PE in elementary school
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Me jerrybee...@att.net
The entire text of the Houston Chronicle article is below. A few questions for this astute forum, particularly for the *elementary* school teachers: (1) "There is some evidence that children who engage in physical activity may perform better in school, be more alert and less disruptive in the cl***room than children who do not engage in physical activity,".
True or false?
(2) "teachers already have trouble fitting all of the academic subjects into the school day" True or false?
In general do you agree with the mandatory PE in elementary schools?
I would hate to think that they would sacrifice math or English for PE but at least there's a reference to "less time for fine arts". Not to mention the fact that, as referenced, the schools will probably have to hire a P.E. teacher.
General Bubba
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Entire text of article
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Paper: Houston Chronicle Date: SAT 03/23/02 Section: A Page: 35 Edition: 3 STAR State board mandates P.E. for all elementary schools By JANET ELLIOTT, Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau Staff AUSTIN - Reacting to record levels of childhood obesity, the State Board of Education on Friday finalized a rule requiring at least 135 minutes a week of physical activity for all elementary school children.
The rule applies to elementary students in full-day public and charter schools. They must participate in physical activity for a minimum of either 30 minutes daily or 135 minutes weekly.
Board member Geraldine Miller of Dallas proposed the rule in response to a law p***ed last year that gave the board the authority to require daily physical activity.
Physical education was eliminated as a daily requirement in 1995 as lawmakers focused on academic achievement.
The board approved the rule on a 13-2 vote. The two members who voted against the rule, Alma Allen of Houston and Rosie Sorrels of Dallas, both said teachers already have trouble fitting all of the academic subjects into the school day.
Some school officials had complained that the rule would require them to hire extra P.E. teachers and could mean less time for fine arts activities.
Texas Health Commissioner Eduardo Sanchez told the board that elementary school is the best place to try to fight obesity, which is starting to show up in record levels among the state's fourth-graders. Hispanic boys are particularly at risk of diabetes and other health problems.
"There is some evidence that children who engage in physical activity may perform better in school, be more alert and less disruptive in the cl***room than children who do not engage in physical activity," said Sanchez.
Schools could implement the daily requirement through P.E. cl***es or structure activities during recess or at other times of the school day.
Sanchez said that if children learn healthy habits, the state may one day shed its reputation as having four of the 10 "fattest" cities in the nation, with Houston topping the list.
Martin Rowley kmrow...@swbell.net
Caught part of a newscast last night where they made mention of PE returning to the lower grade levels here in Texas - they said that they were going to require some number of minutes per week (somewhere around 180 minutes - I think). My first thought upon hearing this was "why did they remove it in the first place?" and the second was to remember a story I heard on NPR just this week about a district (somewhere in the US) that sent home letters to parents warning them that their child was over / under weight.
Now just last night I read the post from toto "Children and computers", which says that 1/5th of childeren have a computer at home and many spend 1h37m using it.
Personally I think there should be PE in schools, or if not PE then some sort of recess where the kids can get some physical activity. I think we need it even in the high school. I believe that if we had this it might help in lowering the amount of behavioral problems that we are seeing on a daily basis. I know I myself get restless sitting in meetings and seminars for 6-7 hours without some sort of physical break.
I know in my own case that being a bookworm in grade school and beyond contributed to my own battle of being overweight - and that when I did participate in PE and other physical activity I was better able to maintain my weight.
Martin
"Jim Wayne" jhwa...@bigfoot.com
Based on my own experience, and on what I understand about the role of play as part of the developmental process in young children, I sincerely hope that some of the planned physical activity for these children is "free play," formerly known as "recess," at least in the primary grades.
Jim Wayne ...
"Magi D. Shepley" ma...@concentric.catsincyberspace.net
I wouldn't object to PE in schools if it were more individualized. I was always the slowest runner, the worst thrower, the last one to be picked for batting, the worst at gymnastics. And except for one elementary school gym teacher, none of the other gym teachers ever went out of their way to stop the kids from teasing me, and several of them participated in the ridicule.
I'm pretty decent at swimming, and its something I enjoy doing... I also used to love to walk. But you don't do those in PE cl***es in schools. We did swim in 9th grade (I missed it in 6th grade because I changed cl***es... the cl*** I went to had already done their swimming), but the gym teacher literally went out of her way to pick on me and make fun of me.
I don't think being a bookworm contributes to being overweight: I know lots of skinny, pale bookworms.
Magi Remove all space cats to email.
"Jack and Sue" jscbnos...@nospamlvcm.com
Here in Las Vegas the kids get 100 minutes of PE per week (2 50-minute sessions) in the elementary grades. I know in 6th grade my son had PE daily for one semester but I don't know about how 7th and 8th work nor do I know about HS. I always had PE when I was in school and I think all schools should have it. PE is one of the specials each day (the others being art, music and library) so the teachers get their prep. It doesn't appear to take away from math, english or science. The kids still get plenty of that.
I can't really answer #1 as I don't teach full time, I sub. But I do know that if the cl*** has been sitting a while concentrating on work, I will either give them a break outside or let them stretch or jump around (within limits) in the cl***. This is especially needed with the little kiddos!! :) To answer #2, yes, PE should be mandatory in all grades, not just elementary.
Sue ...
Joni Rathbun jrath...@orednet.org
On 24 Mar 2002, Magi D. Shepley wrote: The hardcore PE types don't get it. I believe they do more harm than good with many children. I had ONE pe teacher during all my years as a student who was able to make pe a postive experience for all types of kids. I really got into the spirit of being "healthy" with her. I sat goals and really went for it. What a wonderful year. With the other teachers, I experienced humiliation and went out of my way to avoid the whole mess as best I could. And I was pretty good at it. Consequently, I didn't much benefit from their plan to whip everyone into submission and 100 push-ups.
Physical activity should be part of health education. It should provide opportunities for all kinds of kids to succeed, not just the gung ho pe types. It should give kids opportunities to find activities they enjoy AND can do outside of a school environment where they will spend the better part of their lives.
I will say that my own children have had much more positive experiences in pe than I had. Their cl***es seem to have taken into consideration some of the things that did me in as a kid.
All sorts of reasons have contributed to the plumping of America, from television to the advent of fast foods to the demise of the family farm.
100-some minutes a week of pe won't make that much of a difference unless all aspects of good health are included - and not just in isolation. The kids have to be able to connect the issues.
"M. Kilgore" m...@nospammkilgore.com
As I recall from my childhood, PE gained new prominence after Sputnik beeped across the sky. The theory seemed to be that we kids would be in deep doo-doo if the Ruskies parachuted in (NO Shit!) In that vein, maybe what we should be doing is teaching counter-terrorism so our kids can protect us from hidden foreign enemies and the guys we put into office.
mark ...
Martin Rowley kmrow...@swbell.net
The problem I see is how to do the individual programs. I hear that a lot of these pe cl***es have huge numbers of kids per cl*** (60-80 from what I hear). Breaking that up into groups for individual interest activities would require more teachers and most likely bigger facilities. None of our campuses have pool facilities - heck, our hs tennis / golf teams has to go off campus to a local "club" facility to practice. $$$'s are the typical bottom line as to what programs get offered.
Martin
Joni Rathbun jrath...@orednet.org
No argument there. Who cares if we do what's best for kids....
Me jerrybee...@att.net
With respect to the overweight issue .. can 30 minutes daily or 135 minutes weekly realistically make any difference if little Johnny goes home and eats 6 Twinkies, 4 Hostess Cupcakes, and 1/2 gallon of ice cream ...?
General Bubba
"Gary Schnabl" badBad...@badBadger.com
As a kid during the 1950s, my Catholic school - grades 1 to 8 - had no PE, nichts, nada. We participated in sports during the noon lunch recess.
After school, we played hardball baseball two hours a day without any adult supervision since second grade nearly every day and during the summertime.
We also ate a lot and only 1 of the 21 boys in my cl*** was fat, and he was athletically active. Today most of our athletic playfields are unused, save for some soccer playing.
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Gary Schnabl (Southwest) Detroit 2 miles NORTH of Canada - Windsor, that is...
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Martin Rowley kmrow...@swbell.net
Not really, but then again some studies show that physical activity can suppress the appetite of some people - then again if little Johnny is eating that much junk food then it's probably not because he's hungry.
Martin
"Jim Wayne" jhwa...@bigfoot.com
Actually, yes. First, increased physical activity tends to suppress, rather than elevate apetite. Second, even that much activity daily can have major cardiovascular benefits for the child as he/she ages. It won't give you rippling abs or bulging biceps, but it will help you ward off type II diabetes and hypertension.
Jim Wayne ...
"Magi D. Shepley" ma...@concentric.catsincyberspace.net
Everytime I do physical activity, I look at the other people in the gym with me...
And if they are skinny or look skinny or look coordinated, I get embarrased and leave. So I don't join gyms anymore. I feel very self-conscious. I wonder if the gym teachers hadn't told me I was clumsy and bad at htis if that would be the case. I used to play volleyball.
Magi Remove all space cats to email.
"Magi D. Shepley" ma...@concentric.catsincyberspace.net
I know. The gym teachers in our school have 40 kids, and in my last school 2 teachers would have an entire team... so they'd have 100+ kids. In my last school, I flat out refused to let my special education students (mod MR) in that 100+ kid environment. My more able ones would get angry that nobody would let them play... and the less able ones would spend the 90 minute block crying against the wall or fighting.
Magi Remove all space cats to email.
"Gary Schnabl" badBad...@badBadger.com
You can easily exercise alone. My PE teachers in high school suggested a number of ways that their students could work out after they graduated and were on their own. I just came in from running 1.3 miles outside. I might have done more, but it's starting to snow...
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Gary Schnabl (Southwest) Detroit 2 miles NORTH of Canada - Windsor, that is...
"Magi D. Shepley" <ma...@concentric.catsincyberspace.net> wrote in message ...
"Magi D. Shepley" ma...@concentric.catsincyberspace.net
Sure you can, if you're physically capable of doing that.
Magi Remove all space cats to email.
"SumBuny" sumb...@TAKETHISOUTcox.net
Totally understand where you are coming from, Magi. Unless the PE teacher has some experience with spec ed kids, or some training (we have an adaptive PE teacher who floats around the schools. He comes in for a week or two, makes observations, suggests adaptations, and helps to implement them by training the coaches and staying a while to observe the effectiveness), they can actually do more harm then good. Many of the more profound spec ed kids I know get a btter workout from OT/PT than from PE.
My own son (now 6th grade, 12 ADHD/gifted/asperger) used to spend elementary school PE and recess wandering around on his own, just keeping out of everyone's way. He didn't understand the games (too clumsy and too many sensory issues), and was always picked last when they were made to pick him.
The adaptive PE coach helped, as well as having a 1:1 aide.
This year, when his PE coach (the head football coach) invited the 6th grade boys who were interested in trying out for football to come learn how to life weights, my son jumped at the chance. No, not football, but the weights. I had to speak to the coach, because the normal procedure for the weightroom is to be with the coach of whatever *sport* you are taking-and we both agreed that football was out. I mentioned to the coach that my son was a beginning drummer, and wanted to march next year with the b*** drum...my son is about 5'2" and 85 pounds dripping wet. The coach looked at him, looked at me, and agreed, "we gotta get some muscle on that kid." He agreed to *try* the weightlifting-if it proved too much, he could drop it. The coach taught the aide how to teach the forms (bench presses, squats, clean and jerks...low weights, high reps), so he could work more closely with my son, while the coach worked with the cl*** as a whole. My son still had to take turns with the equipment, and as spotter, just like the rest of the cl***.
That was several months ago...and he *loves* it and is doing better than any expected!
Buny
"SumBuny" sumb...@TAKETHISOUTcox.net
Probably not...but it can be better than nothing...
Then again, our family is dealing with the opposite side...while one son is actually getting closer to normal weight for his age, and one is not (yet)-both have been underweight all along...and exercise/physical activity helps that as well.
Buny
"Magi D. Shepley" ma...@concentric.catsincyberspace.net
The adaptive PE teacher we had in my last school did the best he could with what he had. But he had 15 schools (11 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 high school, and 1 magnet school), and he could only ever get to our school twice a month if we were lucky. Sometimes, his day at our school would be the same day as our community based instruction, just because that was how it worked. The other 13 schools were on a different schedule than the two middle schools, and he had more elementary schools... so that was the schedule he had to follow. If he came on a CBI day, I would try to get them back in time for an afternoon session, but didn't always make it. Eventually, I just wound up writing a grant so I could take the kids swimming twice a month. They *needed* that physical activity.
Magi Remove all space cats to email.
Bob LeChevalier loj...@lojban.org
That would be nice, but it seems that recess has largely disappeared from the schools. When I attended in the 60s we had a morning recess as well as nearly an hour for lunch which included a good recess. Now even the lunch period is down to a half hour and they don't let kids go out and play - that requires adult supervisors and the teachers are in the cl***rooms (due to staggered lunches) or trying to cram in lunch themselves. The elementary that my kids attended required parent volunteers in order to let the kids have some play time at lunch.
When I was a kid, there was at most one teacher supervising 300 kids on the playground. But that was before our society went lawsuit crazy.
lojbab
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lojbab loj...@lojban.org Bob LeChevalier, President, The Logical Language Group, Inc.
2904 Beau Lane, Fairfax VA 22031-1303 USA 703-385-0273 Artificial language Loglan/Lojban: http://www.lojban.org
"Sara Collins" saran...@att.net
I teach in Nebraska, and I don't know of a school district here that doesn't offer (or require) PE for elementary students. The school district that I teach in offers PE, and also has two recess times for grades K-2, one recess time for grades 3-5. The students have PE either 2 or 3 times per week, opposite music. Our PE teacher does a wonderful job adapting his lessons for all children, not only those who are physically fit. He also works with pre-schoolers, and the building I teach in has early childhood special education pre-school children included. We also have a multi-categorical building, which means that we can have anything from Downs syndrome, to autism, to children in wheelchairs for various reasons. There is something for all in his PE cl***. No one sits on the side because they don't feel they are able to participate. The only reason anyone would sit out in his cl*** would be for behavior reasons or because they didn't have the appropriate shoes to do whatever activity was being presented on that particular day. He adapts his activities to be enjoyable and "doable" for anyone who's willing. I haven't seen any student refuse to do what he asked or seem embar***ed by doing it in front of others. He is truly a gifted teacher, with an ability to reach many who seem unreachable. Thank goodness for PE cl***es in my school! The kids can't wait to go!
S. Collins
Joni Rathbun jrath...@orednet.org
THis is not directed at you or your school specifically... but my concern was not with adapting lessons for all, including those who are not physically fit per se. One can b e quite fit and still be humiliated in p.e. cl***es. It is the overall program and attitude that I've seen in action in some places....
J. Rathbun, Librarian | "You may say I'm a dreamer, Mojave High School | but I'm not the only one..." Clark County School District | Las Vegas, Nevada | John Lennon Email: jrath...@orednet.org |
"Sara Collins" saran...@att.net
I wasn't really addressing that concern in my post, but I can understand your position. I was just celebrating the fact that unlike obviously many other PE teachers out there (that many of you have posted about), the teacher at my school does an excellent job. No one is humiliated, and everyone enjoys PE. That's all I was trying to say.
S. Collins
Joni Rathbun jrath...@orednet.org
You also told us that the program is still alive and well in your area which is a hint that it can be done. It shouldn't have to be a choice. Kids also need the recess time you still have.
In my district, we still have p.e. too (tho cl***es are doubled up in most - if not all - schools). We also have art and music AND libraries with certified librarian/teachers who teach. As budget cuts loom, however, I don't know how long all of this will last. All that really matters to any of the powers that be are test scores.
"Why," they cry, "do half our schools score in the bottom half of the Terra Novas!?!?" <sigh>
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