The Effects Of Physical Education On Children

In conclusion, the benefits of sports cannot be denied. There is no doubt that interscholastic athletics in high schools are generally good for student’s mind and health. It is the mental and conceptual area that many use to support the importance of participation in competitive sports, something many can wholeheartedly agree with. It is also the same area that some point to when behavior exhibited by some athletes does not seem to support what is believed they should be learning. As with anything, however, one can only get out of something what one puts in. Athletics also provides social benefits and center on concepts such as cooperation, teamwork, and friendships. All of which can also benefit them in school and the workplace. Physical benefits

“Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.”(Billie Jean King) Most students from first grade to twelfth grade say that sports are a big part of their life and make them who they were meant to be in a positive way. Some people might argue that students in sports or extracurricular activities have lower grades than the other students, but it's the opposite way around. Sports improve your performance in school because they strengthen your concentration ability and leadership traits.

Some schools with strong sporting traditions reinforce participation in sport. The sports that students are encouraged to participate in can depend on the school’s history and traditions, the facilities and equipment available, and the expertise of the teachers.

To many educational institutions, it is controversial whether or not sports are beneficial to scholastic success. Offering athletic programs is said to supply students with an enhanced learning experience, as well as adding amusement to a rather dull school year. Therefore, sports should be provided in all schools to reduce stress, improve academic performance, and develop teamwork skills and equal opportunity in school.

The national curriculum states that ‘PE develops pupils’ competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities that become a central part of their lives, both in and out of school.’ (QCDA, 2008)

Jan Kievlen, Positive Climates for Learning Specialists at the York Region District School Board stated that, ""When parents remember why they are enrolling their child into a sport, it helps them to keep the focus on the development of the character rather than just ‘winning’. It also is important to keep the sport ‘fun’” (tvoparents.tvo.org, 2011). One may believe children play sports just to have fun in their free time, but it also has a positive impact on them. ““Children’s participation in organized extracurricular activities has been associated with positive short-and-long-terms outcomes”” (Guèvremont, 2011). Therefore, extra-curricular activities should be mandatory in a student’s life because it helps them gain new skills, exercise and is a stress reliever.

“Data shows that high school students who play sport are less likely to drop out. Furthermore, participation in sports also has been associated with completing more years of education and consistently higher grades in school. Not surprising that the discipline and goal setting that is learned in competitive sports helps in

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.

Growing up in a rural community, I have noticed how sports have impacted the people of a community and unified the members of a team. Sports have become apart of everyday life for many Americans, and many high school kids, like myself, take part in the playing of a sport. However, sports have become much more complex. Along with practices, student-athletes are now required to dedicate many more hours of their day to sports, and many do not have enough time to do other activities such as homework. Also, sports have become increasingly dangerous, and more athletes are sustaining injuries such as concussions. In some American high schools, sports have become more important than academics. Knowing that students have huge workloads with hours of homework every night, schools should consider all their options to help their students succeed even if that means banning sports.

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.

Schools everywhere give students opportunities to participate in sports by participating in athletic programs. With budget cuts, the administration is considering the possibility of eliminating all athletic programs. Admittedly, eliminating all athletic programs would save Lexington some money, but, on the other hand, it opens up opportunities for students who might not have a chance elsewhere. In fact, it has been proven that students who were involved in sports as teenagers are healthier as adults. Furthermore, school sports help kids bond and, moreover, show school spirit. The fact remains, athletic programs continuously show improvement in students more than weaknesses in the school. Athletic programs create opportunities for

If you asked my teachers about extracurriculars, they would say they take students’ time away from homework. If you asked me, I would say they keep students’ motivated in school and spark their interest. Almost anywhere you go, kids involved in sports are referred to as “student athletes.” Being a student should always come first, but athletics holds importance too. For many of us, sports are our whole lives. For me that is definitely true right now. Athletics have played a huge role in helping me develop through my adolescent life, but I am not sure they need to continue to play as large of a role going into my future.

1). “Longitudinal studies on school sports have suggested that such participation raises students’ grades and test scores” (Broh, 2002, para. 2). Stephens and Schaben performed a study looking at the number of sports each student played and its effect on academic performance. They noticed that students who participate in at least one sport each year outperformed those who participated in one or less, in class rank, overall GPA, and math GPA. They also noticed that the students who participated in more sports for many seasons had a “higher level of scholarship than the [students] who had competed in only a few seasons or for only one year.” Some research indicates that physical activity not only improves academic performance, but has an actual physical benefit for the mind. Shepard (1996) said, “Regular physical activity might influence cognitive development by increasing cerebral blood flow, altering arousal and associate necrohormone balance, changing nutritional status, or promoting the growth of interneuron connections” (Para.

Sports programs have been an integral part of all schools. They support the academics of the school and therefore foster success in life. These programs are educational and help produce productive citizenship. They help students experience and build skills that may help them in their future, like interpersonal and time management skills. Education may kindle the light of knowledge, but sports help to maintain the proper physique. Sports are also an important means of entertainment and a use for energy after long hours of study. Sports increase a student’s performance not only in the classroom but also in their life.

In Step 2 the authors stated purpose was to "Determine the effects of a curriculum designed by following social constructivist learning theory on learning fitness knowledge critical to healthful living in elementary school physical education. Specifically, we asked whether and to what extent curriculum influences elementary school students’ knowledge gain in three areas important to fitness development and healthful living: cardiorespiratory health, muscular capacity, and the principle of maintaining body flexibility and good nutrition.” (Sun, Chen, Zhu & Ennis, 2012, p. 217). After finishing their research study, the authors asserted that the results of the investigation concluded that “The superior knowledge gain in students who experienced the treatment curriculum can be attributed to the impact of the curriculum. Contributing factors include curricular coherence and the emphasis on helping students internalize the knowledge and skills in the curriculum and creating a highly learning- oriented learning community in which ZPDs can be meaningfully determined for students to enrich the learning experience. With the development of redefining learning as conceptual change in education, the evidence, based on knowledge gain determined by standardized tests, may be limiting still. Further studies incorporating conceptual change measures should be conducted to further our understanding of the power of curriculum on learning.” (Sun, Chen, Zhu & Ennis, 2012, p. 228). The