PE in the 21st Century
PE Forum: Advocacy: PE in the 21st Century
Physical Education in the 21st Century
Remember physical education? Daily lap running, mind-numbing jumping jacks, and the same boring team sports repeated at every grade? Think again. Physical education is changing. Look in today's gyms and you'll see kids unicycling and juggling, learning to skate or play hockey, and practicing the latest line dances. Fly fishing, archery, rock climbing, golf, yoga - you name it and somewhere there's a PE class.
Although the name's the same, physical education in schools and colleges has a new goal: keeping people active and healthy. The reason is obvious. Not only are American adults overweight but now there's an obesity epidemic among young people. Overweight and out of shape, more and more young people have high cholesterol, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Today's inactive youth are at a greater risk than ever of cardiovascular related diseases and cancer. Health care costs over the next half-century will explode. More alarming is the fact that creative minds don't work well inside sick bodies.
In the past, school physical education was something you either loved or hated. You ran to it or ran from it. For those who grew up in active homes, PE classes were fun and inspired a love for movement. For the less active and low skilled, PE often meant squeezing oversized bodies into skimpy shorts and a tummy hugging tee-shirt. "Gym" was the turn off that convinced teens to avoid being physically active.
For years, physical education suffered the bad rap of being confused as an extension of athletics. A sort of athletic-appetizer whose main purpose was to train athletes for school teams. The fact that most coaches also taught physical education confirmed this belief. Not any more. Elementary school PE today helps young children learn basic movement skills. Active adult lifestyles depend on children becoming physically competent. Children ridiculed as "throwing like girls" have simply failed to master proper throwing fundamentals. People who don't learn these and similar movement skills as children will never be successful in organized sports or recreational activities.
Secondary and college PE teachers guide students towards activities they hope will become self-motivating. Forcing fitness on people never really worked. They just quit when it became an option. Much better is to encourage students to try activities that are fun, active, and leave participants wanting more. These "physically educated" students become adults who are skillful, physically fit, and lead healthy, active lifestyles.
It's becoming increasingly harder to fit PE classes into already overloaded academic schedules. But the consequences of eliminating physical education from student schedules needs careful thought. In summary, here are five reasons why physical education belongs in our 21st century academic programs:
1. Preventing Happy Puppies From Becoming Old Dogs.
Some time, walk next to your nearest elementary school playground and watch children move. The joy of movement, so natural in childhood is drained from us in daylong, sedentary, classroom instruction. Slender, flexible, and healthy bodies change. Inactive children become inactive adults who face many disabling chronic yet preventable illnesses.
2. Movement Is Fundamental In Learning.
Child development specialists discovered long ago that young people learn much about their world through moving and interacting with objects and people. Through movement we learn what our bodies can do. We also learn the social skills needed to relate to others. Becoming a productive member of society depends on more than learning facts and figures, words and numbers. Humans learn to move, and move to learn.
3. Playful People Survive.
Among the earliest humans, playful people were the fittest. They weren't just physically superior but their playful creativity helped them adapt to change. Successful adults today are flexible and willing to think differently. Those who resist change struggle and miss opportunities. Physical play stimulates creative thought.
4. Living And Working Productively.
Adults willing to dedicate most of their waking hours to their job can get rich. But evidence is clear - people who ignore their health (physical, social and emotional) burn out. They get sick, miss work, become less productive, and their careers suffer.
5. Balancing Work And Play.
Adults who lack movement skills don't enjoy physical activities. In contrast, physically skillful adults choose to participate in active, non-work related leisure activities. Becoming physically competent, creates a foundation for life outside of work and the healthy and productive use of recreational time. And it's through school and college based physical education programs that this foundation is developed.
Steve Jefferies, Ph.D.
Physical Education
CWU
I have been a teacher for 6 years now and a coach for the past 14 years. I have alsways wanted to be a teacher and with my love and passion for outdoors and sports Physcial Education was an easy choice.
It still boggles me how so many "educated" people can actually consider the idea of dropping Physical education. From the administrators, "It isn't in the budget," or " we need to save money some how." Does anyone see the cost of not keeping our kids active?
Our well being and health is based on the very standards our PROFESSION is based on. It is our job and our duty to promote Physical Health and help our students learn how to make healthy choices.
It is time we made our profession fun again. Just as those kids who enjoy playing as you walk by the fields of an elementary school, why not have fun, learn, and stay in shape all at the same time? It isn't impossible. Our kids deserve it. We deserve it.
Stop teaching in the same old ways. Learn how to inspire and motivate with a few changes. The outcome is the same.
Our kids grow in a time of electronics, computers, and Playstations. We have a lot of competition. We need to work together and standout as one. I still run into teachers who believe that, "it has been done this way for 25 years we have to continue doing it this way." Who said?
Take track and field for example and make it into an Olympic event. Have the students learn about countries. It's only a twist to our curriculum that not only excites our students but us as well. Only good can come from it.
We are TEACHERS of a very vital subject to the well being and longevity of our students. Teach and teach well. Teach with enthusiasm. If we lose our students, who are we then?
No longer are we over paid recess monitors.
Take Pride in what you do. If you don't who will?
By Steve Jefferies (Admin) on Saturday, June 16, 2001 - 06:29 pm: Edit