Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Second Edition/20.1.44 Wildcard
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The Importance of Physical Education/Physical Activity in Schools
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
this is a retarded source of information the need or completely eliminated their Physical Education programs as increasing pressures build to raise scores on standardized tests. With the increase of the United States’ childhood obesity epidemic, this seems to be a horrible time to eliminate important programs such as Physical Education. It is estimated that only one in four US children receive the recommended amount of physical activity to remain healthy. Daily participation in high school physical education classes dropped from 42 percent in 1991 to 28 percent in 2003 (Journal of School Health).
[edit] Statistics
According to an article published on PBS.org, over the last two decades, childhood obesity rates have doubled. Statistics over the last two decades show that 10-15% of all teens are overweight (Bowser). This is not just a cosmetic issue, but also a health issue. Being overweight puts tremendous stress on the heart, bones and lungs. Diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure are also becoming more common in young children and adolescents. The Center for Disease Control showed that students ages 6-19 are more overweight than before and that physical education tends to decrease as students get older (Journal of School Health). These statistics prove that we need to instill the importance of physical activity and good health habits in our youth. Children need to learn about health and exercise, as well as learn exercises they will enjoy enough to continue after they graduate. The way to increase awareness is not by cutting these programs from schools where our children spend the majority of their day. A PBS interview with Dr Francine Kaufman stated that, “Soon it’s not going to be people having heart attacks and strokes in their 70-80’s; we’re going to bring that down in the obese population to maybe 50-60’s or even the 40’s, and then be able to have that consume all of our healthcare dollars (Bowser)”.
"Children are more overweight than ever before and they're at great risk of developing cardiovascular disease as they reach adulthood. Now is not the time for schools to cut physical education, and deprive children the chance to adopt healthy lifestyles. We must mandate that quality physical education be required at all grade levels and that it be taught by qualified teachers." M. Cass Wheeler, CEO of American Heart Association
[edit] The American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is working with every state trying to make mandatory PE requirements. They are recommending minimum levels for elementary schools, 150 minutes a week in middle school and 225 minutes a week in high school. PE in schools is a great idea because health care is on the decline and a lot of people are having trouble getting good care; by having PE in all schools it allows the children to get quality healthcare in schools for free. The American Heart Association also states that we should make PE mandatory for graduation and that it should be taught by certified physical education professionals (Physical Education). Today it seems as if more and more schools are not making PE mandatory in order to get their standard scored up.
[edit] The National Association for Sport and Physical Education
The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) found that seven percent of elementary schools are not offering daily recess. The NASPE also stated that recess provides children with discretionary time to engage in physical activity that help them develop healthy bodies and an enjoyment of movement. It also allows children the opportunity to practice life skills such as cooperation, taking turns, following rules, sharing, communications, negotiation, problem solving, and conflict resolution. Exercise may also help improve attention, focus, behavior and learning in the classroom. Recess is usually separate from PE classes and should be added in addition to, not in replacement of these classes (Keyes Kun).
[edit] Trends
Typical trends in Physical Education classes in public schools throughout the United States are considered quite shocking. Currently, 48 states require some type of physical education program in schools, but these requirements vary from school to school. Illinois is the only state that requires daily physical education for grades K-12, but even it allows for waivers (Woods). Waivers are when a student is exempt from the physical education class because of involvement in athletics or other extracurricular activities. The Center for Disease Control found that 16.7% of elementary schools exempt students from required physical education courses for one or more of the following reasons: high physical competency test scores, participation in other school activities, participation in community sports activities, and participation in community service activities (Journal of School Health). The state of Virginia requires physical education for grades K-7. In grades 8, physical education is considered an elective out of four other choices. Grades 9-12 requires a student to take 2 units of health and physical education to be eligible for graduation (Journal of School Health).
[edit] What Other Schools are Doing
Though it is hard to prove, having a healthy body helps generate a healthy mind. Several institutions have set out to put this statement to the test. Children engaged in physical education classes are doing more than just exercising their bodies, they are also giving their brains a workout, as well (Vail). One physical education class revamped their version of the “sharks and minnows” game to include a science lesson. Another Physical Education Teacher at Laurel Elementary School in Laurel, Delaware, ordered a magnetized climbing wall so he could place numbers, letters and other symbols on it. “Kids can climb and spell or solve math problems at the same time,” says Lydic, who is the current Delaware State Teacher of the Year. These teachers are using physical exercises and activities to help boost concentration and focus in their students. “There absolutely is an association with grades and fitness levels. As schools had more kids in higher fitness levels, they had higher grades – math in particular,” says Alicia MoagStahlbery, who serves as the executive director of Action for Healthy Kids. A 2004 study by the California Department of Education is very well known because of its research on the link between academics and physical fitness. This research found that students who do better on academic achievement tests are also more physically fit than their peers who don’t score as well (Vail).
[edit] Alternatives to PE
Some schools are coming up with alternatives to the typical physical education class to engage students who are not interested in team sports. A school in Chicago designed a new program offering students programs such as running/walking on a treadmill, scaling a climbing wall and using weight machines in replacement of team sports that may be difficult for some students. This school measured students’ heart rates to chart their progress versus requiring all students to run a certain number of miles in an allocated timeframe or compete at the same level in each sport (Vail). A recent article found a Virginia Beach school using music and physical activity to engage students in other academic activities (Roth). The 48 students in the classroom have responded well to the new style of teaching offered. On quarterly reading tests, class averages have risen 4-21 percentage points in each category since the beginning of the school year. Their average math scores nearly match the school’s fifth-grade gifted classes (Roth). Another great idea that can help lead to better healthier students is to cut the amount of junk food that is offerend in schools. Obesity is a huge problem in the younger generation of the world today and schools can help change this by offering a variety of nutritious foods rather than fatty snacks.
[edit] What Teachers can do
Teachers can do several things to improve school physical activity. They can become an advocate for physical education curriculum that includes all grades K-12 (Staveren). According to the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (JOPERD), another realistic course of action is for teachers to cooperate with university colleagues in the submission of grant applications to improve school physical education and physical activity opportunities (Staveren).
