Phys Ed: A Lost Opportunity?
Physical education class is probably the single best opportunity your child has to develop a passion for exercise; gain physical strength, agility, and athletic skill; and learn the cerebral side of physical activity, such as sportsmanship and strategy. Why then do so many kids, particularly overweight kids, avoid the locker room like the plague?
Sometimes it's embarrassment at what a child perceives as his lack of athletic skills or endurance. Other times a child is intimidated by his peers or by the curriculum or uninspired by the activity choices he has been given. To add even further complexity to the situation, many physical education programs find themselves faced with program cuts and dwindling resources as school districts look for ways to meet budget demands. So an already limited phys ed program may be restricted even further.
Reduced number of classes. If funding is at a premium at your child's school, and physical education guidelines are not mandated by the district or state board of education, she may get a limited amount of physical education instruction each week, if any.
Expensive equipment. Your child's teacher may also be limited in the variety of activities he offers to your child, based on what the school has budgeted for equipment and safety gear.
Monotony. Can your child count on one of the same four activities every time she suits up for gym class? A phys ed teacher who's stuck in a rut won't do much to inspire athleticism in your child.
One size fits all. Does your child's instructor plan activities that both the most advanced and the least accomplished athletes can participate in? A physical education curriculum that isn't scalable to different skill levels will probably be extremely frustrating to your child.
Intimidation. If the jocks in the class dominate a game or get upset with players who aren't as adept at a sport as they are, your child won't be too wild about participating.
Expanding Options
When financial considerations have limited your child's PE program, there are ways to help. Speak with the parent-teacher organization about the possibility of a fundraising drive for new gym equipment. Give some of your own time for extracurricular activities, such as a walking club after school or during recess. Suggest that your school get involved in national nonprofit fundraising events like the American Diabetes Association's Walk for Diabetes or the American Heart Association's Jump Rope for Heart.
Recruiting Volunteers
You can also talk to the phys ed teachers or district directors about their interest in using volunteers from the community to expand their program. There may be some insurance and liability issues to address, but if those can be overcome, a volunteer program can add a whole spectrum of new and exciting fitness activities to a school's physical education curriculum.
Recruit instructors from the local gym or YMCA to come in and volunteer their time to teach yoga, kickboxing, and a variety of other activities. They will benefit from free advertising, an opportunity to recruit new students (and their parents) into their private classes, and the knowledge that they've helped their community. If recruitment efforts are moving slowly, talk with the local newspaper about your efforts. They may consider running a feature on the program or at the least running a free ad in their community section to recruit more instructors.
Use Your Voting Power
The most important thing you can do to ensure the phys ed program at your child's school continues to get the support it deserves is to stay on top of what is happening at the school, the district, and at the state level. Communicate your concerns to the school principal. Talk to your child's phys ed teacher or the school phys ed director, if there is one, about how parents and the district can better support their goals for the program. Attend school-board meetings, and write or call your state representative about educational legislation that influences the quantity and quality of physical activity your child gets at school.
This isn't always an easy task, and legislation that may on the surface have nothing to do with physical education can turn out to make a substantial difference. For example, a mandate to extend the number of hours devoted to academic curriculum may cause some principals to reduce time spent on physical education and recess and redirect those hours towards academics so they don't have to alter the length of the school day. Unless you're working for the school district or are in government, it's impossible to keep up on all developments, but you can let your elected officials know that you value the importance of a healthy level of daily activity at school. Encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same so your representatives will act in their constituents' best interests.
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