189 %5cc%7b%5cb%7bPhysical+Education+in+the+21st+Century%7d%7d%0a%0aRemember+physical+education%3f+Daily+lap+running%2c+mind%2dnumbing+jumping+jacks%2c+and+the+same+boring+team+sports+repeated+at+every+grade%3f+Think+again%2e+Physical+education+is+changing%2e+Look+in+today%27s+gyms+and+you%27ll+see+kids+unicycling+and+juggling%2c+learning+to+skate+or+play+hockey%2c+and+practicing+the+latest+line+dances%2e++Fly+fishing%2c+archery%2c+rock+climbing%2c+golf%2c+yoga+%2d+you+name+it+and+somewhere+there%27s+a+PE+class%2e%0a+%0aAlthough+the+name%27s+the+same%2c+physical+education+in+schools+and+colleges+has+a+new+goal%3a+keeping+people+active+and+healthy%2e+The+reason+is+obvious%2e+Not+only+are+American+adults+overweight+but+now+there%27s+an+obesity+epidemic+among+young+people%2e+Overweight+and+out+of+shape%2c+more+and+more+young+people+have+high+cholesterol%2c+hypertension%2c+and+type+2+diabetes%2e+Today%27s+inactive+youth+are+at+a+greater+risk+than+ever+of+cardiovascular+related+diseases+and+cancer%2e+Health+care+costs+over+the+next+half%2dcentury+will+explode%2e+More+alarming+is+the+fact+that+creative+minds+don%27t+work+well+inside+sick+bodies%2e%0a%0aIn+the+past%2c+school+physical+education+was+something+you+either+loved+or+hated%2e+You+ran+to+it+or+ran+from+it%2e+For+those+who+grew+up+in+active+homes%2c+PE+classes+were+fun+and+inspired+a+love+for+movement%2e+For+the+less+active+and+low+skilled%2c+PE+often+meant+squeezing+oversized+bodies+into+skimpy+shorts+and+a+tummy+hugging+tee%2dshirt%2e+%26quot%3bGym%26quot%3b+was+the+turn+off+that+convinced+teens+to+avoid+being+physically+active%2e%0a%0aFor+years%2c+physical+education+suffered+the+bad+rap+of+being+confused+as+an+extension+of+athletics%2e+A+sort+of+athletic%2dappetizer+whose+main+purpose+was+to+train+athletes+for+school+teams%2e++The+fact+that+most+coaches+also+taught+physical+education+confirmed+this+belief%2e+Not+any+more%2e+Elementary+school+PE+today+helps+young+children+learn+basic+movement+skills%2e+Active+adult+lifestyles+depend+on+children+becoming+physically+competent%2e+Children+ridiculed+as+%26quot%3bthrowing+like+girls%26quot%3b+have+simply+failed+to+master+proper+throwing+fundamentals%2e+People+who+don%27t+learn+these+and+similar+movement+skills+as+children+will+never+be+successful+in+organized+sports+or+recreational+activities%2e+%0a%0aSecondary+and+college+PE+teachers+guide+students+towards+activities+they+hope+will+become+self%2dmotivating%2e+Forcing+fitness+on+people+never+really+worked%2e+They+just+quit+when+it+became+an+option%2e+Much+better+is+to+encourage+students+to+try+activities+that+are+fun%2c+active%2c+and+leave+participants+wanting+more%2e+These+%26quot%3bphysically+educated%26quot%3b+students+become+adults+who+are+skillful%2c+physically+fit%2c+and+lead+healthy%2c+active+lifestyles%2e%0a%0aIt%27s+becoming+increasingly+harder+to+fit+PE+classes+into+already+overloaded+academic+schedules%2e+But+the+consequences+of+eliminating+physical+education+from+student+schedules+needs+careful+thought%2e+In+summary%2c+here+are+five+reasons+why+physical+education+belongs+in+our+21st+century+academic+programs%3a+%0a%0a1%2e+Preventing+Happy+Puppies+From+Becoming+Old+Dogs%2e+%0aSome+time%2c+walk+next+to+your+nearest+elementary+school+playground+and+watch+children+move%2e+The+joy+of+movement%2c+so+natural+in+childhood+is+drained+from+us+in+daylong%2c+sedentary%2c+classroom+instruction%2e+Slender%2c+flexible%2c+and+healthy+bodies+change%2e+Inactive+children+become+inactive+adults+who+face+many+disabling+chronic+yet+preventable+illnesses%2e%0a%0a2%2e+Movement+Is+Fundamental+In+Learning%2e%0aChild+development+specialists+discovered+long+ago+that+young+people+learn+much+about+their+world+through+moving+and+interacting+with+objects+and+people%2e+Through+movement+we+learn+what+our+bodies+can+do%2e+We+also+learn+the+social+skills+needed+to+relate+to+others%2e+Becoming+a+productive+member+of+society+depends+on+more+than+learning+facts+and+figures%2c+words+and+numbers%2e+Humans+learn+to+move%2c+and+move+to+learn%2e%0a%0a3%2e+Playful+People+Survive%2e+%0aAmong+the+earliest+humans%2c+playful+people+were+the+fittest%2e+They+weren%27t+just+physically+superior+but+their+playful+creativity+helped+them+adapt+to+change%2e+Successful+adults+today+are+flexible+and+willing+to+think+differently%2e+Those+who+resist+change+struggle+and+miss+opportunities%2e+Physical+play+stimulates+creative+thought%2e%0a%0a4%2e+Living+And+Working+Productively%2e+%0aAdults+willing+to+dedicate+most+of+their+waking+hours+to+their+job+can+get+rich%2e+But+evidence+is+clear+%2d+people+who+ignore+their+health+%28physical%2c+social+and+emotional%29+burn+out%2e+They+get+sick%2c+miss+work%2c+become+less+productive%2c+and+their+careers+suffer%2e+%0a%0a5%2e+Balancing+Work+And+Play%2e+%0aAdults+who+lack+movement+skills+don%27t+enjoy+physical+activities%2e+In+contrast%2c+physically+skillful+adults+choose+to+participate+in+active%2c+non%2dwork+related+leisure+activities%2e++Becoming+physically+competent%2c+cr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343 I+have+been+a+teacher+for+6+years+now+and+a+coach+for+the+past+14+years%2e++I+have+alsways+wanted+to+be+a+teacher+and+with+my+love+and+passion+for+outdoors+and+sports+Physcial+Education+was+an+easy+choice%2e+%0aIt+still+boggles+me+how+so+many+%26quot%3beducated%26quot%3b+people+can+actually+consider+the+idea+of+dropping+Physical+education%2e++From+the+administrators%2c+%26quot%3bIt+isn%27t+in+the+budget%2c%26quot%3b+or+%26quot%3b+we+need+to+save+money+some+how%2e%26quot%3b++Does+anyone+see+the+cost+of+not+keeping+our+kids+active%3f++%0aOur+well+being+and+health+is+based+on+the+very+standards+our+PROFESSION+is+based+on%2e++It+is+our+job+and+our+duty+to+promote+Physical+Health+and+help+our+students+learn+how+to+make+healthy+choices%2e++%0aIt+is+time+we+made+our+profession+fun+again%2e++Just+as+those+kids+who+enjoy+playing+as+you+walk+by+the+fields+of+an+elementary+school%2c+why+not+have+fun%2c+learn%2c+and+stay+in+shape+all+at+the+same+time%3f++It+isn%27t+impossible%2e++Our+kids+deserve+it%2e++We+deserve+it%2e++%0aStop+teaching+in+the+same+old+ways%2e++Learn+how+to+inspire+and+motivate+with+a+few+changes%2e++The+outcome+is+the+same%2e++%0aOur+kids+grow+in+a+time+of+electronics%2c+computers%2c+and+Playstations%2e++We+have+a+lot+of+competition%2e++We+need+to+work+together+and+standout+as+one%2e++I+still+run+into+teachers+who+believe+that%2c+%26quot%3bit+has+been+done+this+way+for+25+years+we+have+to+continue+doing+it+this+way%2e%26quot%3b++Who+said%3f++%0aTake+track+and+field+for+example+and+make+it+into+an+Olympic+event%2e++Have+the+students+learn+about+countries%2e++It%27s+only+a+twist+to+our+curriculum+that+not+only+excites+our+students+but+us+as+well%2e++Only+good+can+come+from+it%2e++%0aWe+are+TEACHERS+of+a+very+vital+subject+to+the+well+being+and+longevity+of+our+students%2e++Teach+and+teach+well%2e++Teach+with+enthusiasm%2e++If+we+lose+our+students%2c+who+are+we+then%3f++%0aNo+longer+are+we+over+paid+recess+monitors%2e++%0a%0aTake+Pride+in+what+you+do%2e++If+you+don%27t+who+will%3f