Today we are facing certain issues that are helping in incorporating physical education in school curriculum since we have come to realization of the benefits. We face a lack of physical activity amongst children when physical activity is required for their well-being. We have issues on why physical education is in need now more than ever-in schools. While also recognizing the reasons as to why some schools are now adopting physical education to the curriculum. Physical education is or should become incorporated in schools more due to lack of inactivity. It has proven to help in preventing obesity amongst the children and teens when physical education was added in the learning curriculum. As it was proven by “physical activity across the curriculum (PAAC) it has shown promise in weight management” (Gibson, et al, 2008). PAAC evaluated “4905 children from 24 schools” for a year by helping teachers involving physical activity in their teaching lessons to better help in improving, and teaching kids about being active. The PAAC helped teachers create lesson plans with physical activities during breaks and make other lesson plans a bit more fun than just the regular routine. During the time, that PAAC was helping with the lesson plans it was shown, that teachers had increased physical activity from “47 minutes to 65 minutes” as well as helped with behavioral issues some students might have or fidgeting plus it made them more focused and alert which the teachers loved. Still
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
First, physical activity in school would help students to improve their rate of academic learning. Children who are physically active would perform, retain, absorb and pay attention better at school and home, than students who are out of shape. ‘A study, conducted by Bryan Mc Cullick, a kinesiology professor at the University of Georgia, examined all 50 of the United States and found six states where elementary schools followed recommended physical education at the middle school level, and no states had strong enough regulations at the high school level.” This
Systematic reviews have suggested that those under the age of 18 years of age should have at least 60 minutes/day of physical activity in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010). As emphasized before, exercise should and may be incorporated whenever possible. Curriculums with physical education included may optimize what is already present, such as breaks between classes and programs that can be offered before or after school. Naperville, Illinois created an exercise model in which P.E. classes were scheduled before academic classes to give the children a boost and to create an enhanced state of attention (Ratey, 2009). These P.E. classes focused on the individual student’s fitness abilities and encouraged students to increase their heart rate by 80 to 90 percent, monitored by a heart monitor, at their own ideal pace. Exercising before the hardest classes allowed the students to relax and to clear their mind, so as to be able to focus on the next subject fully. Naperville’s model proved to be successful, and showed that a class of 230,000 eighth-grade students finished first in science in the world, and sixth in mathematics on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 1999 (Ratey, 2009). Not only that, 3 percent of an entire sophomore
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
Due to a variety of factors – from increased time in school to long hours of watching TV – many young people spend little time exercising. In addition, as budget cuts force schools to drop programs, PE is all too often the first to go. Although the recommended amount of exercise for children is reasonably small – under 30 minutes a day – most schools provide virtually no opportunity for physical activity. Providing even a short “exercise break” could help kids get in shape; according to Science Daily, “Research results show that 30 minutes of exercise hard enough to produce a sweat is enough to turn the tide on an unhealthy body mass index” (University of Copenhagen). Raising the physical education requirements in America schools gives kids an opportunity to exercise without having to set aside extra time in their day. Just as academic subjects like math, science, and reading are core components of education, so also can physical fitness be taught through PE programs. Raising healthy kids is certainly a primary goal of the school system, and requiring even a scant 30 minutes a day of physical activity in schools could be the key to cracking the problem of childhood
In a time of immense technological advancement and competitive nature of college acceptance, the school curriculum seems to be revolved around Mathematics, English, Science and History. However, there is a course that has been forgotten that is crucial to the overall development of a student-- Physical Education. Many school districts in the United States do not require physical education as part of their curriculum. Many studies have correlated positive relationships between academic achievement and physical activity (Coe, 2006, p. 1515). As a health and kinesiology student, it is worrisome that our educational leaders do not understand the importance of physical activity. If our leaders could recognize the benefits of physical activity, maybe our educational curriculum could change. I am determined to persuade you that physical education is crucial for the well being of our children and should still be required in school.
As a child in elementary school, I always looked forward to one class and the was physical education. Being a little child, full of energy, I always wanted to run around and play a game of some sort. School districts are starting to cut these classes to make more time for the core classes, which are English, social studies, and math. One-third of students under the age of 17 are overweight, and 1/6 of the students, that are overweight are obese (Costanza par. 6). Cutting physical education classes are a big reason to blame for this. Many kid are not getting their recommended 60 minutes of physical activity in a day. Most kids get most of their recommended time of physical activity through physical education classes at school. So if physical
Implementing physical education as early as elementary should give children time to get used to P.E. and hopefully help them have a great mindset for working out and staying fit. “School setting offers opportunities to enjoy physical activity outside of class, including recess periods for unstructured play in elementary schools, after-school programs, intramural sports programs, and physical activity clubs.” (Wechsler 6) This quote states that offering multiple recreational physical activities while disguising it as something fun, gives children an intriguing sense on P.E. “Well-implemented school programs can effectively promote physical activity.” (Wechsler 3) This quote states that physical education programs in schools are for students to stay healthy and to get them active. It is the educator's responsibility to keep every student on track with their participation. If students do not participate it is certain they will lose their grade in that
It is important for people to recognize the causes of childhood obesity. Physical inactivity is one of the major contributors to obesity in children. Therefore, physical inactivity is the primary cause of childhood obesity. “The CDC reports that high school students’ daily participation in physical education has declined 30% in the past decade. For example, in 2005, only 45% of ninth grade and 22% of twelfth grade students attended daily physical education classes” (“Cause and Effect in Childhood Obesity: Solutions for a Natural Epidemic”). Such constrained physical action during school and afterwards contribute to weight gain. Children should not avoid their physical health and should participate in daily physical activity to prevent obesity. In addition to physical education in schools, children’s attitude towards physical activity must change in order to reduce the percentages of childhood obesity. Research has shown that physical training classes would not be
Physical exercise is a necessity in schools because children and young adults need the physical exercise and the endorphin production. “Gym classes provide students with physical exercise on a consistent basis. It is particularly important for the physical well-being of children who do not engage in physical activities
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,
There is nothing more important than health, especially in this day and age. It’s concerning that only 29 percent of high school students surveyed by the CDC (2011) had participated in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on all seven days before the survey. The CDC also noted that only 31 percent of these high school students attended physical education class daily. Only 8 percent of elementary schools, 6.4 percent of middle schools, and 5.8 percent of high schools provide daily physical education to all of its students (SHPPS, 2000). The government is missing the fact that physical education can actually improve test scores, not the opposite.
In today’s society a major problem that is being faced is childhood obesity and heart disease in children. Children used to be healthy and active, they ran around and played outside all day, because of the growing rates of technology children seldom get out at home. While children are at school, it is the board’s job to make sure they stay healthy and active. So the problem question is, are today’s children getting enough physical education? Today’s children are indeed not getting enough physical education and schools should continue the P.E. program because of childhood obesity and lack of basic activity which will provide students with a healthy future.
Why should physical education be taken seriously at an early childhood important in fighting against child obesity? Obesity has increased since students do not like to go outside or be involved in school physical activity programs. Physical education class optimizes brain function and physical health. This will make the students expect to enjoy physical activity and feel confident in their abilities. Better physical education will create a better future. More children learning to be active will live a healthier lifestyle in the future. Teachers can encourage the benefits of healthy and nutritious food and discourage the students for having junk food by highlighting their ill effects through physical education. They can easily promote procedures for nutrition and sound eating practices. As claimed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “there is a huge problem with obesity” (Price). Almost all non-sport participating students have below average flexibility and little muscular endurance. Issues with student obesity has been the center of topic to which everyone is talking about.
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