Physical Education: More Than Fun and Games
Think back to your physical educations classes in elementary school and beyond. If you recall only playing games or doing tedious exercises, you鈥檙e not alone. However, today鈥檚 physical education classes are different, more exciting, and about much more than fun and games.
鈥淓njoyment, or fun, is only part of the five standards of physical education,鈥� says Eric Carpenter, assistant professor of human performance and movement sciences. 鈥淔un and games is a stereotype. The goal is to help the whole child learn.鈥�
At Keene鈥檚 Symonds Elementary School you might find PE teacher Michelle Tiani 鈥�03 setting up a game called Color Tag, in which children run to and from colored cones. The game tests the youngsters鈥� ability to move methodically while under a time constraint. After the game, Tiani sits down with her class, talks to them about the benefits of getting their heart rates up, and teaches them how to find their own pulse. Next, she asks her students to brainstorm ways get active at home.
鈥淲e teach the whole student; we鈥檙e not just teaching them to play tag,鈥� says Tiani. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about creating a well-rounded student who can take on a challenge in their life, whether it鈥檚 being the tagger, or answering a question in front of the class, or being able to accept losing a spelling bee or losing a race. Physical education gets students ready to take risks and to push themselves to be a better person.鈥�
Games, the aspect typically associated with physical education, are used to apply learned skills, but these skills can also be applied in fitness activities, dance, lifetime activities (such as biking or hiking), and sports. Class structure typically centers around learning or reviewing a new skill, practicing it, and then implementing newfound abilities in a rhythmic activity or game.
Tod Silegy 鈥�76, a PE teacher at South Meadow School, a middle school in Peterborough, New Hampshire, builds upon learned skills. For example, his students master Pickleball, a paddle sport, and NitroBall, a volleyball spin-off, before moving on to tennis and volleyball. He begins his classes with a short fitness circuit to warm-up students before starting team building and problem-solving activities that culminate in learning lifetime pursuits, from rock-wall climbing to skateboarding to mountain biking.
鈥淥ur ultimate goal is to help students be movers for their lifetime,鈥� says Dr. Donna Smyth, professor and chair of Keene State鈥檚 Human Performance and Movement Sciences Department. 鈥淭o lead a healthy, active lifestyle, you need to be a competent mover. You鈥檙e not going to like moving around if you don鈥檛 have the knowledge or skills to be proficient and to enjoy movement.鈥�
Physical education classes also provide an opportunity to help students build self-confidence. 鈥淭he accomplishments they make might be the only success they have all day,鈥� adds Silegy. 鈥淢y class gives them an opportunity to succeed.鈥�
鈥淏y starting physical education with young children, you teach them to value movement from a young age up through high school,鈥� says Smyth. 鈥淏y the time these students leave high school, they鈥檙e proficient, they appreciate movement, and they enjoy it.鈥�