Popular Media Article Analysis

Participation in sport and physical activity is commonly promoted for its positive impact on children’s mental and physical health, leaving its impact on cognitive advancement often overlooked. The reason for this is predominantly the increase of anxiety on schools and educators to ensure children accomplish academic achievement (Martin, 2010). In this literature review I will be looking at the impact physical activity and physical education has on the academic achievement and health of primary aged students. My research question is; what impact does physical activity and physical education have on the academic performance and health of primary aged students? Firstly I will discuss whether or not it impacts academic achievement, and later on I will examine the specific academic and health impacts. I will predominantly be examining and critically analysing six pieces of literature. This literature review reports on research undertaken by Dottie Gonzalesz (2009), Eero Haapala (2012), Jennifer Etnier (2003), Dr Karen Martin (2010), Stead & Nevill (2010), and Phillip D Tomporowski, Catherine L. Davis, Patricia H. & Jack A. Naglieri
(2008).

Now I see that a lot of children spend their time at home or at after school activities that don’t involve a lot of movement. According to Child

Physical activity also has benefits for children's social and emotional development and cognitive development. These benefits include being part of a team and making friends through group sports, which have a major impact on social and emotional development. The effect of obesity on children is closely linked to many bad health habits such as diet, smoking and drug use which in turn can affect a child's academic performance (Goran et al., 1999). Physical activity, if encouraged at a young age, can reduce the likelihood of children developing these behaviours and focus on their academic performance and cognitive development. As children in this age range are in their fundamental development stage, it is important that educators and parents alike, teach children about the importance of physical activity at a young age in order to prevent health and social well-being problems in their adult years.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) note that when children participate in the recommended level of physical activity of at least 60 minutes per day multiple health benefits ensue. Nevertheless, since the creation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) increasing focus has been dedicated to bridging the achievement gap among students and less emphasis has been placed on non-academic curriculum such as physical education. Research has shown that approximately 3.8% of elementary schools provide formal physical education with this percentage steadily declining as children continue onto middle and high school. This decrease in physical activity is in line with reports from the CDC which estimate that one third of children in the United States are overweight and, within those cases, the CDC has documented that children who are overweight have higher absentee rates, have poorer health and experience early signs of mental illness all of which have an impact on academic performance.

S. Surgeon General has declared childhood obesity to be an “epidemic” with significant adverse health consequences, including vascular disease and Type 2 diabetes that significantly raise health care costs for youth.” (The Impact of Physical Education 3) “The U.S. Surgeon General attributes the rise in childhood obesity, in part to, school cutbacks in Physical Education (PE), and urges all school systems to mandate daily PE that last at least one hundred and fifty minutes per week for elementary schoolchildren.” (The Impact of Physical Education 3) Research shows exercise aids children in maintaining a healthy body weight, strong and healthy muscles, strong bones and joints, improves sleep, school attendance is improved, self-esteem is better, and they are less likely to develop anxiety and depression. Those are just a few benefits of physical activity. Schools require subjects such as Math, Science, English, and Social Studies in order for children to graduate. Therefore, physical education should be a required course. Not only will adding physical education requirements help children physically but also, studies show that exercise helps with brain stimulation, which will help with test score and understanding in the classroom. Physical education will not only help with obesity but also improve some other problems schools deal with because of obese

America's children are not getting enough exercise, and the health risks due to obesity are becoming epidemic in nature. Even First Lady Michelle Obama is supporting an initiative to help children become more active and to provide for exercise (at least 30-60 minutes per day) in all schools. Even limited amounts of exercise can have great health benefits. When humans exercise, the brain produces chemicals that help enhance mood, limit cravings for sugars, and contribute to healthier joints, muscles, the heart, and kidneys. In turn, this translates into more productive work time, the ability to sleep better, increase memory, and reduce dependence on medications. Children are so vulnerable to this health risk that if it continues, over 60% of graduating seniors will be clinically obese. Written by a medical journalist, the book is designed for the lay reader but has a number of documented scholarly sources.

A vast majority of the world’s population has been experiencing a decrease of physical activity ranging from children to adults, particularly in the U.S. However, in the recent years Australia has rouse to the top of being the country with the largest amount of individuals that are either obese or marginally obese. Numerous researchers have drawn connections between the amount of physical activities, received by students, especially, and their ability of cognitive thinking, concentration, memory, basically their overall academic level. In addition, physical activity further improves their physical stature, such as, stronger bones and better flow of blood and oxygen. Obesity has always been an ever present problem, which has risen in recent years, to the point of being a global issue, in numerous countries, mainly in Australia and the U.S.

Academic excellence doesn’t assure a healthy mind. Although academic excellence fulfills us with a feeling of achievement it might lead students to further mental health problems, whereas sports builds up discipline and a healthier lifestyle. I believe taking sports as early during high school is crucial for the health and further development of students.

Middle school students tend to live rather sedentary lifestyles. Rarely are they athletic. If some of these children are athletic, movement is halted once they enter the classroom; therefore, I must add movement to my lessons. It is imperative I think outside of the box. Our Virginia Standards of Learning are at the forefront of my planning, but I am now well aware movement will enhance total student learning—mentally and physically—connecting the these two critical areas together.

Despite this popular belief, the class of physical education truly is beneficial for students at the elementary level. Most kids like to run around and have a good time, which is exactly what physical education is for. As shown in the graph from “Percentage of Youth Who Were Physically Active, By Number of Days Per Week and Sex,” only about twenty percent of adolescents were active five days per week. By keeping the physical education program, students will participate in five days of physical activity per week, which is a healthy amount. If students play on sports teams instead of physical education, they may only have two or three days of physical activity per week. Additionally, the five days of activity per week could help lower obesity rates which was shown to be nearly twenty percent in adolescents ages twelve to nineteen in the graph “Prevalence of Obesity Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2-19, by Sex and Age: United

Early man/woman developed neural connections in an environment of intense physical activity which created pathways of learning in the cerebellum that were profoundly influenced by movement. The cerebellum also plays a significant role in cognitive functions of the frontal lobe that are stimulated while learning. Movement impacts and reinforces learning, reading, and comprehension due to the creation and strengthening of the neural connections in the cerebellum. Incorporating physical exercise and movement in a curriculum increases levels of student participation and retention while providing opportunities to scaffold while

This is my first, time learning about the brain gym. Kinesiology movement enhance children’s focus, listening, and motor skills. I believe that the brain gym could become a quality research with validity data because, there are 80 different countries practicing the Kinesiology. However, children need to be able to move around during instructional learning time. Majority of the time students are confined to one desk in a seat. Some children need to move around to obtain focus on what he or she is learning.

“Physical education hopes to accomplish, to engage all students, not just the athlete elite, in fun activities that will instill a lifelong commitment to fitness.” (Johnson, 264). Physical education in the classroom can be a vital steeping stone to the way that teenagers think about fitness. Lifelong fitness is something that everyone should be guaranteed, it mainly depends on the experience that a teenager has. Like many other subjects in school, the

In the modern schools, too many elementary schools are so centered academics and don’t focus on the well-being of the students. The school systems also don’t realize that physical activity can help students perform better in the classrooms. In the recent years, there has been a worldwide tendency to reduce school-based physical education in favor of academic subjects. Given the beneficial effects of exercise and the disadvantages of a sedentary lifestyle, cutbacks in physical education lessons are not near as productive as people think. Systematic reviews provide clear

There has been an increasing curiosity in how nutrition and physical activity can improve mental health thus resulting in higher academic achievements. There is a plethora of research available to show how brain function and learning can be benefitted through nutrition. There is also the belief that rationalising, concentration and consequently academic achievement can be obtained through higher levels of physical activity.