Unit EDLT115 Learners and Learning

Assignment 1 – Reading Response Task

Semester 1, 2011

Assignment by Julie Papps

Due: Monday April 4, 2011

Task 1: From Table 1 the question I have chosen is: Why is it important that teachers in primary and secondary schools include physical education in their curriculum? Physical education within the school environment provides children with the

opportunity to be involved in fitness activities, sport, and health and drug

education. It is designed to encourage children to live a healthier and more

enjoyable lifestyle (Burgeson, C., Wechsler, H., Brener, N., Young, J., Spain, C.

2009: 279). Hence it is important for teachers to include physical education in the

curriculum because physical education aids children of all ages in development,

not just physical, but social, emotional and cognitive development (Krause, K.

Bochner, S & Duchesne, S. 2006: 4). Furthermore physical education helps to

develop life skills such as team work, leadership and social interaction. Finally,

physical education can support children to avoid diseases such as obesity and

diabetes.

Krause, Bochner & Duchesne (2006: 5) illustrate that the development of motor

skills is one of the most important physical developments in childhood. It has

been shown that physical activity has positive effects on growth and maturation

in children. Children who engage in activities such as running, jumping, hopping,

skipping, climbing, rolling, throwing and catching show more advanced motor

skills, strength, balance, coordination and cardiovascular fitness compared with

their inactive peers (Kohl III, H & Hobbs, K. 1998: 550). During middle childhood

the ability to coordinate previously learned motor skills and develop hand - eye or

foot - eye coordination is important. Given the chance children are able to

combine these learned skills and move on to sports such as soccer and netball

(Krause, K., Bochner, S. & Duchesne, S. 2006: 7). Graybeal (n.d.: para. 6) states

that “students who participate in sixty minutes of physical activity everyday

experience improved academic performance, academic behavior, cognitive

ability and attitudes”.

Physical education can be the perfect setting in which to concentrate on social

skills because it aids children of all ages to develop skills such as honesty,

teamwork, fair play, leadership, social interaction skills and respect for

themselves and others (International Platform on Sport and Development. n.d.:

para. 2). The Australian Sports Commission (2001: para. 3) states that while

physical activity provides bonding and a sense of belonging, it also challenges

children to work in a group and think of others. Children get to feel part of a team

and can feed off the energy and enthusiasm of fellow team mates.

Regular physical activity during childhood and adolescence can reduce the risk

of developing certain chronic diseases in adulthood such as cardiovascular

disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Because physical activity in children

influences participation in exercise as an adult, physical education in schools can

contribute to children becoming more active and therefore, reducing the risk of

developing these chronic diseases later in life (Lee, S., Burgeson, C., Fulton, J.

& Spain, C. 2007: para. 5). Krause, Bochner & Duschne (2006: 7) identify

television and video games as competitors with physical activity when it comes

to children’s spare time. Because television viewing reduces the opportunity to

be physically active outdoors, it therefore increases the opportunity for dietary

intake, lower metabolic rate and less physical activity which inturn increases the

chance of developing obesity (KOHL III, H & Hobbs, K. 2006: 551). Research

also illustrates that physical activity can have a positive effect on anxiety,

depression, mood, emotion and self esteem (Coalter, F 2005: 12). National

Institutes in America have shown that when quality, quantity and intensity of

physical education is addressed, teachers will maximise a child’s potential for a

lifetime of physical activity, health and wellness (American Cancer Society,

American Diabetes Association& American Heart Association. 2008: 3).

In conclusion, as stated by Lee, Burgeson, Fulton & Spain (2007: para. 7)

“quality physical education provides a unique opportunity for students to obtain

the knowledge and skills needed to establish and maintain physically active

lifestyles throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. Burgeson et al.

(2009) demonstrates that children who participate in regular physical activity are

found to have strong and healthy bones, muscles and joints; are able to control

weight, build lean muscle and reduce fat; prevent or delay high blood pressure,

diabetes and obesity and reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. As a result

most early and middle school programs attach great importance to physical

education in schools. Therefore, as Pangrazi & Beighle (2009:21) illustrate

physical education at an early age provides students with the skills needed to be

physically active throughout life and therefore should most certainly be apart of

the curriculum in all primary and secondary schools.

Task 2: Reflect on your answer from Task 1 and discuss how this fits in with your personal beliefs relating to teaching and learning in primary schools. In this reflection I will discuss my personal beliefs on why I think it is important

that physical education be apart of the curriculum in primary and secondary

schools. Physical education has formed an important part of my life since

childhood. I have many fond memories of friendships made through sport, of how

good physical activity makes me feel both on the inside and out and how

physical education can set you up for a healthy and happy lifestyle, not just in

childhood but well into adulthood. It is for these reasons that I have chosen

physical education as my elective module for this course and also why I have

chosen to answer the physical education question in this assignment.

I feel the most important reason physical education should be incorporated into

the curriculum of primary and high school is that physical education can help to

reverse the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. The Australian Government

(2006: para. 5) estimates that 20 – 25% of Australian children are overweight or

obese. Obesity is a chronic disease that threatens to undo decades of progress

in the fight against other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease,

diabetes and cancer (American Cancer Society, American Diabetes

Association& American Heart Association. 2008: 1). With children spending so

much time watching television and playing video games before and after school,

I feel that it is even more important that children benefit from some type of

physical activity at school in the form of physical education. Television viewing

reduces the opportunity to be physically active outdoors, and therefore increases

the opportunity for dietary intake which inturn increases the chance for children

to become obese (KOHL III, H & Hobbs, K. 2006: 551). Therefore, if all children

were seen to be undertaking physical education at school, it would ensure that

all children are at least getting some form of physical activity a few times per

week.

As stated by Lee, Burgeson, Fulton & Spain (2007) physical education aids

children to develop skills such as team work, leadership, honesty, fair play,

respect for themselves and other, adherence to rules and social interaction skills

which aid children to have better attitudes toward life in general. These are all

skills that generally are not taught in the classroom. In fact, the classroom

actually benefits from children acquiring these skills as physical activity has been

shown to improve academic performance, behaviour, cognitive ability and

children’s attitudes Graybeal (n.d.: para. 6).

Through personal experience physical activity also increases positive self

esteem and self image, while decreasing anxiety and depression. Sarafolean

(2009: 1) explains that suicide as a result of anxiety and depression occurs in

about 8% of adolescent children and is more likely to be successful in young

boys than in young girls. Accordingly as stated by The International Platform on

Sport and Development (n.d : para 2) “physical education and activity can

provide an opportunity for young people to learn how to deal with competition

and how to cope with both winning and losing. These learning aspects highlight

the impact of physical education and sport on a child’s social and moral

development in addition to physical skills and abilities”

After thorough research and investigation into the effects of physical education

on primary and secondary students I believe physical education should hold a

very important part of a teacher’s curriculum. With all the literature I have read

the positive impacts well outweigh the negative impacts on children of all ages

when it comes to physical education and physical activities within the school

surroundings. Once I am teaching my own primary school class, physical

education will definitely be an important part of my teaching curriculum.

REFERENCE

American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association & American Heart Association. (2008) Physical Education in Schools – Both Quality and Quantity are Important. Retrieved from http://www.everydaychoices.org/082008/PE%20in%20Schools%20Statement%20ACS%20ADA%20AHA%205.27.08%20_final_.pdf

Australian Sports Commission. (2001). The Social Impacts of Sport and Physical

Recreation. Retrieved from http://ausport.gov.au/_data/assets/pdf_file/0006/276927/ABS-Social_impacts_of_spot.pdf

Burgeson, C., Wechsler, H., Brener, N., Young, J., Spain, C. (2009). Physical

Education and Activity: Results from the School Health Policies and programs Study 2000. Journal of School Health, 71 (7), 279 - 293. doi: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2001.tb03505.x

Coalter, F (2005) The Social Benefits of Sport. Pp. 12. Vol. 1. Edinburgh:

Sportscotland Graybeal, L. (n.d.). Physical Education in Child Development. Retrieved from

http://www.ehow.com/about_6462216_physical_education_child_development.html

International Platform on Sport and Development. (n.d.). Healthy Development of

Children and Young People through Sport. Retrieved from http://www.sportanddev.org/en/learnmore/sport_education_and_child_youth_development2/healthy_development_of_children_and_young_people_through_sport/

Kohl III, H & Hobbs, K. (2006). Development of Physical Activity Behaviours

Among Children and Adolescents. Paediatrics: Official Journal of the American Academy of Paediatrics. 549 – 554. doi: 10.1542/peds.101.3.S1.549

Krause, K., Bochner, S & Duchesne, S. 2006 ‘Extract: Emerging Skills’

Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching 2nd ed. Pp. 3-39 South Melbourne, Vic.

Lee, S., Burgeson, C., Fulton, J. & Spain, C (2007). Physical Education and

Activity: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006. Journal of School Health, 77 (8), 435 – 463. doi: 10.111/j.1746-1561.2007.00229.x

Pangrazi, R & Beighle, A. (2009) Teaching Children in the Physical Education Environment. In Robert P. Pangrazi & Aaron Beighle, Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children, pp. 20-34. 16th Ed. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings.

Sarafolean, M (2009). Depression in School-Age Children and Adolescents

Assessment and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.healthyplace.com/depression/children/depression-in-school-age-children-and-adolescents-characteristics-assessment-and-prevention/menu-id-68/

The Australian Government. (2006) Child Obesity in Australia – Alarming

Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.child-obesity.info/child-health/alarming-statistics-about-child-obesity-in-australia.html