I'm a PE teacher. That does not mean I'm a dumb jock that rolls the balls out every day while reading the sports page. I feel that I have to fight and fight to explain to people the validity of our PE program at school. It's so frustrating! Our program is a comprehensive program geared toward the indivivdual student and incorporates academic content, fitness related activities and motor skills.
Last week we had sad news that a 19 year old girl, who had graduated from my school the year before, had passed away. She basically died of obesity. Heart attack. And while this is so very sad, it is also very maddening that she never had to take a single class in PE during her 4 yrs. in high school. She got waivers for this or that.
Now, our drama teacher is asking our principal for waivers for kids who are in musicals because they do a lot off dancing in her program. Seriously!?!? It's not just about dancing and losing weight. While we want weight loss to be a result of hard work if that is what that particular student needs to be healthy, we also want to teach WHY it is important to exercise. And more importantly why it is important to make that committment when you don't have a dance troupe supporting you. How about when you're 36 with two kids, a job and you're dead dog tired? Unless you have that academic foundation as to why it's important to your overall wellness and health, you won't fit it in. It's why I don't think athletes should get waivers either, which they currently do. When I was coaching volleyball I didn't teach the academic content in practice that I teach in my classes.
SO FRUSTRATING!
Vent over.
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1 comment:
Preach it! Firstly, your drama teacher needs to be fired (i know a great replacement) - what a ridiculous concept that one should cancel out the other. I remember school sports as not only learning the importance of health and exercise but a chance to learn people skills, game playing, rule abiding, sportmanship. Secondly, the idea that one can pick or choose or be excused is appalling - school sets the foundation for the rest of our working lives - teachers will suck or inspire as a bosses do, punctuality/tardiness is noted, sick days are not to be abused and sometimes, just sometimes co-workers/fellow students have poor personal hygiene... ;)
As an adult we all have to work...now, we don't always like it but we need to do it for the greater good. Learning to get past a bad day with difficult people doing things you would rather not be doing is what school days can teach us. Suck it up, kids - no waivers in the real world!
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