The Significance of Physical Education in American Schools
Review
Hommes, Tiffany J., Bemidji State University, USA
Background Many children in America do not receive the needed amount of physical activity needed to maintain a healthy weight. Approximately17% of children are obese (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2016) and one in three children are overweight or obese (American Heart Association, 2016). This is a local and national emergency that needs to be addressed to keep children healthy, prevent morbidities, and control the costs that are associated with being overweight or obese. Pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension in children is at an all time high. However, research indicates that only 3.8 percent of American elementary schools provide daily physical education (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2007). This paper will discuss the importance of daily physical education in our schools. There is an abundance of support to provide daily physical education in our schools. First Lady Michelle Obama is leading a national initiative called “Let’s Move” to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. One of the initiatives in “Let’s Move” is to increase physical activity (Let’s Move!) In fact, Healthy People 2020 has objectives to increase the portion of the America’s private and public schools that require daily physical education (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2011). There is also a national initiative, the FIT Kids Act of
A. Since, grading in PE is focused more on attendance than effort, many students are not
The Margaret Eaton School (MES) played an important role in Canadian physical education during a period of time known as the “golden age” for women’s sport in Canada. This essay will discuss how Margaret Eaton School came to be and why it is considered one of the leading schools in the development of women’s physical education in Canada in 1901, with the help of Emma Scott Raff and Margaret Eaton. The school started out as “The School of Expression” focusing on theatre and physical culture, and later (1925) shifted its views to focus solely on physical education. I plan to argue that from 1901 to 1942, the Margaret Eaton School played an innovative role in Canada in the development of physical education by offering women a comprehensive
For years, Americans have been told that exercising and staying active is imperative to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In general, this fact holds true for all generations and age groups, including the youth of today. Children simply need to exercise and participate in more physical activities in order to maintain a high level of health. The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools suggests that, “one of the leading causes of this epidemic (childhood obesity) is a marked decline in physical activity and athletic participation” (“Athletics in Schools”). Childhood fascinations with watching television, playing video games, and browsing the internet are just a few of the sedentary hobbies taking over children’s free time to be active. Therefore, mandating physical activities in schools across the country will effectively reduce the frequency of this major, obesity health crisis in young students. Understandably, a plethora of factors cause and influence children to become overweight and obese, but working to fix each evident problem will, in the end, contribute to finally ending the developing childhood health crisis.
Schools are required to have at least an hour of physical activity daily. This is enough time as long as the children are actually doing something that is going to help burn some calories. If they don’t do anything that will make them break a little sweat then the whole physical education class is useless. The PE classes don’t only make the children run but they also teach them what they need to do to stay in some kind of shape for later on in their life. Less than 10% of public schools and private schools provide daily PE (Boyse). Another thing that schools can do to promote physical activity is having the children walk or bike to school. The way they would bike would be monitored by the local government and school programs. The parents of the children could walk them to school so not only do the children get exercise but the parents can also workout. By doing this the parents won’t have to sit in traffic and can save gas. After a time the child will get use to walking and will want to walk instead of taking a car. To start this the child needs someone to walk them and keep them doing it.
First of all, students do not have much knowledge about the different fitness components; they do not understand the relation between the fitness components and health. If students acquire the background knowledge about fitness, it could improve the class engagement and motivation, and increase the independent drive to exercise. Second barrier to students’ achievement is the lack of motivation to be active, and even more difficult, to specific fitness activities, such as sit-ups and push-ups. In today’s society, students spend more time sitting in front a screen and less time moving. Parent and school today have more responsibility making sure the children get enough physical activity. According to the New York Times (2016), “early school physical education (PE) programs can make a significant difference, and the earlier these routines are learned the more likely they will be carried forth into a healthy adulthood”. Another barrier that prevents students’ success is the loss of instructional time due to discipline problems. The classes are too big, with many diverse students with individual problems, which are difficult to address when these issues are from very different backgrounds. Finally, there is not enough support from home affecting not only physical education, but
During childhood our body and mind changes very fast. I believe that nowadays parents focus more on the brain developement of their children than their physical activity. When I was a little girl - over 20 years ago - we spent most of our time outside playing, running and enjoying fresh air and being in movement. Physical activity of children can secure them health and well being in their adulthood as well as teach them a lot of very importants aspects like social relations and behaviors in different situations.
“The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake” a quote made by the First Lady, Michelle Obama, as she launches her comprehensive initiative to change the way children think about nutrition and physical fitness (“Learn the Facts,” 2010). Three decades ago, children lived active lives that kept them healthier. They walked to and from school, ate home cooked, reasonable portion meals with vegetables and played outdoors most of the time. Today, children ride the bus instead of walk, eat more fast food and snacks throughout the day because parents are busier, and watch more television or play video games rather than be active outside with peers (“Learn the Facts,” 2010). Young children are becoming overweight and obese along with being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more frequently. They are making poor dietary choices, inadequate physical activity, and spending too much screen time all contributing to the obesity crisis. One of the effective solutions to reversing the trend of childhood obesity is to provide safe, affordable and accessible after-school health and physical fitness educational programs for all school ages across the nation.
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.
Physical education should be a fun class, but fun does not have to mean chaos. I believe in a structure that will allow the students to have fun in a safe way. My lesson plans will be structured so that students are constantly engaged in physical activity. I feel that if I can keep students moving and learning, then the chances of misbehavior will decrease. In elementary school I feel that Instant Activities should be used to get students moving when they get into my class. High school is a little different. I feel that students at the secondary school level should be introduced physical fitness activities that will help keep them in shape later on in life.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of obese children ages 6-19 have tripled to 16% over the last twelve years. That is an alarming figure. One of the main causes is lack of physical activity. This may seem like an obvious cause, but it seems to be the one our youth have the most problems with. Physical education is being
To slow this epidemic of childhood obesity, physical activity needs to be put back in these children’s lives.
Physical education is defined nowadays as a “systematic instruction in sports, exercises, and hygiene given as part of a school or college program” (Park). When most people think of the term “physical education” they think of it as “a broad, inclusive term comprising the fields of physical education, health education, safety education, athletics, recreation, dance education, kinesiology and so on” (Zeigler 1). It may sometimes be referred to as physical training or gym class and mainly is taught in grades kindergarten all to the way up to your senior year in high-school in the United States. The history of physical education dates way back to the Greek and Roman times and has slowly evolved into what it is now today. There is a
Obesity is the condition of being seriously overweight. It is now considered a global health epidemic by the World Health Organization (2000) (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2010). Physical activity is important to children in the middle childhood age group because a staggering amount of children have become overweight in the last few decades and teachers play a role in preventing obesity by becoming a positive role model,
I am not one hundred percent positive, but I am pretty sure I want to major in Physical Education. There are many problems and dilemmas facing professionals in Physical Education. Problems range from poor facilities to kids not receiving proper treatment in the class. I think the biggest problem is the poor facilities.
From prehistoric times, stamina and strength were key to man's ability to find food and survive. As time went on, other ancient civilizations such as China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome adopted this practice known as phsycal education.