| Does
Being Different Help or Harm Physical Education?
For years, physical educators have considered
themselves different from other public school
teachers. It's not just because we teach in
gymnasiums or in the open air. It's a belief that
we offer the only class that focuses more on the
body than the brain. Believing that physical
activity and skill development is important,
we've been happy to let other teachers assume
responsibility for academics. Physical education,
we argue, is valuable in and of itself and
doesn't need to be justified by any contribution
it might make to reading, writing, or arithmetic.
Unfortunately, this attitude and the behaviors
associated with it too often results in negative
consequences for our profession.
Consider for example, the primary mission of our public schools.
Physical educators often overlook the fact that improving children's
health is NOT central to a school's mission. School boards and administrators
are not held accountable for student health. Most school officials
would argue that children's health is a parental, rather than school
responsibility. Today's schools are being judged on student test
scores, and in this environment it's not surprising that school
administrators are eager to find ways to increase time spent on
developing basic academic skills.
As physical educators around the country are learning, reducing
PE time is an easy way to boost "academic" time. So what
can we do? For reasons already noted, the wrong response is to ignore
the ways in which we can, and do, support the academic curriculum.
For example, absent students do not perform well on anything. Unhealthy
students miss school more often than others. If we point out that
PE has the potential to improve health, and decrease absences, we
can connect with academics.
Not long ago, the California schools fitness data suggested a relationship
between physical fitness and academic performance - another opportunity
for us to connect with the classroom. And while evidence supporting
a brain-based connection between physical activity and learning
remains speculative, there's probably enough to point out possible
relationships.
Finally, from a common sense standpoint, we need to remind school
officials that none of us perform well without physical activity
breaks. What sense does it make to expect young people - already
physically stressed by the turmoil of growth and development - to
learn effectively when kept inactive for long periods of time?
In addition to making this academic connection we might also reflect
on behaviors that undermine respect for public school physical education.
For example, how often do physical educators
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Attend, and fully involve themselves
in, staff meetings and discussions about the academic curriculum? |
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Participate in, or provide leadership on, school
and teacher committees? |
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Accept class sizes that would not be permitted
in the regular classroom? |
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Allow, and even encourage, their students to
call them "Coach" or by their last name without a
Mr., Mrs., or Ms? |
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Fail to switch into street clothes outside of
the gym? |
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Grade student performance on effort and participation,
rather than achievement? |
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Teach without lesson plans, choose activities
that are personal favorites, and fail to have or follow a written,
sequential K-12 curriculum? |
The consequences of being different should
concern us. Classroom teachers often look at PE teaching as an easy
option. When they don't see us assessing, grading, or planning lessons
it's easy to understand their perspective. Unfortunately, this lack
of respect translates into a lack of support when PE programs face
the axe.
The freedoms that physical educators have for so long enjoyed -
primarily no accountability for student learning and free choice
of subject matter - have come at a price. As I look to the future,
I can't help but wonder whether being different is something we
can continue to afford.
Sincerely,
Stephen C. Jefferies, Publisher
PELINKS4U
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See you there.