Need to Rant about PE in schools

Aleluya17

The though of P.E. makes me shutter. I was teased and struggled. It didn't help one of our pe teachers was a huge pervert. Except for running in class I don't think we ever had a "real" work out. I don't disagree, children need more physical activity and the school systems need to stop serving absolute garbage for meals.

AnvilHead

My schooling was a long time ago (in the seventies), but we had PE every single day from kindergarten clear to the day you graduated high school. In kindergarten/grade school it was called "recess" and you pretty much went out and did whatever you wanted to do (everything from playing in the sandbox to sports like soccer and softball). It was more structured in middle school (organized sports, tumbling, etc.), but PE was a mandatory class every day. In high school I played sports year 'round (football, basketball, track) and we sometimes had consecutive practices one after another (track, spring football and summer league basketball), so we kept plenty busy!

I don't have kids so I don't keep on top of what's going on in schools nowadays, but I've heard that PE has been cut from a lot of districts which I think is very sad. I've also noticed that funding has been cut drastically (if not completely) from interscholastic sports and the kids have to do fundraisers to support their teams - something we never had to do as kids. Sure, I think it's incumbent upon parents to turn off the TV and Nintendo and get the kids outside to play, but IMO physical education and sports should an important part of the curriculum in schools as well. I learned a lot of lessons from interscholastic sports (about life in general as well as just physical skills/conditioning) and they're still some of my fondest memories of my youth.

I applaud the NFL for their "Play 60" campaign (encouraging kids to get outside and play for at least 60 minutes a day), but in my youth that was largely unnecessary - in addition to PE at school, we were outside playing from the time we got home until our parents called us in because it was getting dark! We would have considered "only" 60 minutes of play a day as being restrictive.

CriosDubh

PE haters: it's changed a lot! So far the PE teaches I have encountered in elementary and middle school have been outstanding. Teasing, bullying, and exclusion are quashed upon discovery, and the class is structured purposely to exclude the opportunities for negative behavior. The classes focus on lifelong fitness in all areas (cardio, strength, flexibility, coordination and stamina).

I just wish that it could be offered more often in elementary because there is so much to learn. In our middle school, there is a lottery to get into PE electives, which stinks! I guess I should be grateful we have electives at all.

My earlier point is that education is compulsory. Most families in this country lack the wherewithal to homeschool or use private or parochial school. Any entity that's going to demand the presence of children for 6 hours a day had better let them have some outside time and encourage them to learn how to be fit. I'm not saying that it's schools' responsibility to teach them how to play soccer or baseball. My kids' schools spend an awful lot of time indoctrinating my kids with political garbage and half-baked hypotheses. I propose that that time would be better spent teaching about fitness and nutrition as well as learning cursive, spelling, grammar, proper science and math, a foreign language, etc. And I am willing to pony up the taxes to make it all possible.

BrianSharpe

I had an ah ha moment just a bit ago. I don't think we should completely blame video games on our
children being overweight and inactive. I think our schools are to blame.

When I was in school we had PE at least 2x a week in grade school then daily in middle and high
school through at least the 10th grade. Why are the PE and health courses being removed from
the schools? Some may say it's because there are plenty of sports out there for kids to participate
in. But not all kids are in to sports. My oldest loves bowling and singing, my youngest wants to run
track and field my middle is all about band and his baritone saxophone. They really
aren't getting what they need.

For my youngest to run track and field come spring he has to get out there and start running on his
own to get to the point to even be able to try out for track but when will he have the time for that?

Okay..enough of that..I'll stop now while I can.

With all due respect, I place 100% of the blame on parents and here's why.

1) Tax cuts - we salivate like Pavlov's dogs every time a politician utters the words "tax cut". Here's a news flash, schools cost money to operate (and I'm not suggesting for one second that every school board under the sun couldn't be more efficient and exercise better financial stewardship) every time tax revenue goes down funding for schools follows suit. It's not the kids electing these politicians - it's the parents.

2) Parental involvement & responsibility. The schools don't control what I feed my kids or how much time I let them play video games, text their friends and/ or surf the net - I do. The schools don't hinder my ability to ensure my kids are engaged in a number of physical activities / sports outside of school hours. There's no question that organized sports have become more expensive over the years (see point # 1 tax cuts lead to funding cuts) but there are low cost / no cost alternatives; all they require is that parents take a leadership role.

3) Driving kids to school. In my day (good grief, I'm turning into an old codger) school buses were only for kids who lived a long way from school, if was less than a mile or so we walked or rode our bikes now you see parents driving kids who could easily walk and/or ride.

So let's place the blame / responsibility where it really belongs.........

XtyAnn17

I had an ah ha moment just a bit ago. I don't think we should completely blame video games on our
children being overweight and inactive. I think our schools are to blame.

When I was in school we had PE at least 2x a week in grade school then daily in middle and high
school through at least the 10th grade. Why are the PE and health courses being removed from
the schools? Some may say it's because there are plenty of sports out there for kids to participate
in. But not all kids are in to sports. My oldest loves bowling and singing, my youngest wants to run
track and field my middle is all about band and his baritone saxophone. They really
aren't getting what they need.

For my youngest to run track and field come spring he has to get out there and start running on his
own to get to the point to even be able to try out for track but when will he have the time for that?

Okay..enough of that..I'll stop now while I can.

Quit blaming the schools and blame yourself. Take the effort to let your kids be active. Make them play outside. And they'll get the activity they need. Everyone is so quick to blame everyone but themselves. YOU are the parent. Your the one that letsme, sit inside and sing instead of running around outside

CriosDubh

She didn't say that at all. She said that they need more opportunities at school, and I agree.

Those of us who bother to teach our kids how to act, help them be prepared for school in all ways, and participate in their education do not appreciate our kids being deprived of educational opportunities outside of the core curriculum because people without kids in the system for whatever reason don't want to be bothered with adequately funding our schools and because other people's kids cannot function at grade level due to their education-hostile home environments. Furthermore, the kids who aren't functioning at grade level also deserve more to their educational lives than reading, writing, and arithmetic. It's not as if they are going to be able go home and get themselves to violin lessons or karate practice when their parent(s) aren't there or don't care.

Matiara

We had PE every day in school every day and I didn't like it. I was good at the activities and I was never teased or excluded, but I am a lone wolf. I just don't do group activities unless it's with friends. It's why I work out at home instead of at a gym.

I don't think PE is required for kids to be active. My friends and I had a rip roaring time at our two daily recesses. There was lots of running around and playing on the fun playground equipment that has likely been banned nowadays. After school, most of the neighborhood kids were outside playing active games and riding bikes until parents called us in for dinner. We had to be dragged indoors.

Now, I live in an apartment complex and I wouldn't know there were kids around if I hadn't been home to see the school bus on some of my days off. I don't see any kids above the age of 5 on my apartment's playgrounds. The older kids who I never see outdoors may have structured activities like dance or soccer or some such thing, so they may very well be active. It's just that the loss of spontaneous playtime and random games with the neighborhood kids is very noticeable to me when I consider how my childhood was.

Anyway, if children go home to crap food and sit and play video games all day afterschool, 30 minutes of PE isn't going to do much in the face of that. Home life is at the root of it. I'm a big believer in personal responsibility and ulitimately, parents are responsible for their children's diet and activities, or lack thereof.

kehuizenga

What about the crap food in the school cafeteria? I think that needs to be fixed before PE.

supplemama

I don't think it's the schools fault. Schools could have PE every day but if the parents are over feeding them and letting them sit in front of the TV from after school to bedtime the kids are going to still be fat.

RGv2

I had an ah ha moment just a bit ago. I don't think we should completely blame video games on our
children being overweight and inactive. I think our schools are to blame.

When I was in school we had PE at least 2x a week in grade school then daily in middle and high
school through at least the 10th grade. Why are the PE and health courses being removed from
the schools? Some may say it's because there are plenty of sports out there for kids to participate
in. But not all kids are in to sports. My oldest loves bowling and singing, my youngest wants to run
track and field my middle is all about band and his baritone saxophone. They really
aren't getting what they need.

For my youngest to run track and field come spring he has to get out there and start running on his
own to get to the point to even be able to try out for track but when will he have the time for that?

Okay..enough of that..I'll stop now while I can.

With all due respect, I place 100% of the blame on parents and here's why.

1) Tax cuts - we salivate like Pavlov's dogs every time a politician utters the words "tax cut". Here's a news flash, schools cost money to operate (and I'm not suggesting for one second that every school board under the sun couldn't be more efficient and exercise better financial stewardship) every time tax revenue goes down funding for schools follows suit. It's not the kids electing these politicians - it's the parents.

2) Parental involvement & responsibility. The schools don't control what I feed my kids or how much time I let them play video games, text their friends and/ or surf the net - I do. The schools don't hinder my ability to ensure my kids are engaged in a number of physical activities / sports outside of school hours. There's no question that organized sports have become more expensive over the years (see point # 1 tax cuts lead to funding cuts) but there are low cost / no cost alternatives; all they require is that parents take a leadership role.

3) Driving kids to school. In my day (good grief, I'm turning into an old codger) school buses were only for kids who lived a long way from school, if was less than a mile or so we walked or rode our bikes now you see parents driving kids who could easily walk and/or ride.

So let's place the blame / responsibility where it really belongs.........

This is 120% correct. Funding is getting cut. Extra Curriculars, PE, Art, Music,etc.. are the first to go. It's always easy to "blame the education system", but no one looks in the mirror.

Much of the problems at school, start at home.

BAMFMeredith

I went to Catholic grade school all the way from kindergarten through the 8th grade. My MOTHER was my principal too (so obviously, I was super popular). The school was really small, and in middle school all the 7th and 8th grade girls would have PE together and the 7th and 8th grade boys would have PE together. While the boys spent 6 weeks learning all about football and weight lifting, guess what us girls got to do, 3x a week?

Jazzercise style aerobics. Fun you say? Oh, I forgot to mention that my mother was ALSO an aerobics instructor on the side. So my mom/principal would come teach us aerobics, 3x a week, for an entire 6 weeks my 7th and 8th grade years of school. Not so bad? Oh and let me add that this was in the late 90s, but my mom apparently hadn't gotten that memo yet and was still rocking her 1988-1992 neon aerobics spandex, complete with leg warmers and a head band. So picture me, the youngest kid in the class, the latest bloomer of all of the girls, a bit socially awkward and beginning to get a little chubby and trying to figure out how to keep my training bra in place, with my Catholic school principal/aerobics instructor/mom jazzercising the day away to the Quad City DJ's "The Train."

And that is why I avoided gym class and refused to do any exercise that wasn't part of a dance class for musical theater for the rest of my life until adulthood.


I realize this story doesn't really discuss the effects of PE class and children needing it more these days, but I felt that it was relevant.

bethfartman

I hated PE, but was a super active kid and got tons of exercise outside of school- swim team, horseback riding, soccer, playing outside, rollerblading, etc. I was not allowed to be inside during daylight hours in the summer, I had to be outside doing chores or playing (sometimes I would hide in the hay barn to read, but that wasn’t all the time.) I was always at a very healthy weight and in good cardiovascular health and it had nothing to do with PE in school. I played water polo and swam on the swim team in high school and had no problem making the JV or Varsity teams. I basically refused to do PE and whenever I was questioned about it I told them I'd rather be learning something. It was a pretty obstinate response, but I meant it. I didn't see school as a place to regulate my health, I saw it as a place to learn and felt I was hardly getting enough of that to constitute getting out and playing some half-arsed sport or run the track in blistering hot weather only to go back and have to sit in a classroom sweaty trying to focus for another couple hours. I was a straight A honors/AP student with F’s, D’s, or C’s in PE (if I had to pass it to pass the grade I would do the minimum required to pass.) I think PE should be completely out of schools or only elective and they should focus more on educating. It's the parents job to make sure your kids are healthy.

danasings

I don't think it's the schools fault. Schools could have PE every day but if the parents are over feeding them and letting them sit in front of the TV from after school to bedtime the kids are going to still be fat.

EXACTLY. We can sit around and point fingers, or we can stand up and take our kids outside to play. The only thing constant is change.

manhn1

The day I had to stop PE was a great day. I don't recall any students gaining all this weight the year PE stopped being mandatory.

If anything, PE hindered my weight. If I learned anything during my fitness/weight loss journey, it's that mandatory exercises SUCK. So, does trying to climb rope in front of everybody.

RealWomenLovePitbulls

they are taking a lot of the extra activities out of schools due to budget cuts - music, art, PE, etc. it really sucks for the kids because they will really dread going to school if there's no fun stuff to keep them excited!

fizzletto

I live in the UK and the schools around here still have mandatory PE lessons at least twice a week for an hour each time. I can't say I would have been disappointed if PE was taken off my timetable though - I'd actually have been thrilled to bits. I HATED P.E. I was not fat, but I was so unfit, and everyone laughed at me. I lacked balance and co-ordination too, and motivation. I was always picked last for any team.

The day that I finished my GCSEs and left mandatory education at the age of 16, I was overjoyed. I decided to stay on an extra 2 years to do my A-Levels, but of course, after age 16 P.E becomes something you only study if you want to get a qualification in it, and there's no such thing as mandatory exercise. I was THRILLED at the idea of no more P.E.

It was then, and only then, that I put on weight, and became technically 'overweight' for the first time in my life. I gained 25lbs over the course of the first year that I was no longer doing P.E. I'm still trying to get that weight back off.

amanda8o

My kids have PE about 2 times a week (well my middle schooler anyway) which I don't mind except the fact that they have to wear special uniforms special shoes and are not allowed to bring their stuff home to get washed! What kind of crap and disguisting may I add is that? The part I really had a problem with is that they told my 12 year old who is 5'4 that she is about 3 lbs over weight and needs to exercise more and eat less..are u kidding me? Like girls especially these days don't have problems with self image anyway now the school is dictating when they should be losing weight? She was devistated and I was pissed!! The schools should have PE but leave it at that and make it not so serious!

tsh0ck

maybe kids are fat because parents are feeding them too much. just a thought.

(granted, kids need to be more active. but I believe most schools do still have PE often, and there are a ton of activities kids can participate in. parents can also encourage kids to play outside for a bit rather than sitting around the house all day. end of the day, this falls on parents and their choices more than on any other group.)

Akimajuktuq

It's not up to schools to provide PE? Really? what does PE stand for? Physical EDUCATION. Hmmm.... Our modern society has started to devalue very important parts of human development. PE, music, art, language, PLAY (and even home ec and shop; they were FUN!). Physical activity also helps with learning the academic stuff (go do your own research if ya don't believe me). I had PE everyday in elementary school and in high school it varied, but no less than 3X per week. My family did not have the resources or interest in allowing me to participate in team sports or any other extracurricular activities, so thank goodness for PE and all the great PE teachers (who are probably losing their jobs nowadays!).

LuckyLeprechaun

Why are the PE and health courses being removed from
the schools? Some may say it's because there are plenty of sports out there for kids to participate
in.

<-- teacher.

-Physical fitness is not one of the ways our students are tested to determine the effectiveness of our schools.
-We had the budgetary luxury of affording PE teachers in years past, but that is not the case anymore.
-While children spend a great deal of time at school, their physical well-being is still the responsibility of their parents.

Schools have tried for way too long to be everything to everyone. Children are not getting a quality education in the basics because the school's resources now have to be used to teach them everything- many parents feel zero sense of responsibility to teach their child anything, "it's the school's responsibility"

Schools should not be in the business of teaching kids about religion, that's an area that is up to the parents. IMHO, so is physical fitness.

I'll teach your kid Algebra, you teach them what to eat and how often to work out.......and please schedule their workout efforts at a time when it doesn't interfere with their educational pursuits.



*steps off soap box*