CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP CALENDAR

Play vs. Practice             "How much time should be devoted to practice versus play when teaching a traditional team sport in a secondary PE class?"  This is the question I pose to my undergraduate class of PE majors. Some of them, like too many physical educators, think that the majority of time within any teaching unit should be spent playing a game.  They report that little time should be spent on practicing the skills of that sport.    Although there are possible advantages of playing a regulation game of volleyball in PE, the potential for that activity to be inappropriate is high. Consider the following reasons:  Most students are inactive.  During a game of volleyball, most students stand around while one person hits the ball.  This results in boredom, off-task behavior, and no fitness improvement. Higher skilled players tend to dominate play.  Students who have lower skills get little opportunity to participate (and they need it the most). Big emphasis on competition..  Players are more likely to insult and embarrass those who make mistakes during a competitive game than during practice. A high student to equipment ratio.  Most PE teachers are faced with small gym space and limited equipment.  As a result, the number of full volleyball or basketball courts is very limited (usually one).  A regulation volleyball game uses a total of 12 players.  Most PE classes have 30+ students.  The result, teachers may use 10-15 students per team (which is inappropriate) or rotate teams, which leaves some to sit and watch or just keep score. Some will win / most will lose.   Traditional games require that all teams  (except the one winning team) lose.  Do we really want a majority of our students to leave our class feeling like losers? I encourage all secondary  physical education teachers to give your thoughts regarding the impact of competitive team play in Physical Education classes on students. The PE Forum provides the perfect outlet to hear your voice! Bart Cagle Section Editor

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PE Safety Alert

Heading in soccer: Is it safe? by Miachal Asken and Robert Schwartz As physical educators, we have seen the growth in the popularity of soccer.  Many of us use soccer as a part of our curriculum.  This article discusses the research concerning heading in soccer and the potential for head injury. Sports-related injuries occur at the estimated rate of 300,000 per year in the United States.  In light of this, soccer has become a focal point concerning the possibility of head trauma due to the repetitive use of the head to direct the soccer ball (heading).  This may be analogous to the repetitive blows to the head in boxing.  If heading does cause injury, the results could be serious, considering the estimated 16 million active soccer players in the U.S. (not to mention all the students in PE classes). Research of elite soccer players indicated that within a 10-year period men had a 50% chance of sustaining a concussion.  Even when using correct technique, a study of 4 elite soccer players resulted in reporting of headaches by all four after 10 minutes of heading. This article summarized that findings of researchers who studied the chronic effects of heading using multiple techniques:  EEG, CT, Neuropsychological tests, and MRI scanning.  Overall, the evidence suggested that while there were clear concerns about heading, the evidence did not establish a link between heading and head injuries. As physical educators, we should think carefully about teaching the skill of heading within a soccer unit.  If this skill is included, modifications should be make to ensure that student's risk of injury is very low.

• What is the most important goal that you want your PE students to achieve after completing your course? • What are some innovative ways enabling you to modify traditional team sport games to make them more appropriate? • What are the advantages of playing traditional team sport games in PE? • Can you think of other potential problems with playing traditional team sport games in PE? Think about these questions, or pose one of your own, then sound off at the PE Forum. This is a wonderful resource to get connected with others in our profession. Share your victories, your concerns, or simply ask for opinions to a nagging question.   "The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives."  Robert Maynard Hutchins.   Resources Teacher Talk This website is for preservice and secondary education teachers and includes lesson ideas and educational topics such as classroom management and building student rapport.  This issue deals with definitions of a caring teacher from students.  Check out the student responses and reflect on your own level of caring for students.   Featured Article Self-Esteem, Sport, and Physical Activity by Peggy Edwards This article is directed at coaches, PE teachers, and active living leaders who have the potential to positively influence self-esteem in adolescent women and men. Recent studies found several alarming differences concerning self-esteem and gender. They are: Although a majority of young women say they feel good about themselves, young men consistently score higher on all measures of self-esteem. Young women lose self-esteem during the high school years.  The gap between young men and women increases throughout adolescence. Young women's self-esteem is more dependent on relationships than young men's. Young women are more likely to do nothing when bullied and to avoid confrontation at all costs. In 1988, a National Task Force on Young Females and Physical Activity defined the problem of self-esteem and physical activity this way:  Females, beginning at an early age, under-value their capacity (and potential) for competency in physical activity.  This view is shared by others in society, including male peers.  As a results, a girl's competency in physical activity constantly falls further behind her male peers.  She may select only activities that are traditionally female, or worse, be turned off of physical activity altogether. The article goes on to provide a checklist for ways that individuals can reinforce positive self-esteem.  Read the rest of the article for good ideas.

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Juvenile Obesity, Physical Activity, and Lifestyle Changes.      by Dr. Oded Bar-OR.  This November 2000 article from The Physician and Sportsmedicine describes the impact of physical activity on juvenile obesity.  One statistic showed that 70% of obese adolescents were likely to become obese adults.  That risk increased to 80% when one parent was obese.  The study indicated a strong relationship between a lack of physical activity (PA) and juvenile obesity.  Although increasing PA is important when combating obesity, research shows that an increase in PA combined with a low calorie diet produce the greatest results.  One of the biggest problems in dealing with obesity is that even the combination of PA and healthy dieting did not produce a long-lasting effect beyond the duration of the program.  Most obese patients who responded well on the program experienced significant weight gain once the program ended.  One proposed solution was to incorporate behavior modification as an integral part of the program. Take the time to read the entire article for further information

 

Miscellaneous

Back to School Guide for Teachers Education World has surfed deep into the Web to pull together this Back-to-School Guide for the Beginning Teacher; a virtual survival guide for educators about to begin their first year in the classroom, or for classroom veterans who are always looking for fresh ideas!