it's not just rolling out the ball. (Note: this could also be effective for a fellow colleague who you feel doesn't quite respect physical education!)

Start a Hall of Fame - Use bulletin boards and the daily announcements to highlight successful graduates. Be sure to choose alumni who have had success off the field, as well as athletic achievement. Focus on those characteristics that can attribute to a critical experience of physical activity and sport (e.g. leadership, time-management, teamwork, etc...) and that also contributed to their career success.

Teacher Biographies - Highlight several teachers and staff members in the building, and their physical activity interests. If students can see how you and others have adopted physically active lifestyles, and incorporated your learning from physical education and sport into a routine, they will be more likely to do so themselves.

As educators we serve the children in the community, and we owe it to them to provide the best service possible. Simply doing this will promote physical education in a positive way.

Too often we lament about students' lack of skill acquisition, and this is usually due to a combination of a lack of practicing outside of school, and not meeting for physical education daily. Students participate in a unit for 6-10 classes and then may not practice it again for an entire year, while other students are on recreation/youth league teams and practice consistently.

The skill disparity between the "haves and have nots" becomes enormous, frustrating teachers and students alike. We have all heard comments questioning why physical education is a valid school subject when students can get the "same" experience outside of school. While we understand that sports and physical education are different, we need to demonstrate this to the community members who may not understand, or may not have experienced a quality program.

I offer this thought: Why are we competing against programs that can offer more instruction and practice time? We can do better, and that is by complementing or supplementing those activities, while creating experiences that are challenging and enjoyable for all.

For example, team handball and Ultimate are team passing activities, the same as basketball, football, and lacrosse. This means that many of the skills (e.g., throw and catch) and strategies (e.g., give and go) are similar. Students can take their experiences and learning in physical education and apply it to their rec league sports. Obviously, the students who are more active and participate in activities outside of class will still be more highly skilled.

However, an activity like team handball is not commonly played by students outside of physical education. The playing field is leveled to a certain extent because students are not bringing in specific prior knowledge, and the skills are just different enough (throwing a handball versus a football) to require specialized practice, like any other sport. This can enhance the motivation of all students because everyone can be competitive. I believe this is one of the reasons that badminton is such a popular unit; it is not a typical activity for them, yet it contains familiar skills (forehand, backhand), and it is challenging both for beginners and the more advanced.

New activities can also help alleviate complaints when the physical education game does not match the way it is played outside of school, such as with football (minus tackling) and lacrosse (no checking/stick contact). These new units are typically met with enthusiasm because it is not the same old unit they have been doing for years.

One exception to not competing with the private sector is with regard to fitness information. We are more qualified than most to give fitness advice, yet people pay hundreds or thousands of dollars each year for personal trainers, some of whom may not possess half of the training and knowledge of a typical physical education teacher. If we provide students with the same knowledge and information as personal trainers, they will be more informed consumers and can independently make competent decisions about their fitness program without blindly following advice.

What do you think of this idea? Do you agree or disagree? Let me know!

For many of us, the spring means a return to warmer temperatures and outdoor activities. This may mean 6 hours out in the sunshine, even more if you coach.

As physical education teachers, we need to be very aware of the dangers of exposure to the sun, for both your students and yourself. Keep the following statistics and guidelines in mind each time you go outside.

What Literature Tells Us

In Australia, a 2003 study by Vishvakarman and Wong discovered that physical education teachers are at increased risk for developing both Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma compared to those who work indoors.

Source: Vishvakarman, D., & Wong, J.C.F. (2003). Description of the use of a risk estimation model to assess the increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer among outdoor workers in Central Queensland, Australia. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 19(2), 81-88.

Eight percent of sun damage occurs during the first 2 decades of life, right when students are in school!

Tanning prevents burning, but does not prevent damage from the sun's rays.

Source: Tilton, B. (1994). Wilderness pediatrics: When a child runs wild. Wildnerness Medicine Newsletter, 5(2), 1-4.

Reducing Sun Exposure and Skin Cancer Risks

	Conduct classes in the shade whenever possible.
	Wear light colored clothing.
	Wear a hat and sunglasses.
	Use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 and ensure that it protects against UVA and UVB rays.
	Don't forget the lip balm (SPF 15 or higher).
	Replace your sunscreen every year.
	Liberally apply sunscreen 20 minutes BEFORE going outside, over every part of skin that will be exposed to the sun.
	Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours or after swimming.
	Examine your skin once a month and see a dermatologist every year for a professional examination.
	Be a good example. Model positive characteristics in front of your students: Avoid the tanning bed, wear sunscreen and lip balm, and put on a hat and sunglasses.

Skateboard and Scooter Safety - Some VERY good information and advice from the Riley Hospital for Children.

Bicycle Injuries, Scope of Problem - At least 125 children die from bicycle related brain injuries each year. Approximately one-fifth of the 100,000 children who sustain a non-fatal injury to the head or face while riding bikes, sustain a traumatic brain injury. Read this information, and the information through the resource links at the site.

What to Teach your Children About Bicycle Safety - Most Canadian (and U.S.) children age six to 16 ride bicycles. Children start cycling as play when they are very young. As they grow older and become more experienced, the transition from toy to transportation is made. With increasing independence, parents have less control of where the bicycle is ridden and how it is used. The attitudes you, as a parent, instill in your children from a young age will determine how they will ride for years to come. Read the rest.

Scooter Injuries in Children - Objective. To describe a series of nonmotorized scooter-related injuries to children to increase public awareness and encourage prevention of such injuries.

Foot-powered scooter fad sending thousands to hospitals - the shiny, silver scooters that everyone seems to be riding these days have sent nearly 9,500 Americans, mostly children, to emergency rooms with injuries. Children younger than 15 accounted for nearly nine out of 10 of the accidents.

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute - Helmet related statistics from many sources. "Summary: Below are acres of stats from every source we can find. They do not always agree, indicating that some of them could be less than totally accurate." Whether these statistics are accurate or not, they are impressive enough to make sure your kids always wear helmets. See also info from the CDC.

Playing Catch-Up: How Children Born to Teenage Mothers Fair. This is a very informative 40 page PDF file. Print it out for reading at convenience.

Study finds some surprises in how young women see themselves - What do girls think is normal?

New Mom? Lose weight, have fun, and get back in shape, WITH your baby! If you're a new mom you're probably looking for a way to get some exercise so you can start getting back into your pre-pregnancy clothes. Check out this Mambo Moms DVD.

Run, Mommy, Run! - Until a year ago, Bethany O'Neill had never jogged more than a mile and had no plans to start doing so. It took the birth of her first child last spring to change her mind.