I must admit, I have never really stopped to think about what constitutes a good physical education program. How about a great one? The article “The Physical Education Hall of Shame” by Neil Williams touches on just that; well actually, maybe the opposite. His article is a list of games or activities that in modern day can only be described as the embarrassments of the physical education world. Physical education has a specific goal in mind; to enable students in the development of physical activity that will encourage a healthy lifestyle lasting into adulthood. In his article, “Physical Education Hall of Shame,” Williams, strives to prove that the traditional games and activities of the past need to come to an end. He believes that these seven childhood pastimes should be placed into the Hall of Shame. He explains how these activities fail to promote the current physical educational goals set for today’s school children. He admits that the activities that are built into our curriculum should include elements of fun, but should always encourage and healthy lifestyle and never pose potential harm to the students. Williams’ theory on the subject suggests physical education should promote “the …show more content…
These game do nothing for the current physical educational goal. They do not give the students any skills that promote long term health and well-being. In fact, most of them can cause pain, injury, embarrassment, and elimination of the students. Most provide only a few moments of actual physical activity, compared to the long set up and instruction the children must endure to even play the game. While describing “Steal the Bacon”, Williams says because the children are divided into teams, they are more concerned with winning or losing that the goal of physical education is lost. As with relays, the setup of the race, takes longer than the actual race
... physical education (J. Sproule, Ed.). Retrieved February 25, 2014, from Sage Journal website: http://epe.sagepub.com/content/11/3/257.short#cited-by
After first reading the essay “Sports Should be Child’s Play,” I believe David Epstein made a valid point when discussing the issue of children participating in competitive sports at a too young of an age. He effectively delivered his argument by giving an appropriate amount of evidence without crowding the piece and losing the reader. There were certain sections of the essay that would have been difficult to understand without context, however Epstein was able to guide the reader and explain the evidence and situation when necessary. The title of the essay drew me in because “child's play” coincides with something that can be easily accomplished and is enjoyable. However sports, at the higher level, are challenging and are required to be taken seriously. If children are playing at competitive level too early in their life, it can cause a loss of enjoyment and be detrimental to their physical and mental health.
One of the assumptions Statsky makes is that, “One readily understandable danger of overly competitive sports is that they entice children into physical actions that are bad for growing bodies” (627). This statement rests on the assumption that children would not perform any “physical actions that are bad for growing bodies” (Statsky 627) without organized competitive sports. This is simply untrue. Children jump from swings, climb trees, skateboard, “pop wheelies” and otherwise put themselves in physical peril with alarming regularity. Children’s free and unorganized play often results in broken bones and stitches, even for the most timid children.
To satisfy the competitive urge of their students, physical educators held “Play Days” and “Sport Days” for their female students. In a play day, teams from institutions did not play each other, but were comb...
Williams mentions Tug of War, Capture the Flag, and Climb the Rope games, and he proves that the games do not satisfy the criteria for appropriate physical education teaching practices. The author also criticizes the practice of taking attendance while students sit in lines, viewing it as a waste of precious instructional time.
Movement is one of the most highly debated topics among teachers today, as every individual has his/her own opinions in their teaching philosophy. Teachers must get around barriers caused by the high priorities of standardized testing and low effort to include movement in their classroom; therefore, it puts too much stress on the general education teachers. There are insufficient amounts of space to complete activities requiring movement when in a classroom; therefore, the teachers are incapable of safely navigating students around the room. Some students will refuse to participate in different physical activities, causing frustration when teachers are trying to plan full class activities, and this takes away from academic instruction. It is often that educators exclude these physical activities from the classroom due to stress that is put on the schools to perform higher academically; however, studies show exercise may be a large factor in the student’s performance. There are so many ways to incorporate movement into the lessons that increase the students’ academic achievements while motivating them. As space is limited in the classroom, during the warmer months, teachers can use the outdoors as an engaging experience to refresh the students’ minds and prepare them for new lessons. Physical activities can also be used to reinforce information that was previously taught during lessons to increase the student’s knowledge of the topic. Opinions vary from one person to another, but there is only one way to find the effects that exercise has on the student’s abilities. Physical activity should be incorporated into the classroom because it promotes cognition and academic achievement, improves student behavior and attitud...
The value of physical education P.E. teachers bring to schools and their students. P.E. has an effect on everyday life. With this in mind I feel P.E. is highly valuable. Physical education activities have development in mind. Children can participate in a variety of activities and are encouraged to achieve overall wellness by continuously staying active.
Physical activity enhances children’s quantitative development within middle childhood, supporting growth toward healthy strong people, physically and psychology. Middle childhood is documented as being between the ages of six to ten years old. A lack of physical activity affects children across all areas of development; it is not restricted within the domain of physical development. Discussed within are the expectations of motor development within middle childhood, the benefits of physical activity and the consequences of prolonged inactivity. Along with how a student’s physical development facilitates or restricts development in other areas and how the learning environment can accommodate and support the physical needs of students.
Gabbard, C., LeBlanc, B., & Lowy, S. (1994). Physical Education for Children: Building the Foundation, 2nd edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, inc.
Opponents of physical education in schools state that gym is not the best way to utilize students’ time. Students’ should be given the choice to participate in gym class or not because many students aren’t as athletic and don’t enjoy it enough to want to do it in school. Despite this downfall, PE is important in students’ life and even though some don’t enjoy it as much, they need it in order to be successful in life. If not, diseases and health risks could come up and it wouldn’t be robust. Ultimately, physical education provides superior benefits.
Over the past decades our culture has changes dramatically. To which our nation was once a physically active nation. Yet now it seems that society discourages physical activity. The human race has been dependent on automobiles, discouraging people to walk or bike, increasing the chance of a poor life-style. Yet there are many factors that affect the achievement and maintenance of a healthy life. Young people are growing into a diverse society, which is characterized by rapid change, inactive work and leisure practices that influence unhealthy behaviors. By incorporating physical activity into peoples daily routine will increase their chances of being healthier, reducing certain diseases and learning how to avoid injuries. Physical education helps students improve their knowledge about health issues and practices that will lead to a more enjoyable life. Students playing and working in a team together develop social skills, teamwork, achieving goals, and development of self-esteem. Overall physical education provides the potential for a better life style.
Sports in America have many different levels of competition, each with a particular purpose that correlates to their philosophical position. However, I believe that the overall philosophical trend of the sports construction in America is one of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism is an extension of the theory of natural selection made famous by Charles Darwin. The idea is that the fittest individuals are the ones that are be capable of leaving the most amount of offspring, in turn having an impact on the future direction of the particular species. This is where the mantra of “only the strongest survive” originates from. While it is true that at the younger competition levels this philosophical idea does not hold well to sports, however, consider the following analogy: A large pool of athletes in the younger age groups are like the starting population size of a species. However, as the age groups rise, like to high school, college, and maybe to professional leagues, the pool of athletes becomes vastly depleted. This is very similar to individuals in a species dying out to various causes, the idea is that only the strongest survive. Athletes competing at the professional level are so competitive that sometimes they will seek to circumvent the rules of the sport in order to survive and thrive. That is why the philosophical construct of sport in America is that of Social Darwinism. Professional athletes are at the top of the food chain and are under fierce competition and scrutiny from their fellow athletes, and the ever watchful eye of the media. The result is athletes tend to treat their sport more as a game of survival and compete ruthlessly in order to be the best instead of playing for a pure love of the game.
The importance of participation in sport for pupils. Sports activities and interests provide many positive opportunities for children. We live in a competitive society therefore we must teach our children to function in co...
Some activity clubs we provide include, dancing, running, jump roping, basketball and soccer clubs, just to name a few. These clubs encourage kids to stay active. Our PE program also sends out monthly newsletters to the parents that give them ways to help their child live a healthy lifestyle. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education states, “Regular physical activity improves functional status and limits disability during the middle and later adult years. Physical activity contributes to quality of life, psychological health, and the ability to meet physical work demands. Physical education can serve as a vehicle for helping students to develop the knowledge, attitudes, motor skills, behavioral skills, and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles. The outcomes of a quality physical education program include the development of students’ physical competence, health-related fitness, self-esteem, and overall enjoyment of physical activity. These outcomes enable students to make informed decisions and choices about leading a physically active lifestyle. In early years children derive pleasure from movement sensations and experience challenge and joy as they sense a growing competence in their movement ability. Evidence suggests that the level of participation, the degree of skill, and the number of activities mastered as a child directly influences the extent to which children will continue to participate in physical activity as an
In this essay, the role and benefits of Physical Education and School Sport will be identified from in and outside the school curriculum. The benefits that pupils have gained from the national school curriculum, what has changed from the past to present day in schools and how it has affected Physical Education in School Sport will be discussed. Also, mental and physical health benefits that occur from Physical Education will be mentioned in this essay along with what the teaching standards were like and how Physical education has changed such as different teaching ways.