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sabrinamariThere's a whole new approach to health and fitness in some grammar and high schools, and in these progressive settings, PE looks nothing like it did when I was a kid! I used to dread those damn classes---the ugly gym suits, my chunky, uncoordinated body, the impossible competitive games and the anguish of enduring them as an unpopular kid. Well, things are changing:
New approach to PE designed to offer more students a shot at success
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
By Jill Cueni-Cohen
The gym class of yesteryear was an unpleasant experience for those who didn't excel at sports. Between rough games like dodgeball, the humiliation of being picked last for teams and those unflattering gym suits, it's no wonder so many people harbor bad memories.
Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette
North Allegheny counselor Terry Valentino, who privately teaches Chito Ryu Karate, leads a North Allegheny Intermediate High School physical education class in the proper technique of a front snap kick.
Click photo for larger image.
But thanks to educators who recognize the need for reform, today's not-so-athletic children won't have to endure the degradation of competing against natural athletes.
"There's been a whole change in the philosophy of physical education in the past 15 to 20 years," explained Marcy Jack, a physical education teacher at Wyland Elementary School in Hampton. "Instead of being team-sports oriented, we now do activities that are appropriate for all ability levels, so that everyone can be successful."
Jack said this new philosophy is known by some as "positive PE" and others as "the new PE." It's focused on teaching kids to compete against themselves; building self-esteem; encouraging healthy habits; and incorporating other educational skills like math, writing and science.
"I think the way we used to teach physical education was barbaric. So many of the old games we played in gym were really focused on failure," Jack said, citing volleyball as a prime example. "We still play volleyball, but we modify the rules so the whole team helps you get the ball over the net, and we use a beach ball, changing the equipment so you're more successful."
Today's kinder, gentler attitude and technology-driven equipment are key factors in helping children learn health-enhancing skills instead of defeat. Doing away with the heavy balls that used to knock the wind out of kids who got nailed in dodgeball, physical education teachers are substituting balls made of soft fabric, including yarn and Nerf.
Starting in kindergarten, Jack uses nylon scarves to teach the coordination skills used in catching a ball. "Oncethey're successful with those, they move on to Hacky Sack balls [small bean bags], which sit nicely in a kid's hand. And by the time they get to fifth grade, most know how to juggle," she explained, adding, "I joke with them that they're ready for the circus."
But what she's really preparing them for is a lifestyle that will incorporate exercise, nutrition and fun.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of overweight and obese adults has risen dramatically in the past 20 years and is considered to be at epidemic rates in the United States.
In 2003, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the CDC established the Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity, a statewide organization supported by a coalition of more than 500 groups working to put new policies into place and establish healthy environments in communities, schools and health-care settings.
"A lot of schools in our area have hooked up with PANA," Jack said, adding that the organization created the Keystone Healthy Zone Schools campaign to help battle obesity and teach kids about healthy eating and the importance of physical activity.
Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette
North Allegheny Intermediate High School sophomore Trevor King, right, practices a front snap kick with Mike Bockoven during the karate unit in King's physical education class. Bockoven is a student in school counselor Terry Valentino's Chito Ryu Karate class at the Allegheny Athletic Club.
Click photo for larger image.
"There's more nutrition in school lunches, and they're promoting things like healthy birthday treats to show how we can make changes in our schools for a healthier environment."
In recognition of the faculty's commitment to integrating physical activity and healthy eating into the total learning environment, Wyland Elementary has been designated a Keystone Healthy Zone School.
Gerry Cernicky, of Richland, is a retired physical education teacher from the Kiski Area School District and has long promoted the new physical education philosophy. "I've been an advocate of the way it should be for the past 36 years," he said, "but at the time, we didn't have the capability and the equipment. And people just didn't think that physical ed was really important."
On the forefront of bringing the new physical education philosophy to schools across the country, Cernicky lectures educators and substitute teaches. He's also the technology and physical education editor of www.PElinks4U.org, a Web site from Central Washington University that promotes healthy and active lifestyles.
"Now we're based on individual improvement and what students can do to increase their fitness by learning a whole variety of activities and finding things they can do for their entire lives," he said.
Under the old school way of thinking, Cernicky said, obese and overweight kids were penalized for not excelling at sports, even though they were working just as hard as everyone else. "These people are actually healthy, but because of the increased weight, they have problems which single them out. But with the new technology, they can now work at their level and they're compared to themselves."
Cernicky added, "Our motto is 'No Child Left On Their Behind.' They are doing something active and appropriate every minute that we have them."
Dave Schmidt, chairman of the health and physical education department for the North Allegheny School District, began refocusing the district's physical education curriculum in 2002 to reflect the new standards set by the state Department of Education.
The district's program, which is all co-ed and focused on teaching students to learn to exercise together in small groups, is modeled after PE 4 Life, a nonprofit organization created in 2000 to advance the development of daily physical education programs for children.
"Our current curriculum gives [students] skills they can use for a lifetime, regardless of whether they're athletic or not," Schmidt said. "Out of 90 lessons in the year, only 12 are focused on traditional sports."
In North Allegheny's elementary schools, children are taught the fundamentals of healthy activities and sensible eating and learn to hone motor skills. At the middle school level, they participate in more team-oriented sports and learn socialization skills with a heavy emphasis on fitness. In high school, the curriculum is focused on personal fitness and lifetime activity.
Schmidt is also a physical education teacher at North Allegheny Intermediate High School, and his program includes written assignments designed to help increase state test scores and promote physical fitness at the same time.
"For instance, we give the students [an imaginary] budget of $1,000, in which they can purchase a bike and accessories, and they're asked to design a whole plan of how they'll stay active outside of school, then present their findings in a written report," Schmidt said.
He noted that in the past he was guilty of rewarding the faster students with good grades, unaware that the kids who were coming in last were working harder than anyone else. "Kids are now being judged objectively instead of subjectively, and those are the kids who get the most benefit."
Schmidt and his staff have created communitywide fund-raisers to buy equipment including mountain bikes, heart rate monitors and pedometers.
"We have a 5K fund-raising race every year, called the Pump House Run, which is always held on the third Saturday in April, and this will be our fifth year," Schmidt said.
The event is named after the landmark pump house near the intermediate high school. It generally raises between $4,000 and $5,000 per year.
"The first year it enabled us to put in the fitness center at the intermediate [high school]. The second year we bought equipment for the middle school fitness center. The third year we bought pedometers for the elementary level, and the fourth year we're putting in a personalized fitness center at the senior high, which will include all the types of equipment you would buy for your own house, to show that these things are affordable."
The program culminates in high school, where students are encouraged to create personal fitness programs. "It's a chance to try before they buy and make them informed consumers in a supervised school setting," he added.
High school students who were formerly turned off by the way gym class used to be taught are learning that fitness can be fun and are taking those lessons home to their families.
Ninth-grader Lauren Wentz, 15, of McCandless, had become used to always finishing last, but she's now one of the top performers in her class.
"I used to be kind of chunky, but now I'm into cheerleading and I like the way I feel after a good workout," said Wentz, who has lost 10 pounds and has been teaching her younger brother the benefits of weight lifting. The classes have inspired her to become an athletic trainer some day.
Darren LePere, 16, of Marshall, noted that he's lost the gut he had in middle school and is grateful for the lessons he's learned about eating a balanced diet from the intermediate high school's course, "Nutrition, Fitness and You."
"Gym class used to be all fun and games, but now we're learning more of the stuff we can use in life," said LePere, who has reduced his body fat from 22 percent to 8 percent in the past year. "My image is important to me, and now I'm finding different ways to improve myself."
LePere also has used the lessons he learned from the mountain biking class to help his father. "I got my dad to start biking because he was going to work early and getting home too late to work out, and I was kind of worried about his health."
Both pupils agreed that gym has been the basis of changing their lives more than any other class they take in school.
Jack and Schmidt said getting physical education teachers to change attitudes isn't always easy.
"Some teachers haven't jumped on board," said Jack, adding that Pennsylvania's Act 48 of 1999, requiring all teachers in the state to obtain an additional 180 hours of educational credits to maintain their certification, has been helpful in bringing physical education professionals up-to-date.
"A lot of school districts are doing the hours in-house with presenters, but a lot is done outside of the district, and this is helping our profession. We have workshops to provide opportunities for other PE teachers to learn from, and it's been instrumental in bringing the new philosophy into [the schools]," Jack said.
After teaching conventional physical education for 21 years, North Allegheny intermediate high school teacher Linda Similo acknowledged she used to think students who didn't excel at sports were lazy. "I used to get frustrated with them, but I realize now that I was being judgmental."
Similo applauds the use of heart rate monitors as an effective learning tool for teachers and pupils. "Now we grade on their ability to learn how to do fitness tests correctly, and students are taught to run in an aerobic zone, which means they're working at their own levels. We used to think that grading them on how fast they were would make them do better, but now no one cheats because their times don't matter, and they all show improvement."
New approach to PE designed to offer more students a shot at success
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
By Jill Cueni-Cohen
The gym class of yesteryear was an unpleasant experience for those who didn't excel at sports. Between rough games like dodgeball, the humiliation of being picked last for teams and those unflattering gym suits, it's no wonder so many people harbor bad memories.
Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette
North Allegheny counselor Terry Valentino, who privately teaches Chito Ryu Karate, leads a North Allegheny Intermediate High School physical education class in the proper technique of a front snap kick.
Click photo for larger image.
But thanks to educators who recognize the need for reform, today's not-so-athletic children won't have to endure the degradation of competing against natural athletes.
"There's been a whole change in the philosophy of physical education in the past 15 to 20 years," explained Marcy Jack, a physical education teacher at Wyland Elementary School in Hampton. "Instead of being team-sports oriented, we now do activities that are appropriate for all ability levels, so that everyone can be successful."
Jack said this new philosophy is known by some as "positive PE" and others as "the new PE." It's focused on teaching kids to compete against themselves; building self-esteem; encouraging healthy habits; and incorporating other educational skills like math, writing and science.
"I think the way we used to teach physical education was barbaric. So many of the old games we played in gym were really focused on failure," Jack said, citing volleyball as a prime example. "We still play volleyball, but we modify the rules so the whole team helps you get the ball over the net, and we use a beach ball, changing the equipment so you're more successful."
Today's kinder, gentler attitude and technology-driven equipment are key factors in helping children learn health-enhancing skills instead of defeat. Doing away with the heavy balls that used to knock the wind out of kids who got nailed in dodgeball, physical education teachers are substituting balls made of soft fabric, including yarn and Nerf.
Starting in kindergarten, Jack uses nylon scarves to teach the coordination skills used in catching a ball. "Oncethey're successful with those, they move on to Hacky Sack balls [small bean bags], which sit nicely in a kid's hand. And by the time they get to fifth grade, most know how to juggle," she explained, adding, "I joke with them that they're ready for the circus."
But what she's really preparing them for is a lifestyle that will incorporate exercise, nutrition and fun.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of overweight and obese adults has risen dramatically in the past 20 years and is considered to be at epidemic rates in the United States.
In 2003, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the CDC established the Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity, a statewide organization supported by a coalition of more than 500 groups working to put new policies into place and establish healthy environments in communities, schools and health-care settings.
"A lot of schools in our area have hooked up with PANA," Jack said, adding that the organization created the Keystone Healthy Zone Schools campaign to help battle obesity and teach kids about healthy eating and the importance of physical activity.
Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette
North Allegheny Intermediate High School sophomore Trevor King, right, practices a front snap kick with Mike Bockoven during the karate unit in King's physical education class. Bockoven is a student in school counselor Terry Valentino's Chito Ryu Karate class at the Allegheny Athletic Club.
Click photo for larger image.
"There's more nutrition in school lunches, and they're promoting things like healthy birthday treats to show how we can make changes in our schools for a healthier environment."
In recognition of the faculty's commitment to integrating physical activity and healthy eating into the total learning environment, Wyland Elementary has been designated a Keystone Healthy Zone School.
Gerry Cernicky, of Richland, is a retired physical education teacher from the Kiski Area School District and has long promoted the new physical education philosophy. "I've been an advocate of the way it should be for the past 36 years," he said, "but at the time, we didn't have the capability and the equipment. And people just didn't think that physical ed was really important."
On the forefront of bringing the new physical education philosophy to schools across the country, Cernicky lectures educators and substitute teaches. He's also the technology and physical education editor of www.PElinks4U.org, a Web site from Central Washington University that promotes healthy and active lifestyles.
"Now we're based on individual improvement and what students can do to increase their fitness by learning a whole variety of activities and finding things they can do for their entire lives," he said.
Under the old school way of thinking, Cernicky said, obese and overweight kids were penalized for not excelling at sports, even though they were working just as hard as everyone else. "These people are actually healthy, but because of the increased weight, they have problems which single them out. But with the new technology, they can now work at their level and they're compared to themselves."
Cernicky added, "Our motto is 'No Child Left On Their Behind.' They are doing something active and appropriate every minute that we have them."
Dave Schmidt, chairman of the health and physical education department for the North Allegheny School District, began refocusing the district's physical education curriculum in 2002 to reflect the new standards set by the state Department of Education.
The district's program, which is all co-ed and focused on teaching students to learn to exercise together in small groups, is modeled after PE 4 Life, a nonprofit organization created in 2000 to advance the development of daily physical education programs for children.
"Our current curriculum gives [students] skills they can use for a lifetime, regardless of whether they're athletic or not," Schmidt said. "Out of 90 lessons in the year, only 12 are focused on traditional sports."
In North Allegheny's elementary schools, children are taught the fundamentals of healthy activities and sensible eating and learn to hone motor skills. At the middle school level, they participate in more team-oriented sports and learn socialization skills with a heavy emphasis on fitness. In high school, the curriculum is focused on personal fitness and lifetime activity.
Schmidt is also a physical education teacher at North Allegheny Intermediate High School, and his program includes written assignments designed to help increase state test scores and promote physical fitness at the same time.
"For instance, we give the students [an imaginary] budget of $1,000, in which they can purchase a bike and accessories, and they're asked to design a whole plan of how they'll stay active outside of school, then present their findings in a written report," Schmidt said.
He noted that in the past he was guilty of rewarding the faster students with good grades, unaware that the kids who were coming in last were working harder than anyone else. "Kids are now being judged objectively instead of subjectively, and those are the kids who get the most benefit."
Schmidt and his staff have created communitywide fund-raisers to buy equipment including mountain bikes, heart rate monitors and pedometers.
"We have a 5K fund-raising race every year, called the Pump House Run, which is always held on the third Saturday in April, and this will be our fifth year," Schmidt said.
The event is named after the landmark pump house near the intermediate high school. It generally raises between $4,000 and $5,000 per year.
"The first year it enabled us to put in the fitness center at the intermediate [high school]. The second year we bought equipment for the middle school fitness center. The third year we bought pedometers for the elementary level, and the fourth year we're putting in a personalized fitness center at the senior high, which will include all the types of equipment you would buy for your own house, to show that these things are affordable."
The program culminates in high school, where students are encouraged to create personal fitness programs. "It's a chance to try before they buy and make them informed consumers in a supervised school setting," he added.
High school students who were formerly turned off by the way gym class used to be taught are learning that fitness can be fun and are taking those lessons home to their families.
Ninth-grader Lauren Wentz, 15, of McCandless, had become used to always finishing last, but she's now one of the top performers in her class.
"I used to be kind of chunky, but now I'm into cheerleading and I like the way I feel after a good workout," said Wentz, who has lost 10 pounds and has been teaching her younger brother the benefits of weight lifting. The classes have inspired her to become an athletic trainer some day.
Darren LePere, 16, of Marshall, noted that he's lost the gut he had in middle school and is grateful for the lessons he's learned about eating a balanced diet from the intermediate high school's course, "Nutrition, Fitness and You."
"Gym class used to be all fun and games, but now we're learning more of the stuff we can use in life," said LePere, who has reduced his body fat from 22 percent to 8 percent in the past year. "My image is important to me, and now I'm finding different ways to improve myself."
LePere also has used the lessons he learned from the mountain biking class to help his father. "I got my dad to start biking because he was going to work early and getting home too late to work out, and I was kind of worried about his health."
Both pupils agreed that gym has been the basis of changing their lives more than any other class they take in school.
Jack and Schmidt said getting physical education teachers to change attitudes isn't always easy.
"Some teachers haven't jumped on board," said Jack, adding that Pennsylvania's Act 48 of 1999, requiring all teachers in the state to obtain an additional 180 hours of educational credits to maintain their certification, has been helpful in bringing physical education professionals up-to-date.
"A lot of school districts are doing the hours in-house with presenters, but a lot is done outside of the district, and this is helping our profession. We have workshops to provide opportunities for other PE teachers to learn from, and it's been instrumental in bringing the new philosophy into [the schools]," Jack said.
After teaching conventional physical education for 21 years, North Allegheny intermediate high school teacher Linda Similo acknowledged she used to think students who didn't excel at sports were lazy. "I used to get frustrated with them, but I realize now that I was being judgmental."
Similo applauds the use of heart rate monitors as an effective learning tool for teachers and pupils. "Now we grade on their ability to learn how to do fitness tests correctly, and students are taught to run in an aerobic zone, which means they're working at their own levels. We used to think that grading them on how fast they were would make them do better, but now no one cheats because their times don't matter, and they all show improvement."
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no subject
Date: 2005-01-19 04:12 pm (UTC)I couldn't climb a rope. Instead of someone teaching me, even the teacher would just say, "If you can't do it, let someone else try."
In running, well, I was rather large breasted from about 11 years old, and back then there were no such things as sports bras. I remember being in such pain from bouncing boobs that I hated running. What did my teacher say? "You have to, and I don't care how much it hurts."
I couldn't shoot a basketball to save my life.
What I could do was dance. Unfortunately, that was only one week during a whole year. :-\
And strength training didn't exist - so my one real strength was completely ignored. I did like when we did the balance exercises, though. For some reason, the dancer in me actually excelled there.
Oh, and I even remember being laughed at for having hair legs - in 4th grade!
Yeah, no wonder so many folks have issues with starting a work out program. Those memories are hard to overcome.
no subject
Date: 2005-01-19 08:33 pm (UTC)This is a positive sign
Date: 2005-01-19 04:30 pm (UTC)Re: This is a positive sign
Date: 2005-01-19 08:34 pm (UTC)i guess that's always true---what's that quote about happy couples sharing many characteristics but miserable couples being miserable in their own unique ways?
I guess it applies in a much more general fashion.