Increasing and Improving Physical Education and Physical Activity in Schools

Yogesha C P, Physical Education Director, Government First Grade College for Women, M G Road, Hassan -573201, Karnataka-State,  yogeshagp2@gmail.com, 

Abstract

Physical education in the nation’s schools is an important part of a student’s comprehensive, well-rounded education program and a means of positively affecting life-long health and well-being. At a minimum, the physical education program should provide physical activity to enhance current health while teaching knowledge and skills that foster a long-term commitment to physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle that will help children prevent numerous conditions, including abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, obesity, and ultimately heart disease as well as a host of other non-communicable diseases and mental health problem School districts should be held accountable for offering effective physical education and providing other opportunities for students to be physically active during the school day. Students should be assessed for their knowledge gain in physical education and physical fitness status and improvement over time. In addition, schools should report these results to the district and appropriate state agency in an aggregate manner and make these data available to the public. Physical education has been the cornerstone of providing physical activity in American schools for over a century.

Introduction

Furthermore, it teaches students the basics of physical literacy and how to integrate exercise into their lives in order to establish a lifetime of healthy living. Regular physical activity is associated with a healthier, Additionally, children who spent time in physical education in place of a classroom activity performed no worse academically than students not enrolled in physical education been developing children’s cognitive capacity in the sense of learning knowledge in academic disciplines. This goal dictates a learning environment in which seated learning behavior is considered appropriate and effective and is rewarded. Physical education as part of education provides the only opportunity for all children to learn about physical movement and engage in physical activity. longer life Recent analysis shows that physical education continues to decline in schools while opportunities for school-based sports programs have increased for some students.

Overview of the Evidence on Outcomes of Physical Education

 A large number of studies have focused on the impact of improving physical education in schools by updating physical education curricula, increasing the number of classes offered, and improving teacher training, often in coordination with additional educational or home-based components.24,25,26,27,28,29,30 In a systematic review of research on activity time in physical education programs, findings indicated that students’ aerobic and physical fitness levels improved in programs that intentionally increased the amount of student physical activity time. Additionally, children who spent time in physical education in place of a classroom activity performed no worse academically than students not enrolled in physical education been developing children’s cognitive capacity in the sense of learning knowledge in academic disciplines. This goal dictates a learning environment in which seated learning behavior is considered appropriate and effective and is rewarded. Physical education as part of education provides the only opportunity for all children to learn about physical movement and engage in physical activity. As noted, its goal and place in institutionalized education have changed from the original focus on teaching hygiene and health to educating children about the many forms and benefits of physical movement, including sports and exercise. With a dramatic expansion of content beyond the original Swedish and German gymnastics programs of the 19th century, physical education has evolved to become content.

In comparison with data collected prior to the intervention, the children reported greater frequency of vigorous- or moderate-intensity physical activity, lower perceived community barriers to physical activity, and stronger self-efficacy for physical activity. Collectively, the results of these two studies suggest that a structured physical activity intervention can be effective in enhancing and enriching physical activity opportunities for Mexican American adolescents in charter schools.

Quality and Quantity of Physical Education

 Physical education should be a cornerstone for a total of 60 minutes of physical activity before, during and after the school day. Physical education is the only physical activity-related policy or program that can reach and benefit all students – including students with disabilities. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Rehabilitation Act regulations, schools must generally provide a free and appropriate public education that enables students to participate in physical education in the least restrictive environment. In addition to physical education, other opportunities exist to increase the level of physical activity at school. Classroom-based physical activity, recess, active transportation policies that encourage safe walking or biking to and from school, intramural, club, and sports activity programs, and other types of before and after school physical activity opportunities should supplement physical activity provided through physical education. Shared use policies that make physical activity facilities available to the community during out-of-school time should also be in place to facilitate physical activity outside of school hours. Increasing other school-based physical activity should not be an excuse to cut or substitute for the quantity of physical education.

Students are more physically active on days on which they have physical education.

• Quality physical education has strong support from both parents and child health professional organizations.

• Several models and examples demonstrate that physical education scheduled during the school day is feasible on a daily basis. Substantial discrepancies exist in state mandates regarding the time allocated for physical education.

• Nearly half of school administrators (44 percent) reported cutting significant time from physical education and recess to increase time spent in reading and mathematics since passage of the No Child Left behind Act.

• Standardized national-level data on the provision of and participation, performance, and extent of engagement in vigorous- or moderate-intensity physical activity are insufficient to allow assessment of the current status and trends in physical education in the United States.

• Systematic research is needed on personal, curricular, and policy barriers to successful physical education.

• The long-term impact of physical education has been understudied and should be a research priority to support the development of evidence-based policies.

Benefits of Physical Activity in Schools

Before we discuss some ways you can promote physical activity among the students at your school, it’s important to understand why physical activity should be a priority in the first place. After all, schools already have a lot on their plates helping students learn and develop academically and socially. The benefits don’t stop here. Staying active as children and adolescents can also help set students up for a healthier future as adults. Regular physical activity helps students build strong bones and muscles, improve their cardio-respiratory fitness.

 Youth Fitness of program

Fitness assessment in the school environment can serve multiple purposes. On the one hand, it can provide both teacher and student with information about the student’s current fitness level relative to a criterion-referenced standard, yield valid information that can serve as the basis for developing a personal fitness or exercise program based on current fitness levels, motivate students to do better to achieve a minimum standard of health-related fitness where deficiencies exist, and possibly assist in the identification of potential future health problems. On the other hand, an overall analysis of student fitness assessments provides valuable data that can enable teachers to assess learner outcomes in the physical education curriculum and assess the present curriculum to determine whether it includes sufficient fitness education to allow students to make fitness gains throughout the school year. Fitness assessment also provides a unique opportunity for schools to track data on students when fitness assessment becomes part of a quality physical education program, teaching and learning strategies will guide all students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain and improve their personal health-related fitness as part of their commitment to lifelong healthy lifestyles. Teachers who incorporate fitness education as a thread throughout all curricula will make the greatest impact in engaging and motivating Use of the Fitness gram represents a transition from the current test, which focuses on performance rather than health and is based on normative rather than criterion-referenced data, to a criterion-referenced, health-related fitness assessment instrument. Accompanying the assessment, as part of a comprehensive program, are education and training through professional development, awards, and recognition.

Conclusion

At a minimum, the physical education program should provide physical activity to enhance current health while teaching knowledge and skills that foster a long-term commitment to physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle that will help children prevent numerous conditions, including abnormal cholesterol, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, obesity, and ultimately heart disease as well as a host of other non-communicable diseases and mental health problem School districts should be held accountable for offering effective physical education Overall analysis of student fitness assessments provides valuable data that can enable teachers to assess learner outcomes in the physical education curriculum and assess the present curriculum to determine whether it includes sufficient fitness education to allow students to make fitness gains throughout the school year.

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