Category: Physical education

Olympic Games and its values were the most influential sporting phenomenon in western civilization, impacting in the development of democracy and health. The cult of physical effort in harmony is one of the numerous ideas inherent to olympic education. The purpose of this work was to investigate the basic knowledge of university students of physical education from one university of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, about Olympism and concepts related to excessive training. A closed questionnaire was applied to 433 students, divided into four different groups: first year of degree (n = 128), second year (n = 107), third year (n = 90) and fourth year (n = 108). Physical education students were not able to identify the broad meaning of Olympism besides the crucial idea of harmony and moderation in training – in general, only 35,51% of correct answers were counted. Although Rio de Janeiro has hosted the last Olympic Games, the legacy in the area of Olympic Education is questionable. Olympism in university could provoke future physical education teachers to rethink paradigms, as the culture of pain without moderation, and values associated to the human progress, as an appreciation of sports and health with balance and responsibility.

Keywords: Olympic Education, Olympic Games, Overtraining.

Introduction

Sport can be understood as a motor behavior that influences social and cultural relations for centuries (Reppold Filho, Pinto, Rodrigues, & Engelman, 2009). In Ancient Greece, athletic and gymnastic activities were part of the ideal of formation citizens with a direct impact on the origin and construction of democracy. In addition to transmitting moral, pedagogical and educational values, the Greek games had a religious character (ideals, rituals, celebrations), where the gods of Olympus were honored. The Olympic Games also promoted cultural exchange and peace among the Greek peoples (Crowther, 2007).

The Olympic Games of the modern era propagated sport and Olympism throughout the world. According to International Olympic Committee Charter, “Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example, social responsibility and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles” (‘International Olympic Committe,’ 2013). Thus there is a space for Olympic education, which includes the need for education around the universal values (peace, love, solidarity), through those values and to the Olympic values like excellence, respect and friendship in mutual understanding, truly universal in their humanistic sense (T. Guimarães, 2018).

Health is also an inherent subject of Olympism. According to one of the main articulators of the modern Olympics, Baron de Coubertin, the cult of physical effort should exist within a harmonious context, that is, the appreciate for excess should be combined with moderation. In fact, since before Christ, there was already a concern with the possible deleterious repercussions of excess exercise in relation to health (Albanidis, 2013). Hippocratic, Plato and Aristotle claimed that any exaggeration could turn against nature and clearly declared that overtraining is Always wrong (Albanidis, 2013). The Hippocratic philosophy on health care provision focused on the holistic health care model, applying standards and ethical rules that are still valid today. The ancient Greeks believed that mental and physical health were interrelated as they had found that the body and mind should be in harmony and balance (Kleisiaris, Sfakianakis, & Papathanasiou, 2014).

Although hundreds of years have been believed that sports and gymnastics are essential to the development of the human body to optimize functional capacity and mind (Kleisiaris et al., 2014), the International Olympic Committee try to propagate the idea “Sports to protect the health” (‘International Olympic Committe,’ 2007) and “well-being and healthy lifestyle” (‘International Olympic Committe,’ 2013), in addition to increasing research in the field of exercise sciences and sports, we are experiencing a worldwide pandemic of physical inactivity (Hallal et al., 2012). Physical inactivity is one of the main causes related to the development of non-communicable chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, several types of cancer, mental disorders, bones and joints (Handschin & Spiegelman, 2008; Lee et al., 2012). According to the World Health Organization (2012), in addition to causing suffering, functional dependence, intangible costs on health systems and reduced quality of life, these diseases account for 58.5% of all deaths worldwide.

On the other hand, although the prevalence of symptoms of overtraining is rarely studied, it is estimated that 60% of marathon runners, 50% of soccer players and 33% of basketball players have already experienced them (Armstrong & VanHeest, 2002; Matta Mello Portugal et al., 2013). Amateur, professional or recreational athletes are frequently affected by disorders of metabolic, immunological, neurological, endocrine, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal origin. These changes are characteristic of the overtraining syndrome (T. T. Guimarães, Terra, & Dutra, 2017).

Physical inactivity is a public health problem and overtraining can also contribute to the development of pathologies and reduction of quality of life. Olympic education seems to be a tool to stimulate discussions that promote people’s health through exercise and sports. In this sense, the purpose of this work was to investigate the basic knowledge of university students of physical education from a Brazilian’s city about Olympism and general concepts related to excessive training. We tested the hypothesis that physical education students are not able to identify the broad meaning of Olympism besides the crucial idea of harmony and moderation in training.

Methods

Participated in this study 433 students of physical education of a university from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The participants were divided into four different groups: first year of degree (n = 128), second year of degree (n = 107), third year of degree (n = 90) and fourth year of degree (n = 108). A questionnaire with four questions and objective answers was applied to approach the knowledge about Olympism (two questions) and concepts related to the paradox of exercise (two questions). We performed a descriptive analysis to characterize the sample (mean and standard deviation of age) and define the percentage of positive or correct responses. We performed a one way ANOVA in the four answers of the questionnaire to verify possible differences between the different years of graduation. All statistical procedures were performed in the statistical program Graphpad Prism 5.01®, assuming the level of significance P

Results

Table 1 reveals answers that we considered corrects (expressed in percentage) for each question performed by the students from different year of degrees. Question 1 (Q1): “Have you ever heard about Olympism?” We found significant difference between students from third versus first year of degree, and between third versus fourth year of degree (P

Discussion

The purpose of this work was to investigate the basic knowledge of university students of physical education from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, about Olympism and general concepts related to excessive training. We tested the hypothesis that physical education students are not able to identify the broad meaning of Olympism besides the crucial idea of harmony and moderation in training. We confirm the tested hypothesis because the basic knowledge about Olympism and concepts related to negative impact of physical exercise does not predominate among students, regardless of the year of graduation. The only exception applies to the sport and exercise-related question always yields benefits, which 60% of the students in the last year of graduation have correctly answered, differing statistically in comparison to the other years of graduation.

One of the main objectives of the Olympic Movement and Olympism is to provoke reflection about values essential to human development, gradually compromised in the modern world by capital power (Reppold Filho et al., 2009). In addition to tolerance, equality, fair play, truce, search for excellence and personal achievement through the effort itself, Olympic Education also has the role of discussing the promotion of health, respect for oneself, your body and the other (‘International Olympic Committe,’ 2013).

The promotion of health, although already considered by researchers and professionals of Physical Education and Sport Sciences in different countries, has not received enough attention in the context of the Brazilian Olympic Education (Reppold Filho et al., 2009). The subject health promotion appeared during the ancient Olympic Games since the care of athletes and prevention of injuries were specialist services provided by instructors (Kleisiaris et al., 2014). Discussions in this context are important because of their educational dimension and the understanding that health promotion is directly related to Olympic principles and values.

Physical inactivity is something discussed since antiquity, as well as overtraining and abuse of exercise. The ancient Greek ideals of exercise and health have influenced the attitude of modern western culture toward exercise and physical activity and played an important role in the practice of preventive hygiene. On the other hand, Hippocratic, Plato and Aristotle claimed that any exaggeration could turn against nature and clearly declared that overtraining is always wrong (Albanidis, 2013). Besides exercise, they were also discussed the role of music and theater in the treatment of physical and mental illnesses and the improvement of human behavior (Kleisiaris et al., 2014).

We can see nowadays that physical inactivity continues to represent an important public health problem and, on the other extreme side, the no pain no gain culture seems to prevail (T. Guimarães, 2018; T. T. Guimarães, 2016; T. T. Guimarães, Carvalho, Santos, Rubini, & Coelho, 2017; T. T. Guimarães, Terra, et al., 2017). Harmony, moderation and balance are words that have not lost their importance. In the context of sports, every athlete needs to train strenuously, but there are specific periods for that. Coaches, physiologists, and all other components of an athlete’s technical team need to be aware of the fine line between the risks and benefits of overtraining. We can see that athletes not only in our times but also in ancient times suffered from health injuries due to extreme exercise (Albanidis, 2013).

The sport was diffused from the Olympic Games of 786 before Christ and influenced the development of Western society from different perspectives. The sport has impacted on the formation of citizens, democracy, economy, religion and health (Crowther, 2007). It is not a trivial topic. However, most physical education students unaware of the historical significance of such phenomena. It is speculated that the way by which sport promoted the development of society resides in moral principles and aggregate values, such as respect, tolerance, fair play, excellence. Olympism is a philosophy that tries to rescue this conception, in favor of human evolution. It is a fact that this way is not the only one in favor of human development, but when it comes to physical education, it can be an excellent argument for the implementation and appreciation of its practice in schools, clubs, squares, parks, as well as professional valorization involved in its application (Reppold Filho et al., 2009). It is necessary to develop in the city investigated and possibly other parts of Brazil awareness programs about the historical significance of sport and its added values.

Olympic Education aims to protect and promote common interests of society such as health, peace, friendship and progress. Olympism, in the face of capital power, can serve as an important provoking tool of a value system and, as such, an ideology in the service of human development (Reppold Filho et al., 2009). Its pedagogical content includes humanist principles universally accepted by society. However, although Rio de Janeiro hosted the last Olympic Games, Olympism does not seem to have been propagated in a manner compatible with its relevance. Students of Physical Education are not able to identify their meaning, as well as important concepts such as harmony and moderation. Olympic education in universities could contribute to an assimilation and propagation of fundamental values to the human progress. Integration policies between international and national Olympic committees could provide training for university teachers in relation to Olympic Education. University students and future professionals, in turn, could multiply and spread their content in society, leading them to rethink paradigms, perceive that sport is essential in many aspects and make it more critical of so many possible legacies.

Conclusion

Although Rio de Janeiro has hosted the last Olympic Games, the legacy in the area of Olympic Education is questionable. Olympism in university could provoke future physical education teachers to rethink paradigms, as the culture of pain without moderation, and values associated to the human progress, as an appreciation of sports and health with balance and responsibility.

Physical Education (PE) is described by the Association for Physical Education (AfPE, 2015) as being a subject within the school curriculum which provides all pupils with planned, progressive learning. The purpose of PE as a subject has adapted and changed over the years. Although, there has always been one underlining outcome which is to provide the learners with the knowledge and understanding of the importance of physical activity and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (Green, 2008). The subject has statutory status across all four key stages, which emphasises the apparent value and importance of the subject across both primary and secondary schools (Department for Education, 2014). PE is often associated with the improvement of an individual’s social, mental and physical wellbeing (Balfron, 2015, Capel and Whitehead, 2013). As a subject PE aims to educate all learners through active learning, helping them to understand and recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle while growing up, as well as the benefits that come with it (Graham, 2008). Moreover, PE plays a significant role in addressing and tackling multiple issues which regularly affect the younger generation during their time in education such as smoking, obesity and mental health (Marsh, 2015). Cawley et al (2013) carried out a study looking into the impact that physical education has on the levels of obesity throughout young children. The results identified that an increase in participation within PE often resulted in learners having lower body max index scores, in turn reducing the obesity levels throughout the younger generation. This highlights one of the many impacts that PE can have on children in a learning environment, as well as the vital role it plays within the curriculum on a whole. On the other hand, a study by Ofsted (2013) suggested that not all learners experience a good physical education during secondary school. It found that one quarter of secondary schools did not teach PE in enough depth, also that there was limited access for learners to participate in a high standard of competitive sport. From observations whilst on placement it is clear that PE as a subject is valued highly throughout the school. All learners have access to a physical education whether it be for sheer enjoyment or to compete against their peers. The school follows OCR’s Cambridge National exam board for their KS4 learners which is a vocational qualification, equivalent to GSCE’s for 14-16 year olds (OCR, 2020). This is because this qualification is more beneficial to their learners as the majority of it is either practical or coursework based, meaning even the less academic learners can succeed. However, PE isn’t always valued as highly as other subjects. This was very apparent when observing in the placement school as the pe department would often find they had their facilities taken away from them for exams, external use, meetings etc.

Physical Education has always played a significant role in supporting the curriculum’s vision for young people in the educational system, through guiding the pupils to become actively involved, confident and lifelong learners (Smith, 2011). A key function of PE as a subject is to provide learners with the knowledge and ability to become physically educated children. It requires the learner to demonstrate competency in movement patters and motor skills which are necessary to perform a range of physical activities (The National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 2004). MacAllister (2013) wrote an article aiming to obtain the definition of a physically educated person through examining the philosophies of other writers. He concluded by stating: “A physically educated person is those who have learned to arrange their lives in such a way that physical activities they freely engage in make a distinctive contribution to their long-term flourishing”.

Physical education as a subject goes further than just measuring physical strength, endurance etc., it also has a crucial role in the holistic development of individuals (Simms et al, 1989). Hupfield (2018) suggests that the holistic development is a practical approach to a comprehensive learning system. The main focus is on developing the child on a whole, such as physically, emotionally and socially. Taking a holistic approach supports in motivating and engaging learners to increase their knowledge in the subject, through allowing them to learn creatively and naturally (ScholarBase, 2014). PE has the ability to help contribute to the holistic development of children by encouraging a healthy active lifestyle. Educating learners to maintain an active lifestyle will help contribute to developing physical, intellectual and emotional skills such as socialization, mental discipline and general self-esteem (Kaulback, 2014). Additionally, the environment in which PE is taught in is likely to result in further development of essential characteristics including communication, discipline and determination (Lynch, 2019).

Intelligence is often referred to as an individual’s intellectual potential, something they are born with and a capacity which is difficult to change (Stoddard, 2013). However, other views of intelligence have been explored over the years. A concept which emerged in 1983 was the theory of multiple intelligence introduced by Howard Gardner. This theory is based on the idea that the traditional views on intelligence were outdated and too limited. Gardner suggested that there are a range of different intelligences (Cherry, 2019). It was originally suggested that there were eight different intelligences, though later on it was suggested that there was a possible addition of a ninth. In order to ensure that the full range of talents and abilities which individuals possess are captured, Gardner theorizes that individuals have more than just one intellectual capacity (Gardner, 2011). The theory can be applied across all subjects and used for factors such as curriculum development, planning, assessment strategies, and selection of activities (Armstrong, 2000). PE can help develop learners through applying a number of the different intelligences within Gardner’s theory such as the Bodily kinesthetic intelligence. This refers to an individual’s ability to process information physically through hand and body movement. These types of learners generally prefer bodily information compared to other forms as physical movement serves as an aid to their memory (Logsdon, 2020). As a subject PE target’s bodily kinesthetic intelligence more effectively than others due to it providing learners the opportunity to use their tactile senses and gross motor movement as a form of learning process. Additionally, PE supports the development of learners awareness of the body and coordination through performing arts, physical activity and control (Charlesworth, 2010, Wong, 2008).

Partaking in physical activity on regularly basis has been proven to result in several physical benefits. The NHS (2018) states that physical exercise has been linked with reducing the risk of major illnesses. It can lower the chances by up to 50% for illnesses such as strokes, heart disease and even cancer. As well as this it has also been found to lower the chance of early death by nearly 30%. Harsha and Berenson (1995) decided to analyse research that suggested undergoing regular exercise provided substantial benefits in reducing several chronic diseases in adults. They concluded by stating that the increase in physical activity in young children has been associated with reducing the cases of cardiovascular related diseases throughout adults. This indicates that the risk factors for illnesses such as obesity tend to develop through childhood and track into adulthood. In order to prevent this, it is important that the positive long-term lifestyle changes are established early on. Healthy eating standards were introduced by the government in 2010 throughout schools in the UK. This declared that all academies and maintained schools are required to provide their learners with healthy, balanced diet school meals (Department for Education, 2019). This led to most schools within the UK enforcing a healthy eating policy in their provisions in order to try tackle and prevent the risk of major illnesses. Additionally, research has indicated that introducing healthy school meals can significantly improve the educational outcomes for learners, as well as reduce sickness absences by up to 15% (SchoolFoodMatters, 2015). This implies that PE in school has a critical role to play in the success of healthy eating policies through educating pupils on the benefits of having a healthy balanced lifestyle. During the time on placement school it is clear that the physical benefits associated with physical education are a main focus throughout the school. The school host regular further learning session and offer a range of extra-curricular activities after school ranging from football to wall climbing.

Additionally, PE assists in the development of learners’ fundamental skills, which will not only help within the subject, but other areas of day to day life also. Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are highly important in relation to the physical development of child as they accommodate learners with the competence and confidence to develop more sport specific and complex movement skills (Lund and Tannehill, 2010, Winnick, 2011). Acquiring these skills allows for young children to have a positive view on exercise, in turn encouraging them to enjoy partaking in sport and physical activity (Hetherington, 2018). A key role of PE is delivering effective sessions which provide learners with the opportunity to develop and improve their FMS in and out of the classroom. Lender et al, (2017), carried out a study aiming to identify the role a teacher has on school based physical activity and FMS intervention outcomes. The findings suggested that teachers have the capability of significantly improving the outcomes in FMS and physical activity. Although, it states that teachers need to be trained in effectively delivering sessions in order to see these benefits. This indicates that one of the key roles of physical education as a subject is to provide learners with the knowledge and understanding of the physical benefits that are associated with a healthy balanced lifestyle. While also teaching learners the correct skills and movements required to develop physically.

Mental health is an issue which is regularly associated with young people (Cross, 2011). It is a problem that affects around 1 in 10 young people across the UK, and more often than not has a significant impact on their educational studies. A study carried out by the Mental Health Foundation (2016) discovered that around 70% of children who are affected by mental health have not come across the appropriate interventions early on in life. PE is a subject which usually provides the opportunity’s for young people to express themselves through experiencing different environments and activities while working with others physically and mentally (AfPE, 2018). Physical activity is often used as an intervention to increase mental awareness. A study by Tyson et al (2010) focused on the benefits physical activity had on mental health by asking learners to answer a questionnaire looking at anxiety and depression levels. The data recovered indicated that higher levels of engagement in physical activity can usually result in significantly improving an individual’s mental health. Moreover, PE can have a notable impact on a learner’s self-esteem and confidence, which are frequently associated to mental illness. Self-esteem is regally regarded as key indicators of emotional stability and is fundamental to psychological wellbeing (Graydon, 1997). Robb (2017) states that one of the main components of improving self-esteem is competency, the belief that we can be successful. There are lots of ways in which PE can increase a learner’s self-esteem such as praise, positive reinforcement, understanding and empathy. Edmunds (2015) analysed a review of studies that had used exercise as an intervention to improve self-esteem. She discovered that around 50% had reported a significant rise in self-esteem due to exercise. This suggests that PE as a subject can do more than just improve learners physically, it is also beneficial to improving their mental wellbeing through increasing their self-esteem and confidence. While observing in the placement school it is very apparent that one of the main focuses is their learner’s mental health. This is seen through all the extracurricular activities offered to the pupils and the regular in-house sport competitions hosted by the PE department. However, there was a lack of information regarding clubs outside of the school. This meant a lot of the learners only got to participate in sport whilst at school which could affect their involvement in regular sport while growing up.

The physical benefits associated with physical activity is one of the main reasons for individuals participating in exercise or sport. However, a further contributing factor to engaging in regular exercise are the social benefits that it provides (Laker, 2002). Not all young people enjoy the idea of physical exercise at school, suggesting they might participate in PE for the social aspects such as making new friends, teamwork or to help deal with negative emotions (HealthyLife, 2018). The National Alliance for Youth Sport released an article by Partridge (2015) which studied the role of friendships within young people. It identified that one of the most common motives for young people participating in sport was the chance to play with friends and meet new people. Moreover, the relationships which young people develop through sport have different outcomes to usual. For example, if they feel accepted by their peers, then their self-esteem levels are likely to rise, increasing the chances of remaining in sport. Morgan and Hansen (2008) carried out a study with the aim to find out the perceptions of teachers regarding benefits of PE. A key finding was that PE supports learners in improving their social skills, as well as providing them the opportunity to experience success in a unique learning environment. This suggests that PE as a subject has a critical role in not only improving an individual’s physical ability, but socially as well. It provides learners the opportunity to experience teamwork in a more active environment, while also improving their self-esteem and confidence through meeting new peers.

Finally, physical education has a critical role to play in relation to the success of sport policies and practices all across the UK. In 1996 the government introduced Sport England with the aim of getting individuals from all backgrounds to feel they are able to participate in sport, while also benefitting from it (Sport England, ND). In 2016 they introduced a strategy ‘Towards An Active Nation’ which had five outcomes: physical wellbeing, individual development, mental wellbeing, economic development and community development (Sport England, 2015). Sport England discovered that teachers were one of the biggest influences on children. This meant they aimed to provide specialist training to at least two teachers in secondary schools to try and increase the school-based sporting opportunities on offer for pupils. As well as this Sport England released a policy called ‘The School Sport and Activity Action Plan’. It set out a range of measures to try strengthening the role of physical activity throughout young people. It saw a 2 million pound investment to create more extra-curricular activities throughout educational provisions in disadvantaged areas. Additionally, the department for education provided a further £2.5 million to deliver extra training to PE teachers and help open school facilities on weekends and holidays (Sport England, 2019). PE as a subject has the ability to ensure these policies and strategies are successful at increasing participating in sport at a young age through using the funding provided effectively. Moreover, it is the teachers within the subject’s responsibilities to enforce the policy’s in place, as well as ensuring they are working and targeting all young people and in the educational system (Cooper et al, 2016).

To conclude, there is substantial evidence to suggest that role of physical education as a subject is more than just teaching individuals activities and sport. It is clear that the subject can have a significant impact on young people and children’s physical wellbeing through teaching and improving their fundamental skills. It teaches learners of the essential benefits which can come from regular participation in sport or exercise, such as reducing the risk of major illnesses. In addition to this PE helps pupils understand that the emotional wellbeing of individuals is just as important as maintaining physical health. It allows pupils to improve their mental health, in turn allowing them to develop their resilience to overcome obstacles they may face (Mental Health Foundation, 2016). Moreover, PE as a subject has the ability to bring learners together in a way which other subjects cannot. It teaches them different ways to learn and solve issues through teamwork.

Young generations are often recommended to sit in front of a PC or TV without doing single bodywork. Many students believe that they need less time or opportunity to engage in physical activity. Physical education is essential in all high schools and with good reason. Many children say that education level is unimportant. These false class arguments mimic the example of modern laziness. Some limited reasons need education, but the importance of good health education is that it teaches students about exercise and diet, which helps to reduce anxiety and helps students develop healthy habits. It helps them develop what they use now.

The right place will be able to see enough time and opportunities in the hands of students. High school teachers face the inevitable details of education in the high school lyceum lychee gymnasium and are consulted about it, but are still frustrated with not having to do lychee homework. Statistics show that nowadays the world’s youth are younger and less prone to polygenic disease. The world may be a country that unites all the rest of its people who live within its borders. Illegal high school decisions are one of the deadliest risks once students reach puberty. Some may not be interested in the future, but now students enjoy life by pursuing a healthy lifestyle, but see bereavement is in vain. Being physically healthy ultimately has a positive impact on the person who does not need to monitor their weight loss every year and receives hypoglycemic shots at the doctor’s office to manage their blood sugar.

In addition to the health effects, physical education have a positive effect on one’s psyche/exercise reduces stress and releases harmful chemicals in the body called endorphins. This suggests that exercise is the actual imitation of the emotional chemicals that cause toxins in the body. So taking an education class can help alleviate homework or college stress and become a detailed class to get the student inappropriate. Besides being stress-resistant, exercise also increases blood flow, which regenerates the brain more effectively. The student is advised to point to the light phase light even though he is working with a small amount of sweat because there are many warnings in this combination and is ready to tell because his blood is thought to be rid of his brain and vital organs. Lying with the help of reading. Copy the process of shooting someone and getting someone out of the classroom.

Physical fitness is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In addition to regular physical exercise, it helps students maintain energy, improve muscle strength, and improve their health and heart. Exercising regularly helps the body absorbs nutrients, improve digestive processes, and increase physical activity. Alternatively, the communication skills of the team-building process, as well as the skills needed to meet and communicate with students of diverse backgrounds and personalities. Physical activity of some students with health problems may require special attention and those students should continue under the supervision of a physician. Physical fitness is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating regular fitness activities can help students maintain fitness, build muscle strength, and improve heart health. Regular fitness activity improves the body’s absorption of nutrients, improves digestive processes, and improves physical processes. Involvement in physical education in high school provides a positive impact on student personality, character, and self-esteem. Besides, the team-building process enhances communication skills and increases the skills needed to connect and collaborate with students of different ethnic backgrounds and personalities.

Another practice is that it helps students develop good learning and learning. One unit of the course teaches students about diet and the body’s pyramid using carbohydrates and fat proteins. When people reach adulthood, the habits learned at an early age encourage them to stay healthy and physically fit. The stress of school assignments and their busy schedules are already causing students’ class actions to be troubled. If education. They are not knowledgeable provinces, and no one has taken the time to research what it takes to balance a healthy lifestyle.

So, pre-graduation classes are a must. Students must study for a master’s degree, but an exercise in their daily life is important, and having an educational class will encourage the love of these sports in the long run. They also work to maintain a healthy weight with the right food choices. Students are forced to take up education because their bodies do not exist.​

Physical education is one of the most important subjects that is taught in school as it teaches us how we can benefit from regular exercise, it teaches us how to control chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Physical education develops the idea of fitness in learners. Not only does physical education lessons teach us about regular exercise, healthy food and health benefits, it also shows us what the consequences of poor diet patterns and inactivity is. One of the important aspects of physical education is that it helps learners develop social skills. For most learners, the definition of exercise is being physically active during play, lunch break and physical education classes, also known as P.T/E (Physical training/ education). Physical education contributes to each learners overall growth and progress. Health benefits from consistent exercise includes, stronger muscles and bones, improved coordination and energy, and a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Physical education helps develop confidence and boost self-esteem. Along with being taught the consequences of inactivity, good physical education lessons should also include the risk of poor diets and helps maintain the development of childhood obesity and helps learners maintain their weight whilst also being healthy. During physical education learners are exposed to various types of activities that involve teamwork and sportsmanship.

Exercise is good for your heart as it reduces the blood pressure and lowers stress on your heart. If you exercise regularly it helps control blood glucose levels at a young age, thus preventing illnesses when older. Exercise improves the body’s ability to pump oxygen and supply nutrients. Learners should be taught that being active helps getting a good night’s rest, thus leading to a more productive day. It is extremely easy to develop mental illnesses such as depression, exercising can help in reducing stress levels. As young adults we should be getting approximately 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Moderate intensity exercise may include: badminton or doubles tennis; dancing; swimming or aqua aerobics; gentle cycling; volleyball; brisk walking; gentle cycling. Vigorous intensity exercise may include: running; power walking or walking uphill briskly; cycling at a fast speed; aerobics; martial arts; competitive sports; soccer; rugby; cricket; skipping/jump rope; rowing.

To summarize on those points any activity that gets your heart rate increasing and gets you to move can be considered exercise cardiorespiratory exercise, is considered as any exercise that increases the heart rate and breathing rate. These exercises mentioned above can include walking, running, swimming, cycling, dancing and team sports such as football, hockey, and basketball. It basically includes strenuous sports.

Quite often physical education classes seem as if though learners are just running around, there is no order, and they are just throwing around and kicking balls and running in complete circles. So, yes it is challenging and often forsaken by ‘other subjects’. But what is not being understood is that it is a necessary component which almost interconnects in other academic work.

Physical education is considered an integral aspect of a learners schooling career, it aids the development of physical skills as well as motor skills. The activities that are carried out in lessons would often depend on the grade and skill level you are working with. Choosing an activity that will a positive effect on learners, because if the goal is unachievable this will impact negatively as well as discourage participation. Yes, it needs to be appropriate so that learners are able to achieve the goal and boost self-confidence and ensure maximum participation. Younger learners should be assessed on activities that aid complex mother skills and help improve physical aptitude as some learners may still be lacking this. The testing of this includes activities such as skipping, jumping rope, playing dodge ball or freeze tag. These activities help develop learners physical fitness whilst improving basic skills such as running and jumping. While on the other hand older learners games should involve more complexity that require social skills, cooperative skills and cognitive skills as well as include basic motor skills. This should or can include sports such as soccer, cricket or volleyball. This will require learners to think about what they are doing, how they are doing it and why they are doing it.

Education should be brought back into grade schools. We need to implement programs that show our youth how to stay healthy and active. Recess and P.E. could be extended a bit more, while ensuring that the kids spent that time being physically active. Promote team sports so that kids are encouraged to stay physically active after school. Creating a national standardized testing would also to ensure students are learning and improving. Studies have shown that physically active kids become better learners and improve mental health. Aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression (Ashish et. al). “It pumps up your endorphins; physical activity helps bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins” (Mayo Clinic). So why not put an emphasis on physical education if it improves the overall well-being of students. Do we not want our students to improve their physical and mental capabilities?

Overweight and obese children and adolescents are a national health concern. According to info posted by the CDC, “The prevalence of obesity was 18.5% and affected about 13.7 million children and adolescents”, for ages 2-19. This is a result due to long periods of inactivity during school. Schools have been taking out Physical Education (P.E.) and health classes out of the curriculum or making them optional. This begins with states and school districts policies and physical education standards. In an article written in The Dallas Morning News, called PE Struggles to Keep Up in Texas Classrooms, it states “The state has dropped Texas Fitness Now, a grant program that promoted exercise and nutrition in poorer middle schools. It has also reduced its high school PE requirement to one credit and made health an elective. Texas requires fitness testing in schools, but districts don’t have to do much with the data. No core curriculum exists”. Throughout my childhood and teenage years my mother moved me and my siblings around often, so I got to experience the various policies and lack of policies in many different schools from elementary all the way up to high school. I was a very active and competitive kid growing up despite the changes in policies between different schools and their opposing policies. P.E. in various schools changed drastically, from being close to a boot camp style of training to just walk around the track for an hour. In certain schools there was physical fitness exams, and others that you were graded based on attendance.

In the article by Harvard School of Public Health I previously used, they state “Children require at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day”. While according to Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Texas students grades “K-6 – 30 minutes MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity) daily or 135 minutes per week or 225 minutes per two weeks if in block schedule”, “grades 6-8 – 30 minutes MVPA daily for at least 4 semesters during these grades as part of district’s physical education curriculum”, and “grades 9-12 – 1 credit (2 semesters) of physical education”. It seems as if the students in Texas are not receiving the recommended amount of physical activity. The only way to fix this is to create a higher standard that is to ensure that our students are given recommended amount time of physical exercise a day. Let us not undermine the importance of physical activity and how essential it is to the growth of our future, because that is was our students are, our future. If we want to aid in reducing the obesity and mental health crisis, let us lead the way by attacking it the source, right at school, where children spend a vast amount of the time growing up.

Melissa Mitchell wrote an article on three professors at the University of Illinois that conducted a study that explored the cognitive benefits of physical activity. One of the professors, Darla Castelli said “We have a found a strong relationship between academic achievement and fitness scores”. They found these results by testing about 500 students from 3rd to 5th grade. They measured their cardiovascular, flexibility and muscular endurance, using a field assessment tool called the ‘Fitnessgram’. Then they studied the student’s cognitive functions by analyzing score on the Illinois Standard Achievement Test, as well as by observation and measurement of the neuroelectric and behavioral responses to stimulus discrimination tasks. In these studies, they found that fit children found more ways to identify stimuli and process it faster than sedentary children.

So, it has been established that physically fit children perform better academically, but it doesn’t just stop there, studies have proven exercise improves mental health like reducing stress and depression, by the release of those ‘feel good’ chemicals called endorphins, dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. When children are less stressed and depressed it takes away their concentration on the negative feelings they are experiencing and allows them to excel in their academics and boost their confidence in themselves. With an increase amount of mental health cases of anxiety and depression in children, wouldn’t we want to help them by providing them with a healthier alternative to prescription drugs. Harvard Health Publishing released a letter on the effectiveness of exercise compared to prescription drugs. In the letter Dr. Miller explains ‘In people who are depressed, neuroscientists have noticed that the hippocampus in the brain—the region that helps regulate mood—is smaller. Exercise supports nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, improving nerve cell connections, which helps relieve depression.

Now that I have discussed the negative consequences of the shortcoming of the P.E. requirements, now I will present you possible resolutions. There is an immense amount of options to keep our youth active for the recommended 60 minutes a day. It is essential to stretch properly, whether it be conventional stretching, yoga, or tai chi, they are all good starts to any physical activity. Proper stretching should take approximately 10-15 minutes. Then you can give a 5-minute block of instruction of the activity that is going to take place, that leaves you with 40 minutes left for the actual activity. Team sports are a great way to provide interaction with one another, also to allow them to practice social skills like communication, teamwork, following instructions, and improve confidence levels, all while getting their hearts pumping. To ensure full participation, keep the class sizes at the state requirement of 22 pupils, that way there is better chance of no kid being left out. For approximately 30-35 you can carry out more than just team sports, you can also teach them exercises they can utilize for the rest of their lives. They can learn different forms and styles of fitness. According to guidelines put out by the CDC, school-aged children “Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily”, and this being for aerobic, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening, and all for 3 days a week. So now you can alternate activities throughout the week.

References

1. “Childhood Obesity Facts” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, page last reviewed June 24, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html Accessed Sept 27, 2019.
2. Ashish, Sharma, Petty, “Exercise for Mental Health”, Primary Care Companion for the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, vol. 8 no. 2. 2006, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/ Accessed Oct 02, 2019.
3. Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress, Mayo Clinic, March 08, 2018 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469 Accessed Oct 02, 2019.
4. Exercise is an all-natural treatment to fight depression, Harvard Health Publishing, Updated April 30, 2018 https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression Accessed Oct 03, 2019.
5. PE Struggles to Keep Up in Texas Classrooms, The Dallas Morning News, February 19, 2012 https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2012/02/20/pe-struggles-to-keep-up-in-texas-classrooms/ Accessed Sept 28, 2019.
6. Physical Activity Guidelines for School-Aged Children and Adolescents, CDC Healthy Schools, https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/guidelines.htm Accessed Oct 03, 2019.
7. Melissa Mitchell, Physically fit children appear to do better in classroom, researchers say, Illinois New Bureau Oct 18, 2004 https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/207471 Accessed Oct 02, 2019.
8. School Obesity Prevention Recommendation: Complete List, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html Accessed Sept 27, 2019.

Imagine being an elementary student who is told that they will no longer have recess or physical education. Instead, that time will be devoted to more time in the classroom. If you are like me, this news would be crushing as recess and physical education were the highlight of my school day. Schools are now taking time away from physical activity to help children understand more complex topics in the classroom. According to Kenneth Ginsburg, “A 1989 survey taken by the National Association of Elementary School Principals found that 96% of surveyed school systems had at least 1 recess period. Another survey a decade later found that only 70% of even kindergarten classrooms had a recess period” (183). What schools do not realize is just how damaging cutting back on physical activity is to children. While the school’s intentions may prove to be thoughtful for helping children understand topics more clearly, they fail to give children the opportunity to benefit from physical activity, give students an escape and improve academic performance. Therefore, state school boards should require schools to provide physical education for an hour per school day.

It is widely known that physical activity has many benefits, but many still wonder how much more beneficial physical education classes are than core classes such as math, science, and communication classes. While physical activity may not teach as many factual skills, it starts to develop life-long skills for children. According to Ginsburg, “Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength” (183). Allowing children to play freely and develop their imagination has a great impact in the long run. For example, instead of being taught how to do something one way, developing their imagination allows them to think of different solutions and become better problem solvers.

Not only does it help develop their imagination, but it builds up their confidence. In their imaginary world, they are the hero, and being able to solve problems builds up their confidence. If they were to be unconfident, it could lead them not to take on as many challenges in the future because they did not build up their confidence from a young age. Playing by themselves and with the family has plenty of benefits, but children learn the most when they exercise and play with peers. When children play with other kids they learn how to compromise, work as a team, understand rules, and adapt to other kids’ ideas. Not only can they adapt to other kids’ ideas, but instead learn to collaborate and work toward a common goal.

While there is an immense amount of benefits, exercise can provide an outlet for children. Most of us don’t realize the amount of pressure on some children’s shoulders or how rough their home life is. Many children may not have the time to be physically active outside of school as they have to help around the house or even work to help bring in income. Others may be going through a family dispute that makes their home life a nightmare. However, physical activity allows children to leave all of that behind and destress through exercise.

For instance, according to Zeyad Masroor Kahn, a rugby team in the slums of Delhi has turned children’s lives around. This rugby team consists of beggars, school dropouts, and residents of the slums. Afzal and Saif are both on the team and were once seen as school bullies. When they were unable to bully others, they would inflict self-harm. However, both players have turned their lives around because of rugby. They now teach others that it is not about winning and losing but rather winning and learning (Kahn). Afzal and Saif are perfect examples of how physical activity can turn your life around. By joining the rugby team, they have learned how to learn from mistakes and grow. Not only has it taught them important life skills, but it has given them a new life and passion that they had never seen.

Once you see the benefits of exercise for children, you may find yourself asking why are schools limiting physical education. According to Ginsburg, “Many schoolchildren are given less free time and fewer physical outlets at school; many school districts responded to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 by reducing time committed to recess, the creative arts, and even physical education in an effort to focus on reading and mathematics” (183). In reality, physical activity allows children to perform better academically. Exercise allows children to develop problem-solving skills on the fly while it also allows them to destress.

According to a study done by Stefanie Gall, physical activity increases academic performance. She performed a study on 663 children in South Africa on children ages eight to thirteen to see if there was a correlation between exercise and academic performance. Gall tested students on their twenty-meter shuttle and grip strength tests to see that children were remaining physically active. What she found is that the children who remained physically active had better academic performance (1-18). Gall’s study proves that even though some students may need extra help to understand a concept, it is more beneficial to allow physical activity as it increases academic performance.

As a solution, each state should require schools to provide students with sixty minutes of physical activity per day. Most school’s main argument is that by decreasing the number of physical education classes the better students will perform academically. While it proves to be thoughtful, Gall’s study shows just how important exercise is to academic performance.

Most states have a requirement of how much physical education must be provided to students. However, their requirements are not enough. According to “Educating the Student Body”, states such as Minnesota and North Dakota have policies in place that require physical education, but the responsibility of developing the program is left up to the district and superintendent respectively. In the state of South Dakota, there is not even a policy in place that requires physical education at any age (“Educating the Student Body” 430-460).

While states such as Minnesota and North Dakota do have policies in place, they are easy to get around the recommended sixty minutes of exercise per day. For instance, school districts and superintendents can get away with only implementing physical education systems for a semester at a time. Even while physical education systems are put in place that does not mean that they will be held for an hour either. For example, in middle school, my physical education class was only held for forty-five minutes every other day. States such as South Dakota need to implement a policy that requires schools to provide physical education as they do not require it at all. As a result, children may be more likely to become overweight as they do not have an opportunity to exercise in school.

While some states do a good job of providing physical education, many need to do a better job of laying down curriculum requirements. According to “Educating the Student Body”, states such as North Dakota and South Dakota do not have a curriculum to follow (452-460). With no curriculum, students are more likely to not get sixty minutes of exercise every day. Even if schools provide physical education, not all physical education units are interesting to every student. For example, if one student loves basketball and the unit is basketball, they are more likely to try hard and meet their requirement of sixty minutes of play. Whereas if a student is not interested in a unit, likely, that they will not put in any effort and get no exercise. Therefore, states should have a curriculum set in place that hit a variety of units to benefit as many students as possible.

Not only could the state require schools to implement physical education classes, but schools could also look to provide a variety of after-school programs. Along with providing a variety of programs, schools should look at their district’s economic status to help provide affordable after-school activities. There are a ton of students that would love to have the opportunity to be a part of a sports team but are unable because of financial reasons. This strips children of the opportunity to not only reach their physical activity level but the opportunity to feel a part of a team and create lifelong friendships. Providing affordable programs will allow all children to participate in after-school activities.

In conclusion, each state should require schools to provide physical education classes for sixty minutes a day. Not only should they require them to provide classes, but they should help implement a curriculum to appeal to all students. Physical activity is extremely important to the development of children. Whether it be developing problem-solving skills or confidence there are a ton of benefits exercise provides for children. Exercise does not only come with an immense amount of benefits but increases academic performance in children who remain physically active. Physical activity should be made a priority by schools as they encourage the development of children while increasing academic performance. Remember, kids don’t want to be drowned in information. Rather, kids just want to have fun.

“Intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong”, written by John F. Kennedy. In case the school administration wants to eliminate the physical education session in order to save some for other subjects such as science, math, and English this will be unfair because the physical education session is very necessary and must be compulsory in school. School should provide this session, because this is the period where the mind acknowledges and should understand the significance of health.

First of all, taking care of health should be one of the top priorities for humans. For high school as a whole, like 11th and 12th graders, physical education must be essential. School thinks that because 11th and 12th graders are the higher grades they should not have this session and focus more on the other subjects. Physical education is not just important for the students to take a break from the elective subjects, it is also for their mental health. Sports make people more healthy, strong, and safe from all diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. For any person sports strengthen their physical wellbeing and blood circulation. Based on the US center for disease control and prevention (CDC), physical activity affects cognitive concentration and attention. Plus it enhances class room attitude and behaviors, which are important components for developing the academic performance.

In addition, a quote says, “If you are afraid of failure, you don’t deserve to be successful”, everyone has to go through failure or disappointment while another person succeeds in life. But each time, he needs to keep doing his utmost. The secret to success is continuity. Sport teaches the importance of continuity and how one’s look on life can be transformed physically and mentally. Sports guaranty continuity by insuring a contentious healthy lifestyle.

Moreover, for some students physical education session is like a nightmare. I believe that school is not supposed to mandate physical education. Among physical education sessions, bullying may be the most obvious, particularly if one of the students is fat or for example he or she doesn’t know how to run like all other students, therefor he or she will hate this session because they might feel like a snail trying to catch up with a rabbit. Other students have the perspective which is physical education should not be obligatory at school. PE and sports are not important such as other subjects like math, science and English. Also, students should have the right to choose whether to attend the PE session or not, since they are allowed to choose the most important subjects.

Last but not least, school should provide the physical education session, because this is the period where the mind acknowledges and should understand the significance of health. Therefore, students’ perspective will change toward school if they found that the school administration cares about their physical and mental health.

Making Sports and Games Compulsory for Students

It is a tragic fact that our education system is heavily loaded with academics. It is theoretical and bookish. Sports and games have not become an indispensable part of our curriculum. Even at home, the students remain glued to television and electronic gadgets. They watch TV programs for hours taxing their time and straining their eyes. The complete lack of activity and mobility is playing havoc on their physical fitness and health. The introduction of comprehensive assessment makes it necessary for them to participate in one activity or the other however a majority of students find ways and means of avoiding sports and games the only option left with education is to make sports and games compulsory for students. There is an old saying that “all work and no play makes jack a dull boy”.There is no doubt about it. Let us learn from our great neighbor China Sports and games are compulsory in Chinese schools and they catch the prospective athletes and players while they are still in their classrooms. The results are fantastic. It has made China a superpower in international games and sports. India should do the same physical education, keep students physically fit and strong adventure sports like paragliding, hiking, mountaineering, rafting, and diving to make them bold and determined. There are many outdoor and indoor games that children can play. Outdoor games like Kabaddi, badminton, Kho-Kho, etc., and indoor games like ludo, snakes, ladder, and many other board games. The youth must not be allowed to rot in the drawing rooms. Immobility and inactivity don’t go well with school and college students. Sitting and studying in school for 6-7 hours makes us tired so we need at least 1hr game to freshen up.

Games help us be active all the time. And they even help us to be physically and mentally fit. By playing games we sometimes even spend time with our family and know each other better. Spending time with family helps us to make our future decisions in a more effective way. and if we are not academically sound, we can also make a career in sports.

At the current time cases of obesity, poor eyesight, diabetes, and cardiac diseases have risen. Research has confirmed lack of games and sports is one of the causes. And these come under lifestyle diseases, which can be corrected by improving our lifestyle, by including sports and games in our daily routine. Games and sports have many benefits for children. They are undoubtedly the building blocks of the health and character of children. Their importance in the overall and holistic development of children cannot be denied. After playing any sports our blood circulation increases, which brings more oxygen to our mind, and this is how a healthy student’s brain develops. Nowadays parents are showing negligence in these issues which needs more focus. This attitude can be permanently changed only if sports and games are given their due place in our education. They should be made compulsory for students.

The class Foundation of School Wellness Education is a course that is used to inform and teach students about the different models used in health and physical education throughout the years. Health and physical education began back in 368 B.C.E. with Plato (Stayer, slide 2). Plato was the whole reason health and physical education are around today. When the World War came, many recruits were not fit enough or prepared for combat. Over the last hundred years, physical education has been through a whirlwind of growth but also a decline in the health of society.

As said earlier, Plato was the main creator of health and physical education. Back in 368 B.C.E., he was unhappy with how others treated their bodies. He preached that being physically active can save and virtue of our bodies. He stated that it does not affect our bodies negatively and can help society live happier (Bray 2018). In 1914, World War I began. Recruitment and preparation were not as successful as they should have been due to the recruit’s lack of physical fitness. About one-third of all the recruits were unable to complete the training because they were not physically fit to the training’s standards. People realized how bad society’s health was and required physical education to be implemented in all schools.

In the 1960s, physical education took off in all schools across the United States. Title IX was then introduced in 1972, which states no person can be excluded from participation, no matter what gender. This law is so important because it allows equality for both men and women in education and athletics (Education 2017). Although this bill was passed in the 1970s, there was a recession that occurred, and it affected the physical education courses in many schools. This recession caused many schools to cut the arts and physical education and focus more on mathematics and sciences. Fortunately, the recession only lasted until the 1980s, and physical education made its way back into schools.

There have been many models used throughout the history of health and physical education. The first model was the movement education model. The movement education model was created by Rudolf Von Laban, Francois Delsarte, and Liselott Diem in 1820 (Brief History of). Even though it was created by those three individuals, Rudolf Von Laban has gained the most credit for that model. The purpose of this model was to help students and learners become skilled in execution for physical education, to succeed in problem-solving, and to provide choices that can enhance learning. The whole concept of this model was children should gain knowledge of basic movements and should then be able to perform the basic movement patterns as well. The movement model was used from the 1960s to the 1980s. The issue with the movement education model was that educators had difficulty teaching and adapting the movement model for middle school and high schoolers. It was also used at a time during the fitness boom. The movement model was a model that was made more for younger, elementary-aged children but not as much for teenagers and adults.

The Adventure Education model is one of the models that has evolved. It was first started back in 1883 when Robert Baden Powell founded the Boy Scout Movement (Robert Baden Powell). Kurt Hahn was also recognized as a creator of the Adventure Education model. Hahn wanted to create a school that was unlike the one that he went to as a youth. He hated the gymnasium and went as far as to call it a “torment box” (Hanford). Powell and Hahn’s ideas were similar—get the children to do something. The Adventure Education Model came into the picture in and around the 1970s. It went by challenge-by-choice learning, which is where the student chooses the challenge that will promote an optimal learning experience. This model met in the middle—it was not successful because society is not outdoors as often as it should be and is not healthy. It did though teach students how to overcome fears and they did accomplish goals when it was performed.

Teaching Games for Understanding was a very popular model made in 1982 by Ted Bunker and Rob Thorpe in the United Kingdom (Stayer, slide 8). It taught the in-depth rules for specific sports games and tactics for the gameplay. Teaching Games taught target games, net, and wall games, striking games, and territory games. The six basic concepts taught games through games, teach games in the simplest form then increase complexity, participants can be intelligent performers, make sure every learner is important and involved, participants must know the matter of the subject, and they need to match the participants’ skills and challenges. This model was unsuccessful because not everyone enjoys playing games in that matter.

The Sports Education Model was created by Daryl Siedentop in 1984 (Stayer, slide 6). The purpose of this model was to get students to solve group problems, learn about different sports roles, build different relationships, and enjoy participation in sports. This model was unsuccessful because there are people who don’t enjoy sports. The last model is the Fitness Education Model which was created by Charles B. Corbin in the early 2000s (Stayer, slide 4). This model was made to provide people with a healthier lifestyle, learn about nutrition, learn to exercise correctly, and have better social and emotional health. It dealt with muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, body composition, and muscular strength. This model wasn’t considered to be successful because it didn’t teach enough about nutrition and health. After all, society still struggles with those issues.

Slippery Rock University came up with a physical education model that is different from all the rest that there have been. The School Wellness Education—Pioneering Wellness model is a model that was introduced to help bring society’s needs in hand. Three elements take place in the School Wellness Education model, which are Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC), living well, and self-empowerment. This model forgoes games and looks more into the health aspects because being healthy is more important than playing mat ball.

The first component, Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child, is focused on how schools have a huge impact on a child’s health. The school is the biggest influence a child has because they spend so much of their life in a school setting. Approximately ninety-five percent of children in the United States attend school and spend most of the beginning of their life there (Ascd). There is a diagram that goes along with the Whole School component. The diagram shows what the Whole School entails and what schools and communities should be teaching. Children should be taught how to have proper nutrition, social and emotional climate, and health service just to name a few (Ascd). This model starts with the school but revolves around the community because what schools offer will entail how children are seen and act in society.

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, or CSPAP, goes hand in hand with the Whole School component. This is a program that gets students involved in health and well-being. The school wellness policies will come up with a CSPAP program that they feel will benefit the school. A school wellness policy is a group of members from the school that is made up of physical education teachers, superintendents, students, and community members (Local School Wellness 2019). Each school district across the United States is required to have a school wellness policy but it is also recommended to have a school wellness policy in each separate school as well.

Living well is the second component of the School Wellness model. The Living Well component is for an individual to be happy and healthy. This model was made because there is such a high epidemic of chronic illness in the United States. The whole point of this model is to get the chronic illness epidemic to succumb. When looking at the components of Living Well, several key factors come in tune with it. One, of course, is the Whole School, Whole Community, and Whole Child, which was mentioned earlier. Another is the physical and shape standards that must be followed and lastly is self-empowerment.

The physical and shape standards are national standards that school districts must follow for health and physical education. There are SHAPE standards, which are national standards set for all health and physical education classes across the United States. Then there are the National Health Education Standards which are standards set by SHAPE America. Finally, there are the state standards that are set within the state. These are separate rules and standards that each state comes up with on top of the national and SHAPE standards. There have been issues where districts have standards set and in writing, but they don’t follow them to their full potential. There was a study done by the Wellness School Assessment Tool and the results were staggering. Many schools had weak wellness policies that regarded physical activity which limited the potential positive influence of physical activity (Francis 2017). Living well factors around five items. These items are nutrition, social-emotional well-being, the human body, health-related fitness, and injury prevention and safety. These components are key to living well. Living well is not just about physicality but also mental and emotional.

The third and final part of the School Wellness model is self-empowerment. Self-empowerment is the most important because it comes from one’s drive to be healthy socially, emotionally, and physically. This concept deals with the self-determination theory which represents a framework for the study of human motivation and personality (Theory). With this theory, there are three experiences included: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy is the choice of doing something. It’s not controlled by anything but one’s self. Competence is that someone is confident in their knowledge and skills. This goes with living well because one must be knowledgeable in their health and know how to take care of oneself. The third is relatedness. This one especially goes in hand with educators because this model is about connecting what they are teaching to their students’ lives. It also brings across a social connection between the student and the teacher. It helps bring and build positive relationships.

Self-empowerment often deals with the environment that a student is in. When looking at middle schools, the locker room is the biggest place for bullying because students change and get dressed for class in there. Another thing educators can do is to eliminate the spotlight on just one student and recognize all the students and their trying abilities. This will help increase positivity and make the students want to participate more. Lastly, eliminate students to pick their teams when a game is about to begin. This can make someone feel unwanted and will end up making them not want to play. This all plays into personal relevance, or when learning is connected to a student’s interests, aspirations, and life experiences (Partnership 2013).

This class has been a great introduction to the health and physical education world. Many topics have been taught and learned throughout. There needs to be changes in society, a healthy change. With this positive trend happening, society can make a positive change shortly. There is still a lot of work needed to make these changes become a reality, but it is possible and achievable.

Much of this lifestyle comes from within. We all must have a vision for ourselves. My vision is to be that educator that students want to have and who look up to. I went on to be that physical education teacher who changes at least one person’s life positively. I want to make someone’s day and to be their go-to person. I also want to be a good model for health and physical education. Taking care of myself is important because I’ll be a role model for someone so I must be in good physical, mental, and emotional shape. Nutrition and an adequate amount of exercise are a must, but I also must have time for myself to work on my social-emotional well-being as well. For me to be successful as an educator, I must be well enough to get the lesson across. 

Practices of physical activity among South African school learners are reported to be insufficient to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. South Africa’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth indicates that less than 50% of learners (6 – 18 years) meet the recommended amount of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) a day. Low physical activity levels are partly accountable for the obesity epidemic that threatens the wellness of the SA population and the country’s economy. When it comes to physical education, we critically examine and rationalize teaching pedagogy concerning teaching approaches and styles, curriculum approaches, teacher’s value orientations, knowledge bases, pedagogy, and reflection.

According to Daniel, teaching styles are the teaching methods and strategies employed and the use of certain kinds of rhetoric while an approach is a way of looking at teaching and learning, especially the theoretical part of physical education. There are seven teaching styles, that a physical educator could use, which are command, practice, reciprocal, task, guided discovery, problem-solving & exploration. Command is the teacher-directed style and this is whereby the teacher will give a demonstration of the expected performance, as well as emphasize and explain specific important points of the movement it includes examples such as dancing.

Mosston further claims that practice is one of the most common teaching strategies used in physical education. It is similar to the command style in a way that the teacher is the primary decision maker, and the task will also start with a demonstration and description of what is to be achieved. Demonstration may also come from students or audio-visual aids then students will practice either in groups or on their own as the teacher observes. The only difference between the two styles is that practice does not permit some decision-making made by students for instance, students may decide where they will practice and if they will be working with, or without, a partner.

Compared to the practice and command styles reciprocal style allows more decision-making by the students. In this style, the teacher develops a reciprocal task sheet, which describes the task to be performed, and points out what the observer should be looking for to see if the performer is executing the task properly. Students are responsible for observing one another and providing feedback. The task has the teacher deciding the content of what will be taught, however, it allows the students some decision-making and provides them with the chance to work at their own pace. The teacher designs an arrangement of tasks leading up to the unit outcomes. The tasks are then broken down into a group of activities.

The guided discovery approach continues to use teachers-designed movement tasks, in a way that allows students to make individual decisions about how to move. In other words, the teacher defines the intended outcome of the movement response but does not determine how it will be attained. The problem-solving is similar to guided discovery except that in guided discovery the is only one proper way of performing the final movement/task while with the problem-solving approach, several solutions can be the results. An exploration is a student-centered approach. With this style students are allowed to move as freely as they want while they are staying within the limits of safety The style is similar to that of problem-solving, except the students are exploring the movements in a less restrictive and more natural environment with much less teacher direction (Nichols, 1994)

An approach to curriculum reflects an individual’s view of the world, including what happens in the real life of that person, values, that are considered important, and the knowledge, he or she has. When it comes to physical education there are two important approaches namely behaviorism and humanistic approach. In physical education, learners with disabilities or behavior ranging from severe to mild can be taught through the humanistic approach, whereby humanism is applied to the skill of acquisition and the management of social behaviors. Teachers should strive to emphasize cooperation and social interaction rather than individual performance and stress the importance of genuineness and honesty in praise for improving self-concept with the population.

Students with severe behavioral disorders require intense programming efforts. This group includes students who are self-indulgent, aggressive, noncompliant, and self-stimulatory or self-destructive Self-indulgent behavior. Behaviors in this category include crying, screaming, throwing tantrums, and performing repetitive, irritating activities or making noises. The rule of thumb for handling students who engage in self-indulgent behaviors is to ignore them until the behavior is discontinued and then socially reinforce the first occurrence of appropriate behavior. For example, one would ignore children’s tantrums when they cannot control a play situation with classmates but reinforce with social praise their initial attempts to play cooperatively.

Value orientation refers to the principles of wrong and right a social group or an individual accepts that. Beliefs and values developed through years of socialization because of experiencing PE as pupils are labeled an ‘apprenticeship of observation’. Suggested experiences of PE throughout the school years play a powerful role in the formation of beliefs about teaching PE and are used by (student) PE teachers to make sense of teaching and ultimately negotiate the teaching role. Because of their prior socialization, many students enter a PE initial teacher education (ITE) course with strong, preconceived, and firmly entrenched ideas, beliefs, and values about teaching and pupil learning on which they model their practice. In England at least, ‘many teachers come to PE teaching, as a career, with a built-in commitment to sport and an intuitive conviction regarding its inherent worth’.

However, teachers are seldom aware of the beliefs and values they hold. If values and beliefs are not made, explicit it is difficult for student PE teachers and teacher educators to understand their impact on student teachers’ learning, their teaching behaviors, practice, and the curriculum. Values and beliefs need to be made explicit to enable them to be challenged. According to several researchers challenging student teachers to reflect on their beliefs and how these affect their teaching behavior and practices may result in a change in their beliefs, which, in turn, may influence teaching behaviors and practice.

There are many ways in which the term pedagogy can be used within PE – to some, pedagogy equates to teaching PE. For others, it is synonymous with instruction. This slippage or lack of conceptual clarity is at times confusing and makes definitive distinctions between these terms difficult. Dictionaries (for example, Oxford English Dictionary) give a clear and useful definition of pedagogy – ‘the art or science of teaching’. Most of what teachers do produces pedagogical work relating to three interrelated dimensions; physical activity, bodies, and health. For example, when teachers do pedagogy for physical activity, it inevitably does pedagogical work on the body. Kids learn about their bodies (what they can and cannot do) in part through their learning of physical activities that form part of school PE.

Physical education in schools is a disaster, and although the causes for these disasters are many, PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER’S EDUCATION present knowledge base contributes to it because it does not develop teachers to be transformative agents. School physical education is in deep crisis, and although it still exists, many now seriously doubt its existence. The reasons for its state are complex and many, coming from myriad of social, political, and economic factors within communities and institutions. Moreover, it could be argued that the lack of appropriate preparation of teachers also contributes to this crisis. Although the knowledge-based prospective physical educators presently receive does not allow them to fit in schools and transmit their subject matter effectively, it also ranks them as unskilled workers (Fernández-Balboa J, 2012).

Teachers are prepared to become reflective practitioners, as well as to become proficient in the technical skills of teaching, which is increasingly the focus of many teacher education programs (Goodman, 1991; Valli, 1992). The development of reflection is recommended in the National Standards for Beginning Physical Education Teachers (National Association for Sport and Physical Education [NASPE], 1995), which suggests that the teacher becomes a reflective practitioner who can evaluate the effects of his or her actions on others. In addition, a beginning educator of physical education should have knowledge of a variety of self-assessment and problem-solving strategies for reflecting on practice and its influences on learning’ (NASPE, p. 16). The NASPE/NCATE Guidelines for Teacher Preparation in Physical Education further support the development and facilitation of reflective thought by challenging PETE programs to prepare prospective teachers to consistently demonstrate the use of a reflective cycle by describing, justifying, and critiquing teaching performances; to set personal teaching goals; and to implement change in the teaching/learning environment (NASPE, 2001). Pedagogical strategies that are different can be used to enhance preservice teachers’ (PTs’) reflectivity. They include the use of metaphors (Carlso2001).

In conclusion, I see theory as important as practice and therefore teaching time should be allocated equally to both theory and practice, but that is not what happens to our public schools. Teachers pay much more attention to theory in class and consider the practice time less important and as time for playing. Therefore I think pedagogy in physical education is very important because it provides teachers with skills to teach and approaches to work on while the teaching styles make teaching fun for learners.

Reference list

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