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 SPREADING
THE WORD, SHARING THE VALUE! 
Written by: Clive
Hickson (about Clive)
Often times, when walking past the
open doors of school gymnasia, physical
educators can be heard explaining the
importance of their subject matter and
extolling the benefits of being physically
active to groups of students. While
sharing such information with students
is vitally important for physical educators
to do, other locations and different
audiences may need to hear similar messages.
For example, the staff room and the
principal’s office can also be
critical places to discuss the benefits
of physical education, as can be the
sharing of thoughts with members of
the parent council or the local community.
By sharing the underlying benefits
of quality physical education programming,
we can help to influence the opinions
that others have of our subject. In
turn, this can assist in creating an
understanding of how important our subject
area is and, hopefully, dispel many
of the age-old stereotypical views of
our programs. The benefits of student
participation in quality physical education
programs are far reaching and well documented.
Schwartz and Bouchard (2005) in their
article titled What
the Research Tells Us outlined
these benefits and the corresponding
research validation. They cite research
that supports such benefits as improved
academic achievement, likelihood of
being active outside of school hours,
and improved self-esteem. However, providing
students, parents, community members,
and fellow school staff members, with
a friendly reminder of why physical
education programs are essential to
both students and, in general, the school
and the community is something that
physical educators can do. That way,
it can be assured that everyone understands
the role and importance of physical
education in our schools.
The following are some ideas that can
be incorporated into our practice to
ensure that everybody in our learning
communities can appreciate our role
in helping students to become physically
educated and promoting physically
active lifestyles.
Providing information about the benefits
of quality physical education programming,
at such times as staff meetings and
parent council meetings, are great places
to start. For example, providing information
about how physical education and physical
activity can support academic achievement
can be quite enlightening for many.
You might want to place quick read materials
about physical education and physical
activity in such locations as the staff
room, the general office, or the parent
section of the school library. Such
materials can include current literature
that highlights the learning outcomes
of our programs, the importance of participating
in physical activity, and active living.
That way, not only our fellow staff
members can realize the importance of
our programs but also parents when calling
in to school can be encouraged to read
the latest information.
We can also aim to educate others about
the importance of children being involved
in physical education experiences and
how physical activity is vital in a
child’s life. We can do this by
ensuring that everyone is aware that
our physical education programs have
learning outcomes that are determined
through our physical education standards
or curriculum, and that assessment techniques
are used in our classes to evaluate
the learning taking place. This can
help in creating a common understanding
that our programs are not just a place
to let off steam or burn
energy and that there is an aim
and purpose behind everything that we
do in our lessons.
Other means of spreading the word can
be through such things as newsletters,
the school web site, or a well-placed,
highly visible bulletin board. Be careful
to ensure that the information is topical,
kept current, and presented in a friendly
manner. Such spaces can be used to suggest
activities, recommend resources, report
on class and school achievements, or
future program plans.
We can consider highlighting physical
education at school-wide events or providing
large-scale active living opportunities
at our schools. For example, have physical
education performances during open houses
demonstrating the learning that occurs
in your classes. Parents always enjoy
seeing their children performing such
things as dance routines or gymnastics
sequences. Why not showcase physical
education during school assemblies?
Having staff members performing a dance
at an assembly can be thrilling for
students to watch and, also, be a great
way to show how dance can be a life-long
activity! We can also sponsor a Family
Physical Activity Night event. In addition
to having an action packed event that
might include relaxation activities
in one room, Pilates in another, and
activities in the gymnasium, consider
inviting local health personnel to provide
a workshop or two about healthy living.
Passing out information brochures that
discuss the importance of physical education
and physical activity and how parents
can influence activity patterns in their
children outside of school might be
an added extra to consider.
Provide parents and students with ideas
how they can live an active lifestyle.
This can be achieved by giving parents
information and contact numbers of local
activity clubs and facilities as well
as the contact information of local,
regional, and national organizations
that support healthy living. Often times,
local stores or libraries have community
notice boards. Consider asking if such
boards can be used to illustrate the
activity opportunities available in
your community and the benefits from
following an active lifestyle. Perhaps
have a class showcase their knowledge
of how community members can lead active
lifestyles! That way community members
not linked to our schools can learn
about opportunities available to them
and their family members.
We can aim to create a permanent niche
for physical education within the “fabric”
of the learning mission of our schools.
Suggesting that our schools develop
a physical activity goal for the year
or having our schools formally acknowledge
the importance of physical education
by including it within the school learning
focus for the upcoming year are wonderful
starting points. Simple challenge style
goals are effective ways to motivate
those around us to appreciate what we
do each day and how we contribute to
the lives of everyone. For example,
Can we run around the world? Can
we reach a million rope jumps? Can we
create a record by having the largest
line-dance in school history? To
firmly recognize the contribution of
physical education to our learning environments,
we can also suggest that all teachers
provide at least one opportunity per
week for students to participate in
physical education homework. This can
serve as a wonderful way of having parents
take an active participatory role with
their children.
Many organizations and ministries have
come to recognize life-long active living
as a vital goal of physical education
curricula. Therefore, it is important
that we share our knowledge of how this
can be effectively achieved. A well-structured
physical education program can enhance
and improve the movement proficiency
and self-concept of students, thereby
promoting the chances for life-long
involvement in physical activity and,
hopefully, better health. If children
are to truly become physically educated
then we, as educators, need to ensure
that we teach for this understanding
(Hickson &
Fishburne, 2001). Physical education
plays a critical role in promoting a
positive attitude toward being physical
active. Sharing the value of our programs
can help to ensure physical education
maintains its rightful place in our
schools and the daily lives of children.
It is only then that students will receive
the instruction and support that they
need to gain the associated health benefits
from being physical active and to truly
become physically educated.
Share the value of what you
do in your physical education program
and notice the impact that you can make
on those around you!
References
Schwartz, M,. & Bouchard, C. (2005).
What the Research Tells Us. Runner,
41(3), 51-53.
Hickson, C. N., & Fishburne, G.
J. (2001) Learning through effective
teaching: Research
studies in physical
education. In B. Cope, & M. Kalantzis
(Eds.), Learning for the
Future.
Proceedings of the Learning Conference
2001. Spetses: Greece.
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