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Do you see yourself primarily as a physical education teacher? A health education teacher? Both?
How do your students see you? Your principal or peer teachers?
I have found in my limited explorations that increasingly secondary physical
educators are also the primary health education teachers. I have also
found too many of these teachers have a limited background in school health
curricula (save a single class or two during an undergraduate program), and even
less experience with effective classroom teaching strategies.
I know from personal experience at three universities that student teaching is
typically the first time many physical education majors actually have to stand
in front of a classroom and teach a lesson on health.
In these times of increased public scrutiny and accountability for the tax dollars spent on public education...it seems vital that Health and Physical Education (HPE) be taught in a coordinated approach with equal value placed on each subject area. In fact, I would argue that many of our parents and politicians would support health education over physical education if it ever came down to a vote!
I encourage all secondary HPE teachers to demand their local college and universities adopt a coordinated approach when preparing future teachers.
Jon Poole
Section Editor
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Locker Room: Sports for Kids
Sports for Kids gives information about the history, rules of the game, equipment, and skills and drills of sports such as volleyball, ice hockey, soccer, basketball, softball, football, gymnastics, and swimming. It also looks at stretching and warm-up exercises, and team problems."
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| Coordinated School Health |
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CATCH
This link directs you to Coordinated Approach To Children's
Health website in Texas developed to promote heart healthy behavior in
children and adolescents. Developed primarily for elementary school-aged
children, the website does offer a glimpse of some possibilities for secondary
educators.
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Please let your colleagues know about PELINKS4U, and remember you can catch up on a year's worth of news in our PE Archives.
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| Promoting Better Health for Youth |
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The Fall 2000 Report
Last summer, former President Clinton issued an Executive Memorandum to the
Secretary of Health and Secretary of Education to develop strategies to promote
better health among young people through physical activity and sports.
This Report, generated through committees at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, promotes 10
strategies than many HPE educators have been doing for years! Yet, many others
deserve special consideration - such as the role of teachers and coaches in
media campaigns.
The end of the brief reports on "A Call to Action" which states that "the Federal Government will convene a working group to develop a detailed implementation plan to promote physical activity among young people" (p. 31). It notes that key players from across the country will be chosen.
If you know of any of these key players, please email pelinks4u so that we may lobby on behalf of teachers working to promote quality, daily physical education as part of a coordinated HPE program.
Available from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
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"No knowledge is more critical than knowledge about health. Without it, no other life goal can be successfully achieved."
~ Ernest Boyer ~
The late, Dr. Ernest Boyer, President of the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching, was a strong advocate for a coordinated approach to HPE.
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If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.
~ Joseph Addison ~
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| Secondary HPE Teaching Ideas |
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PE-4-Me
Written by teacher Cathie Summerford, PE-4-Me describes many aspects of a coordinated HPE program with physical activity integrated with movement concepts, social skills, stress reduction, nutrition, school safety, and drug resistance education.
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No Call for Alcohol
After a discussion of the effects of alcohol on the body, students practice taking a stand, making persuasive arguments, and using refusal skills. Students work independently to create a fictional pressure situation involving alcohol or other drugs. These situations are then distributed among groups of students who create role plays using a different refusal strategy for each scenario. Find out more.
Marijuana and THC
Students complete a Marijuana Fact Sheet that provides information about consequences of marijuana use then create role plays to demonstrate how marijuana use would effect their performance of an assigned job. Students use scenarios to work through the steps of the decision-making process about the use of marijuana. Find out more.
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N.O.W.- Nutrition on the Web
For Teens
This site has been designed by teens for teens. Teen-tested recipes, a nutritious chat room for teens only, and a Q & A forum covering nutri-topics are offered. All the information can be accessed in English, Spanish and German.
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Olympics: The Perseus Project
Looks at ancient and modern Olympic sports. This site also includes a virtual tour of ancient Olympia - the context of the Games and the Olympic spirit.
Laugh out Loud to Good Health
This Think Quest site explores our emotions, body language, the nervous system, what makes us laugh, and how laughter and fun effect our health. Includes a teacher section containing ideas on how to incorporate jokes in the classroom.
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If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions about particular topics, please email one of the following Secondary PE Section Editors:
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Help to support quality physical education and health education by contributing to this site.
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