Comments on: WTF? Physical Education Doesn't Matter

By: 8 Ways Neuroscience Supports Natural Parenting

8 Ways Neuroscience Supports Natural Parenting — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 03:25:22 +0000

[...] neurons in humans of any age. Children need to be outside. Schools need to maintain recess and physical education programs. After school, children need to run around outside and [...]

By: Power Plate

Power Plate — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:40:23 +0000

Physical Education?If i have an undergraduate degree in leisure and sports management, can I just obtain my teachers license to teach physical education at a middle or high school?or how long would it take to get my master?

By: Crimson Wife

Crimson Wife — Fri, 29 May 2009 02:27:38 +0000

“When I was at school P.E. was a waste of time. We stood around waiting for a turn at bat or at one end of the court waiting for the boys to hit us with the “dodge” ball. All it really did was make me loathe P.E. days.”

This was my experience as well. I always felt that the school should’ve dumped the teaching team sports approach in favor of letting us spend 45 minutes in the fancy-schmancy varsity fitness center. That place had awesome strength training and cardio machines but no one except varsity athletes were permitted to use it

By: Helena

Helena — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:42:04 +0000

Many reports states the affects of PE as it relates to lowering the levels of obesity. Yet, that has never been the first concern of physical education. Teaching PE is about teaching students the skills to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle. This includes starting with teaching them basic movement skills to teaching games for understanding to teaching lifelong activities. I believe that PE is an necessity for all youth, young or older. My own PE experience was not the greatest, in fact it mainly involved playing basketball and doing fitness testing, or at least that is what I can remember. Now that I have been a PE teacher and have continued on to supervise PE student teachers, I know that training is necessary to provide quality PE teachers. I still see traditionalists teach the “trow out the ball” lesson, while it is important to teach the whole child. Focusing on the students is key and I believe that if your daughter or son is not receiving quality PE, it should be reported so we can train “traditional” PE teachers to teach more student centered and encourage them to be healthy and active children.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:08:19 +0000

When I was at school P.E. was a waste of time. We stood around waiting for a turn at bat or at one end of the court waiting for the boys to hit us with the “dodge” ball. All it really did was make me loathe P.E. days. Honestly, I would rather my kid get the fresh fruits and vegetables, without the fried chicken, french fries, fried tater tots and soda for lunch and come home to ride a bike or go to the park.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:54:52 +0000

In Texas we have a required minimum number of minutes children must be physically active each week. We can use a combination PE and recess. Our principal DOUBLED the amount of recess – results discipline problems down test scores up. Our kids get 90 minutes of PE and 150 minutes of Recess a week.

To get more PE we would have to cut Art, Music, Tech class, and/or library. Our kids need all 5 types of specials class. Our kids get 45 minutes of Art, Music, Tech, and Library each a week in addition to their 90 minutes of PE.

Something cool that coach does is play music and encourage dancing while kids are waiting their turn at a game. She teaches traditional sports (Basketball, baseball, golf, bowling, volleyball, soccer) She also has nontraditional games that encourage fitness and fun. One is chaos – a game similar to dodge ball, but only 4 kids at a time. They try to tag people out by throwing balls at each other.

She also sponsors 2 clubs. In the fall walking/running club for 3rd – 5th grade (over 150 kids) and Soccer for 4th and 5th (over 100 kids) in the spring.

In Texas PE is one of the last things cuts. Visual arts/dramatic arts are cut first. Then Library is cut. Music – choir and orchestra are cut first band is rarely touched (must have band for Football). PE isn’t cut very often because of the legal requirement.

By: Jennifer Lance

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:49:46 +0000

yep, at my daughter’s school they never play “real” sports at PE. It’s always Puppy Pound, Pacman, etc. and only for 15 minutes a few times a week.

By: Cate Nelson

Cate Nelson — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:29:51 +0000

I agree, keep phys ed. But remember when we were kids (walking to school…uphill both ways?!) and gym class actually meant movement? Today, it seems that it’s a lot of sitting around while waiting for the teacher to test each individual kid. And at my stepdaughter’s school, P.E. splits the time with health class. (Always laughable to me, BTW, that they teach the kids about calories and energy and food choices, but the only food they serve at the school is fried.)

But recess is also OFTEN cut. Why not do P.E. AND recess, esp. considering studies show that kids perform better with even a 15 minute recess. That way, kids are getting both mandatory activity and free play. What could be wrong with that?
(Also, in my SD’s last TWO schools, the school periods are/were no less that an HOUR and TEN minutes apiece! That’s longer than some college courses! Talk about making kids stir crazy!)