In addition, many public and private organizations have proposed initiatives to develop a comprehensive school-oriented strategy that emphasizes the physical education curriculum. As the largest institution where children spend more than half of their waking hours on school days, schools can play a crucial role in increasing students` physical activity by providing access to quality physical education and physical activity throughout the school environment, the theme of Chapter 7 Districts with at least one school, which were classified as “in need of improvement” under the law were much more likely than districts that did not need improvement to shorten time in certain subjects, to devote more time to English-language arts and mathematics (78% versus 57%). For example, 51% of districts where schools need to be improved reported reducing their time spent on social studies, compared with 31% of districts without schools in need of improvement (Center on Education Policy, 2007). While there is a wealth of literature on professional development, few high-quality studies link teachers` professional development experiences to student outcomes. Recommendations for quality professional development tend to emphasize the importance of intense content-driven experiences, as well as opportunities for peer collaboration and structured introductory experiences for new teachers. Wiley and Yoon (1995) and Kennedy (1998) suggest that student teaching practice and achievement are likely to improve if professional development focuses on academic content and curricula focused on standards-based reform. National Physical Activity Plan: Strategy 2. Strategy 2 of the National Plan for Physical Activity is as follows: Strategy 2: Development and implementation of state and school district policies that ensure school accountability for the quality and quantity of (more…) Because curricula in the United States are established at the local level and include national standards, state standards, and state-adopted textbooks that meet and are aligned with standards, physical education is taught in many different forms and structures. Various curriculum models are used in the classroom, including physical education, physical education, and physical education. When it comes to physical activity, two perspectives are obvious.
First, programs that adopt fitness education programs are effective in increasing physical activity in the classroom (Lonsdale et al., 2013). Second, in other program models, physical activity is seen as the basis of students` ability to learn or know that the lesson is planned for them. There are no nationally representative data available to demonstrate the relationship between the actual level of physical activity in which students participate and the curriculum models adopted by their schools. For many teens who have few opportunities to be active outside of the school day, high-quality physical education becomes the only option for physical activity. For students in large urban communities, physical education serves as a safe environment where they can be physically active in a structured environment under the supervision of an adult. Especially for students with disabilities, physical education is one of the few options for physical activity. For these reasons, it is crucial to overcome the above obstacles to high-quality physical education. Some school districts have found ways to do this and offer strong physical education programs. Example of a schedule that indicates the hour of 150 minutes per week of physical education. NOTE: The sample is from a teacher`s plan in a traditional elementary school.
SOURCE: Urban Public School District, Miami-Dade County Public Schools. An AAHPERD survey (2011) found that 16% of elementary schools, 13% of middle schools and 6% of secondary schools (from a self-reactive national sample that was not systematically drawn) had implemented a PSPAC since the program`s inception. Although most of the schools surveyed (90%) offered physical education, the percentage dropped in middle and high school, leaving only 44% of secondary schools offering physical education to the elderly. In most schools (92%), classes were taught by certified physical education teachers. Morgan and Hanson (2008) rank barriers that prevent schools from implementing high-quality physical education programs, whether institutional (beyond teacher control) or teacher-related (due to teacher behaviour). Table 5-4 lists the school- and teacher-related barriers as well as the student-related barriers identified by various authors. Physical education is a formal substantive field of study in schools that is standards-based and includes assessment based on standards and benchmarks. It is defined in Chapter 1 as “a planned sequential program of curriculum and instruction based on K-12 standards aimed at developing motor skills, knowledge and behaviours of healthy active living, fitness, athletics, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence.” As a school subject, physical education aims to teach school-age children the science and methods of healthy and physically active living (NASPE, 2012). It is a pathway of developmentally appropriate physical activity designed for children to develop their fitness, gross motor skills and health (Sallis et al., 2003; Robinson and Goodway, 2009; Robinson, 2011). This chapter (1) provides an overview of physical education in the context of school education; (2) explains the importance of physical education for children`s development; (3) describe the consensus on the characteristics of high-quality physical education programs; (4) examine current national, state and local educational policies that affect the quality of physical education; and (5) explores barriers to high-quality physical education and solutions to overcome them.
Randomized controlled trials of the effects of a science-based fitness program in 15 elementary schools showed that while the program allowed significant teaching time to learn cognitive knowledge, students were more motivated to engage in physical activity than students in the 15 control schools who experienced traditional physical education (Chen et al., 2008), and they consumed the same amount of calories as their counterparts in the Control Schools (Chen et al., 2007). Longitudinal data from the study show sustained growth in knowledge in children, which has strengthened their understanding of the science behind exercise and active living (Sun et al., 2012). However, it is not clear whether the enthusiasm and knowledge gained through the curriculum will have an impact on children`s lives outside of physical education to help them become physically active at home. Bailey and McInnis (2011) compared some active games to walking on the treadmill and found that each game – DDR, LightSpace (Bug Invasion), Nintendo Wii (Boxing), Cyber Trazer (Goalie Wars), Sportwall and Xavix (J-Mat) – increased energy consumption beyond sleep energy consumption.