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THE FUTURE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION: WE
MUST CHANGE NOW!
by CHARLES
B. CORBIN
 Exactly
ten years ago I wrote a chapter for
a book entitled Physical
Education: A View toward the Future
(1977). I started that article with
the following story which is well known
to most educators.
FUTURE
" Once
upon a time, the animals decided they
must do something heroic to meet the
problems of 'a new world'. So they
organized a school. They adopted an
activity curriculum consisting of
running, climbing, swimming, and flying.
To make it easier to administer the
curriculum, all the animals took the
same subjects.
The duck was excellent in swimming,
in fact, better than the instructor;
but made only passing grades in flying
and did poorly in running. Since the
duck was slow in running, it was necessary
to stay after school and also drop
swimming in order to pass running.
This was kept up until the duck's
web feet were badly worn and performance
in swimming was only-average. But
average was acceptable in school,
so nobody worried except the duck.
 The
rabbit started at the top of the class
in running, but had a nervous breakdown,
because of so much make-up work in
swimming.  The
squirrel was excellent in climbing,
but developed a frustration in the
flying class where the teacher made
the squirrel start from the ground
instead of from the treetop down.
The squirrel also developed a 'Charley
Horse' from over exertion, and then
got a C in climbing, and a D in running.
The eagle was a problem child, and
was disciplined severely. In the climbing
class, the eagle beat all of the others
to the top of the tree, but
insisted on flying to get there.
 At
the end of the year, an abnormal eel
that could swim exceedingly well,
and also run, climb and fly a little,
had the highest average and was valedictorian.
The prairie dogs stayed out of school
and fought the tax levy, because the
administration would not add ditch
digging, and burrowing to the curriculum.
They apprenticed their children to
a badger and later joined the groundhogs
and gophers to start a successful
private school" (Reavis,
1953).
My central
point in retelling this story was to
point out that the job of "education,
including physical education, should
NOT be to focus on the 'things' we want
students to accomplish, but on helping
students to become fully functioning
healthy individuals" (1977). I
went on to make some suggestions as
to how we could change education and
physical education for the future. It
was my contention that if we followed
these suggestions we could create a
"new wisdom" for physical
education, which would help all children
to enjoy schooling and to meet their
full potentials. I foresaw an improved
future for the children in the animal
schools, and illustrated it with the
following update of the animal story.
"By
the year 2000, the prairie dogs, badgers,
groundhogs, and gophers were back
in the public schools. Suffering the
effects of inflation, they were unable
to pay the tuition necessary to support
their own private schools. Though
the eels, rabbits, ducks, eagles,
and squirrels were still unhappy about
the activity-based curriculum, they
were all encouraged when a bright
young skunk was hired as school superintendent.
 The
skunk, not being particularly skilled
in running, swimming, climbing, or
flying, knew full well the limitations
of the "old" curriculum.
The skunk set out to bring the curriculum
from the past to the present, but
knew that the support of the constituents
was necessary, and that they were
growing tired of perennial problems
in the schools.
First,
the superintendent convinced all of
the parents that while all activities
were important, the activities were
not as important as what the activities
did for school children. A problem-solving
approach was promoted in which each
animal learned all activities, but
selected the methods best suited to
individual skills and abilities.  The
skunk even encouraged the young squirrel
to help the other animals with climbing;
ducks, badgers, and eels to help with
swimming. To top it off, digging was
also added with the assistance of
prairie dogs and gophers. Everyone
acknowledged that all the animal children
learned all skills better than ever
before.
But, the
superintendent was not satisfied.
The skunk's ancestors had been barred
from the school because of alleged
antisocial behavior. The
skunk also knew that the young animals
were bright and inquisitive and would
want to know "why" they
had to learn all of the activities
in school. Also, too many animal children
were still inclined to 'give up' in
school. Even though they were learning
more than ever before, they
found little meaning in many of their
school experiences. Some of the animals
became drop-outs . Children and their
parents even felt that there was little
that they could do about their own
futures, that schools and society
were responsible for their problems.
The skunk
knew that if the schools were to succeed
in the future, the curriculum must
continue to change. The superintendent
proceeded to use a new philosophy
and implement a program based on that
philosophy. All of the animals, regardless
of their abilities, were encouraged
to study their own limitations and
strengths. The squirrels learned that
they would never be great swimmers,
but such a limitation was not catastrophic.
The squirrels even learned to respect
the swimming abilities of the ducks
and eels, and enjoyed an occasional
recreational swim.
As more
of the animals embraced the new philosophy,
there was a new respect for the individual
abilities of the other animals. Each
animal child found new meaning in
the school experience, and learned
to work within his or her own limitations.
The skunk children, in spite of limited
abilities in the traditional subject
matter, were accepted in the schools.
and as contributing members of the
community" (Corbin,
1977).
Throughout my story I
was predicting an optimistic future
for physical education. Unfortunately,
it is getting closer and closer to the
year 2000 and things have not changed
all that much. Rather than suggesting
changes for next year or even for the
year 2000, I am asking for change NOW!
The future is NOW! If we continue to
put off change it will always be something
we will do next year.
The following are some recommendations
for change which we can make NOW:
- We must adopt the philosophy that
physical education is- for all people,
regardless of ability. We must recognize
that skills and fitness are important
only as they help students to become
fully functioning healthy individuals.
- We must put
every effort into requiring elementary
school physical education in every
school (with a qualified physical
education teacher). If physical education
is important at any level it is most
important here. The 1990 goals for
the nation support this contention.
We must become activists on this issue.
- At the middle,
junior, and senior high school level
we must provide problem solving courses
in fitness which teach all students
to become good fitness and exercise
consumers. Such courses must be based
on personal needs, interests and abilities
(Corbin, 1978).
- We must modify
middle, junior, and senior high school
programs to allow students to make
personal choices of skills and activities.
For too long our students have been
turned off to activities which they
know they will never do after they
get out of school. We need to ask
students what they want to learn.
- We must modify
classes so that longer periods allow
longer dressing time to allow students
to have time to dry their hair and
get ready for the remainder of the
school day. We must put an end to
the military type locker room. Many
locker room experiences are what produce
feelings about physical education.
As adults we would not put up with
common dress codes and locker room
policies. Why should we ask kids to?
Would you join a health club which
was run like many physical education
classes?
- We must realize
that physical education does not stop
after the school years. Those who
will work in fitness centers, hospitals
and other similar settings are teachers
even though they will not teach in
schools. They are NOT exercise scientists
or exercise physiologists as they
would like to call themselves! If
we do not teach these professionals
to realize that they are teachers
who must meet the needs of their clients,
we will lose out to less qualified
"exercise" enthusiasts.
- We must police
our profession. We must certify all
professionals to make sure they are
qualified. We must do something to
rid ourselves of those who do not
do the job.
- We must make
sure our teacher preparation institutions
do the job. This means preparing professionals
with a good understanding of the exercise
sciences AND teaching skills. All
physical educators, in schools or
out of schools, must first be experts
in the multiple disciplines of physical
education. But by itself, a study
of the disciplines is NOT enough.
We must make sure that we teach professionals
how to teach and how to work with
the public.
If we are to succeed in the future
we must adopt the "new wisdom"
of the animal school. Every person can
benefit from physical education if we
accept the fact that each person can
be no better than his or her potential
will allow. Physical education can help
each of us look our best, feel good,
enjoy life, and be healthy. It can only
do this, however, if we recognize that
we can't all be champions, but we can
each be the best we can be. The time
to change is NOW!
REFERENCES
Corbin, C.B. "A New Wisdom for
Physical Education," In Welsh,
R. Physical Education: A View Toward
the Future. St. Louis: Mosby, 1977.
Corbin, C. B. "Changing Consumers
Means New Concept." Journal
of Physical Education and Recreation,
49:43, 1978.
Reavis, G. H. "The Animal School,"
Educational Forum. 17: 141,
1953.
Dr.
Corbin's teachings and writings have
focused on physical activity, health,
and wellness promotion and youth physical
fitness. He is the senior or sole author
of more than 70 books and has written
chapters in more than 15 others including
3 of the most widely adopted high school
and college texts focusing on fitness
and wellness: Fitness for Life (4 th
ed.); Concepts of Physical Fitness (11
th ed.); and Concepts of Fitness and
Wellness (5 th ed.). Dr. Corbin is retired
from his position as a professor in
the Department of Exercise and Wellness
at Arizona State University-East. He
had been a member of the ASU faculty
since 1982.
Reprinted
with permission from New York State
AHPERD (Colleen Corsi). |
