Sport is a significant aspect of society. Frey and Eitzein (1991, p.503-504) refer to sport as a ‘prominent social institution’ and a ‘microcosm of society’ stating that behaviours, relationships and group dynamics within sport mirror that within our society as a whole. Sport in the educational setting is widely accepted because it teaches young people valuable life lessons such as discipline, fairness, teamwork and respect (Frank 2003). The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (2003, p.2) identifies the importance of sport and physical education for young people, explaining that its ultimate aim is ‘to contribute to the preparation of the student for a life of autonomous wellbeing’. Delaney and Madigan (2009) further highlight the benefits of sport, stating that it provides individuals with a sense of belonging to a group and that it provides opportunities for camaraderie, social bonding and social integration. While sport has many positive benefits and is also recognised to contribute to social inclusion among young people, it can also result in social exclusion and marginalisation for many (Dagkas and Armour 2012). This essay will look at how sport in education works as a mechanism for social inclusion and exclusion. The sociological theories underlying this essay are functionalism, feminist theory and symbolic interactionism. Functionalism views society ‘as a kind of machine’ made of different parts, where each part communicates with each other to allow society to operate efficiently (Sadovnic 2007, p.3). Functionalism views the positive role that sport plays in society (Delaney and Madigan 2009) and indeed social inclusion is one of the many positive benefits of sport in education. Feminist theory focuses on how soc... ... middle of paper ... ...say has explored how sport often excludes females. It identified the dominance held by males in sporting games in the school playground and how showing skill in sport can often exclude a female further due to challenging the masculinity of male students. McSharry (2009, p.43) identifies that ‘acceptance among peers is seldom a smooth process, particularly in the school context’. As a teacher of PE, it is, therefore, my obligation to help students in their acceptance amongst their peers, particularly in relation to sport in the school setting. The Teaching Council (2012, p.7) identifies the role of the teacher to ‘apply their knowledge and experience in facilitating pupils’/students’ holistic development’. This reiterates my responsibility to use findings on the mechanism of sport for social inclusion and exclusion in my everyday practices in the school environment.
The presence of activity and sport is found within cultures and societies all over the world, and throughout history. Activity in the form of sport can often be the purest form of expression for a society or individual. The sporting world is often thought to be a microcosm of the actual world with the problems and issues of society still being ever present in the sporting community. Since sport can be used as an expression of self, it is no wonder that sport is often a reflection of the society that it occupies. One such society that was deeply impacted by the role of sport is that of Native American boarding school students in the 1800’s and 1900’s. These students lived tough lives but just like how it had helped other cultural societies, sport was able to provide these students with basic needs of autonomy and pride.
Sports are a popular pastime among all ages and types of people. People not only participate in them for fun, but also for money, physical fitness, rush of competition, and for many other personal reasons. Playing sports is especially common among young people in schools. Athletics are great and enjoyable for many reasons, but there can be a point where sports participation can go too far and become negative for children and adults. Sports specialization for young people is an increasing trend that results in sports having a negative impact on individuals and society.
Girls are told to stay indoors and play with their dolls or bake, while boys are encouraged to go outdoors, get dirty, and be adventurous. Wade and Ferree also state “sports are squarely on the masculine side of the gender binary” (Wade and Ferree, 174). Hence, we are brought up with the understanding that playing and talking about sports is a boy’s thing, which further promotes the notion that sports are a very masculine thing. Furthermore, as playing sports is competitive and is a way to show excellence, young boys are considered as “real boys” and “real men” later on. However, when boys do not talk about or play sports, they are considered feminine or “not real men.” The same rule applies for young girls. If young girls are too into sports, they are considered to be “too masculine.” This is true for me too. When I was younger, I was told to not play too much outdoors and to behave “like a girl.” The stigma that only boys should be allowed to play sports and it is not a feminine thing needs to be erased for us to welcome a more gender-equal
Volleyball is a game which consists of teams of six which rally a ball over a net. Although anyone can play volleyball, sociologists have used a tool which displays how an individual decides to participate by exploring socio-cultural factors that can influence equity and access within sport. This tool is known as Figueroa’s Framework which was constructed by Peter Figueroa. “Figueroa developed a tool to investigate the issues surrounding access, equity and equality in sport and physical activity.” (12peboard.weebly.com). This framework consists of five levels they are Cultural, Structural, Institutional, Interpersonal and Individual; each level contributes to one another. Equity derived from the word equality looks at the equal opportunity/chance for everyone within any sport, whereas access focuses on the accessibility to equipment, a court, coaches etc. Both these elements have major impacts on whether the individual can easily participate and feel welcome in the sport. Figueroa’s Framework will be used to observe the Individual and Interpersonal level to self-evaluate my own participation and success in the sport Volleyball. These two levels will be discussed to demonstrate how the sport volleyball can be selected and what impact and effects are taken into consideration of this process and how they respond and develop. Problems in the equity of the sport will be looked and ideas will be discussed which could increase equity in the sport.
The influence of sports activities on boys’ identity and socialization experience remains a major interest in gender studies today. Michael A. Messner wrote an article called Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities. The article examines the way sports focus and define what it is to be a masculine, studies variation in sports’ influences across social classes, and depicts lessons sports participation impacts for relationships beyond sports. Each area Michael A. Messner examined directly relates to three key concepts of psychology theories. The concepts consist of observational learning (social learning), conformity, and social identity. The research methods in the article are also a major factor contributing to the
The discrepancies in media coverage in coverage of female and children athletics have large gaps, but are gaining momentum in sharing equality. Major athletic leagues such as the NBA and FIFA World Cup have wide gaps in marketing and ratings for their male and female athletes. Children are future athletes and superstars, but as funding and coverage in athletics catering to the males, women are breaking the barriers to be in the spotlight of sport. Both gender contribute equally to athletics, and challenge the each other to accept new ideas and change. The sports world that has a single gender dominating the media is unjust. Society does not want to bored, we need change in sports entertainment to cater to all. Not all parents and teachers are available to educate our children about the concepts of sharing and teamwork, our children are growing up learning key concepts through media. I will discuss these concepts and how they intertwine.
Jarvie, G. (2012). Sport, Social Division and Social Inequality. Sport Science Review. 20 (1-2), 95–109.
Women’s participation in sport is at an all-time high and has almost become equal to men’s, however. Sports media does not fail to show this equality and skews the way we look at these athletes. Through the disciplines of sociology and gender studies, it can be seen that despite the many gains of women in sports since the enactment of Title IX, “traditional” notions of masculinity and femininity still dominate media coverage of males and females in sports, which is observed in Olympic programming and sports news broadcasts. Sociology is a growing discipline and is an important factor in the understanding of different parts of society. Sociology is “a social science that studies human societies, their interactions, and the processes that preserve and change them” (Faris and Form P1).
Sports, in general, are a male dominated activity; every “real” male is suppose to be interested and/or involved in sports in the American society. However, it is not expected of a female to be interested in sports and there is less pressure on them to participate in physically enduring activities. These roles reflect the traditional gender roles imposed on our society that men are supposed to be stronger and dominant and females are expected to be submissive. As Michael Kimmel further analyzes these gender roles by relating that, “feminism also observes that men, as a group, are in power. Thus with the same symmetry, feminism has tended to assume that individually men must feel powerful” (106).
Coalter et al. (1994) illustrated that those who stayed in education after the minimal school leaving age had higher rates of sports participation than the school leavers. This statement inspired the author of this review to research, and essentially ascertain what implications and constraints occur in an adolescent and adult environment when considering participating in sport.
Whether its baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, or tennis, sports is seen all over the world as a representation of one’s pride for their city, country, and even continent. Sports is something that is valued world-wide which has the ability to bring communities together and create different meanings, beliefs and practices between individuals. Although many people may perceive sports to have a significant meaning within our lives, it can also have the ability to separate people through gender inequalities which can also be represented negatively throughout the media. This essay will attempt to prove how gender is constructed in the sports culture while focusing on female athletes and their acceptance in today’s society.
Significant place in the activities of the state youth policy takes support projects, programs, student social, educational groups, whose activities are directed to work with the school, pupils and students to create a healthy lifestyle of young people. This area also includes the content, support and assistance in technical equipment of the activities of agencies prevention of deviant behavior of youth. Unfortunately, not everyone had have the same opportunities in sport. There are many reasons why people do not take part: cultural, social, economic and educational. Let begin with the cultural. They are linked with nationalities, beliefs and religion. They determine who can engage in sports. Some religions infringe on the rights of women and deprive them of the right to be active and play sports on a par with the opposite sex. In other cases, women should wear clothing that covers the body. This is especially common in the UK where the multi-ethnicity is represented very evidently. There are plenty of sports popularized by different cultures, but
"Does Participation in Sports Keep Teens Out of Trouble?" ModernMom.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2014.
The main goals behind Sport Education are to help students become knowledgeable about different sports and activities to the point where they can participate in these outside of the classroom to stay active. Also it teaches execution and strategies and encourages competitiveness. It is important for kids to be competitive because they will have to be in life and it will teach the importance of winning and losing the right way. “Sports offer kids a great chance to work cooperatively toward a common goal. And working coope...
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.