In the school I use to work at one curriculum problem I observed was with Physical Education (PE). For this middle school setting, PE courses were only required for students to take once a semester. For the elementary schools in our district, PE was only instructed once a week and generally there was only one PE teacher for around seven hundred students. PE was an area that was not strongly emphasized nor deemed important in my school or throughout my district. In my middle school students did not have recess. The only break in their day was a 25 minute lunch. It was easy to observe a trend in behavior issues in those students who did not have a PE class in their day. We even started having serious behavior problems with students who had no strong record of behavior problems in their elementary school. I did observe that the special ed department would place students with severe behavioral issues or ADHD in PE classes everyday. They noticed a huge change in the students' behavior and focus in class. However, that was only a small portion of our students. To me, it just makes sense to have students have PE class everyday. Children are little balls of energy, to expect them to sit at a desk for 8 hours a day with only one recess seems absurd. When looking at middle schoolers and high schoolers, they too should have PE class. It is a great opportunity to help them get physical activity in their day which may allow them to have more energy. I just think about how much better I feel after working out. I can't imagine not giving students the opportunity to exercise during their day and teach them about healthy lifestyles.
I have not come across research that PE classes are bad for our schools. All research I reviewed stressed how important it is for all grade levels. This Action for Healthy Kids article stresses the importance of education the WHOLE student, mind and body. The article not only stresses the physical benefits of physical education, but also the cognitive benefits, self esteem related benefits and just a general better quality of life. However, when school districts face budget cuts, the PE department always receives the cut. Recently a school in Washington state is cutting PE courses, music, and after school sports programs for the 7th grade. That school was just one of many examples of lack of funding towards physical education.
What frustrates me the most is that research clearly states the importance of physical activity for our students. Studies also shows that childhood obesity is on the rise. So to me it is clear what needs to be done. We need to increase physical education, improved school lunches, and educate students on how to be healthy. However, we aren't. It seems like a simple and obvious solution, so what is stopping schools from making the change?
So now I am curious, what is PE like in your schools. How often are your students in PE class or getting physical exercise?
The situation with P.E., as well as the visual and performing arts is similar here as I would expect in many other schools as well. As an art educator I feel like I am in a similar situation where there are numerous studies that prove the importance and necessity for art in schools yet nothing is being done. In fact art programs are being cut. I believe what it comes down to is that there is no art or P.E. on the standardized tests which rank the progress of a school therefore administrators and school boards view it as a luxury rather than a necessity. I think improvement is starting, but it has a long way to go.
ReplyDeleteGreat question Erin! We have a full-time PE teacher for our 180 kids (prek-8). Our middle school students have PE 2x a week for an hour each time...They also still have recess every day after lunch (for 25 minutes..). Our student teacher couldn't believe we have recess - it's a great break for us all (all the teachers do recess duty every day..we all need to get outside)! We have also recently began a walking program. Throughout the day teachers are encouraged to take their classes on brisk walks outside (or inside the halls and gym if it's raining) for 10 to 15 minutes. In the hallways, students are "walking not talking" and outside you'll see lines of kids skipping, running, hopping etc. We just fit it in when it's most needed (usually halfway through math!!!)...
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Rhonda Tate
My son is a first grader at Stockton Springs Elementary School and he has PE once a week; I believe he also has two short recesses each day, but at least it gets him outside. At the high school I teach at students are required to take one credit of Physical Education (two semesters). We have a new school nurse at our high school who has started WOW (Walking on Wednesdays) - all students and teachers are invited to walk for a half hour on Wednesday afternoons. This "walking" group has not been going for very long and is very small right now, but I feel that even if it only gets 5 people walking (they're now thinking about walking and maybe will walk even more). In today's world we've got to come up with ways to everyone more active; at the school level that quite possibly means more PE time for all grades K-12.
ReplyDeleteWe must provide more "movement" for kids than we currently do. While PE would be great...we have to build movement into the rest of the day and classroom teaches need to figure that out. Can't wait for a 45-minute period and that's it.
ReplyDeleteAnd as much as we need excellent PE teachers, they can't do it all alone either.