Physical Education within Elementary Schools

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Physical education
Benefits of physical education in elementary schools
Provision of quality physical education
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Physical education is part of elementary education curriculum that promotes playing or body movement activities of students. It thus involves forms of education on techniques and knowledge on games and general body locomotion. Physical education has been widely applied in primary and secondary school levels across the globe. This paper seeks to discuss the need for quality physical education within elementary schools. The paper will look into the benefits of such quality physical education and how the quality can be achieved.

Physical education

Physical education entails learning about motions of the body with the aim of developing physical fitness of an individual. Learnt through direct engagement in practicing, physical education has been identified as a tool to nurturing of skills in sports as well as body developments that include social, emotional and intellectual growth of the person who undertakes it. The benefits that are derived from elements of physical education thus induce its importance and the need to provide it in a qualitative nature (Study notes, 2011).

Benefits of physical education in elementary schools

Provision of quality physical education in elementary schools is of considerable importance because of its advantages to students. One of the benefits of the physical education is the level of physical fitness that it induces to the students. In undertaking body movements under physical education, body muscles are kept active under exercise thus making them fit. Under this induced muscular fitness, a person is able to make body responses to the environment.

One of the benefits of such response capacity is in sports where a participant is supposed to make responsive advances towards actions of his or her opponent. A much active body that is developed under the physical education exercises thus helps students to develop their capacity in sports through enhanced body fitness (Study notes, 2011).

Continuous physical activity of the body has also been identified to help in some of the biological processes in the body. One of such benefits is the building and maintaining of “healthy bones, muscles and joints” (CDC, n.d., 1). Bones, muscles and joints in an individual’s body forms the basic mechanism of body movements especially from one place to another. Any malfunctioning of these as experienced in cases of cramps or injuries can limit a person’s movement abilities.

Developed bones, joints and muscles through such physical activities play an important role in reducing their chances of succumbing to injuries and defects. This aspect of physical education thus establishes it as a necessity in the lives of students to help them develop a stronger body. Physical education also helps physical body aspects such as controlling of body weight.

Through exercise activities that are part of physical education, the amount of energy that is consumed by the body helps in consuming excess fats that could be stored in the body. This, besides development of body muscles helps in the well being of the body in terms of reducing risks that are caused by excessive fats in the body.

Thus, in controlling body weight, physical education helps in reducing biological complications that are caused by overweight such as heart and blood pressure complications. Involvement in physical activity has also been identified to help in controlling blood pressure in people who suffer from hypertension. The inclusion of physical education into school’s curriculum therefore induces significant benefits in the lives of students (CDC, n.d.).

Further advantages of physical education are also illustrated through detailed benefits that it induces to the body through major body organs. Major benefits with this respect concentrate on the advantages that physical activity accrues to the heart. The functionality of the heart which, for example, depends on the heart’s muscles derives great benefits from physical education.

Just as it strengthens other muscles, physical activity induces same effect to cardiovascular muscles that has a critical role in the flow of blood through the body system. Functionality of the heart that is derived from the state of its muscles is then transferred to systems such as the circulatory system.

A properly functional heart due to strong muscles is, for example, characterized by features such as “lower heart rate, reduced blood pressure, and increased oxygen carrying capacity” (Ehlt, n.d., p. 1) among other features. Physical education thus benefits all other body processes that depend on the circulatory system for their functionality. Poor or lack of body activity at all thus induces contrary features of body functionality that relates to malfunctioning of the heart.

the direct physical benefits of physical activity, it also induces positive impacts on mental aspects of children. It has for example been established that children and adolescents who exercises regularly develops a higher level of self esteem as compared to those who do not exercise at all. It also results in relaxation of the mind of an individual (Ehlt, n.d.).

Developed physical education at an early age of an individual has also been associated with better state of health of the same person at his or her later life especially if such physical activities are continuously carried out by the individual throughout his or her lifetime.

Since culture is easily instilled in people at earlier stages of life than when they become adults, the introduction of the culture of exercising among children can easily influence them to adopting the same tradition of body exercise throughout their life. This argument thus calls for considerations of sufficiently effecting physical education on children at the elementary schools.

When induced and acculturated by students, physical education which is closely related to sports activities has also proved to keep students engaged in activities thus reducing idleness among the adolescent category who are prone to curiosity of engaging in new activities.

If left idle, these youths occasionally fall to vices such as use of drugs, risky sexual behavior as well as negative peer influence. Physical education in elementary schools together with its influence into active participation in sport activities thus helps in reducing chances of these adolescents acquiring bad behaviors such as those mentioned above.

It is also important to note that not all children and even adolescents are naturally attracted to activities that develop physical fitness such as physical education and sports. Necessary steps are therefore needed to influence these children and youths into physical activities. This thus calls for attention on how physical activities can be made attractive to these age groups as well as how optimum benefits can be derived from these physical activities (Ehlt, n.d.).

Provision of quality physical education

Physical education, being an important aspect in the life and development of children and adolescents, should be developed to be part of these age groups so that as they grow up, they develop with the mentality of engaging in physical activities because of the benefits that they will derive from such activities.

The manner in which these students are introduced to physical education and the way that physical education is conducted will thus determine the receptiveness as well as level of acculturation that student will have with respect to physical education.

Measures by teachers and institutions are therefore necessary to be taken to ensure that the entire process of physical education is qualitative enough in its application as well as achieving its objectives. A teacher is for example supposed to promote sessions of physical education and the benefits of the education.

In promoting the sessions, the involvement of students will be improved following the availability of opportunity to participate in physical education. Those who are already interested will be developed in physical activities while the rest could be influenced into developing interest. Promoting the benefits of physical education by teaching students about such benefits also helps in drawing students towards physical education.

Like any other form of education, benefits of developed physical education by schools can only be achieved if a significant level of quality is ensured in the provision of such education.

Physical education teachers must, for example, understand how a child’s skills can be impacted under physical education as well as the appropriate techniques to employ during physical education sessions. The level of competence in these two aspects as demonstrated by physical education teachers will significantly determine the effectiveness of a physical education session.

A teacher can for example not impact a child or an adolescent if the teacher doesn’t understand how to communicate the lessons or even tutor the students. Teachers or trainers who are involved in physical education are thus expected to have a proper understanding of essential body movements as well as activities that can be used to develop such movements. The teachers should as well be well equipped with skill and knowledge that pertains to physical education (study notes, 2011).

Achievements made by teachers in designing appropriate models for particular physical education will also have an impact on the level of achievement of the education session that is undertaken. Equipments that are used for physical education are also determinants of the level of achievements that can be attained by a session.

An understanding of students and their adaptability to different types and variety of equipments is also important in impacting them into physical education as well as in achieving objectives of physical education. The manner in which physical education is conducted is thus instrumental in the achievement its objectives as well as influencing students into developing personal interests in physical activities.

A system of well planned and taught physical education sessions will thus have impacts on students as compared to a system where physical education is taken for granted. It would thus be logical to pay attention to physical education to ensure that quality is involved so as to achieve maximum benefits for the students in the elementary schools as well as the community in which these students will be absorbed into when they grow up (study notes, 2011).

Conclusion

Physical education deals with activities that involve body movements. It is widely integrated in elementary schools to be taught to students for the realization of its benefits. These benefits establish the need to influence students into physical education as well as teaching the students in physical education sessions. Qualitative measures are thus necessary to ensure that physical education is effectively conducted to realize its objectives.

References

CDC. (n.d). Adolescents and young adults. Web.

Ehlt. (n.d.). The benefits of physical education. Web.

Study notes. (2011). Physical Education. (Class notes sent by customer on MS Word).

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