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We hear this in our schools regarding quality daily physical education (or, 150 minutes/week).
“There just isn’t time.”
“We have to prepare kids for math and literacy standardized tests.”
“Look at this timetable, where would we fit in quality physical education?”
FAST FORWARD.
We hear this throughout our society regarding physical activity at moderate-vigorous intensities 3+ days/week for health benefit:
“I just don’t have time to workout.”
“I’m too tired to complete my to-do list.”
“Wait until you have kids, you won’t have time to workout.”
FAST FORWARD.
We hear this from our doctors:
“Your blood pressure is too high.”
“Your bad cholesterol is too high.”
“You’ve become a type-2 diabetic.”
“You need to change your eating habits.”
“You need to exercise more.”
Stop the madness.
We must stop teaching our children that learning how to tend to their own health is an “add on”. It’s no different than teaching pre-service teachers how to assess learning after learning how to do a lesson plan. Both will appear to be difficult. Both will appear to be overwhelming. We need to teach that it’s normal to exercise. Students need to learn learn both the short and long-term benefits (physical health AND mental resiliency) of physical activity. Adults need to stop saying we are too dang busy to take care of ourselves. If we use our kids as excuse, we must be prepared to ask these same kids to take care of us sooner as we age as we will not live optimally. If that’s difficult to read, I understand - but, it’s true.
Mandate quality PE.
Quality physical education can not be “recommended” by government any longer. It must be mandated. It’s foolish to request taxpayers to fork out so much for health care when so much less could be implemented to affording all children and youth opportunity to grow as physically literate people. Youth sport is great, but it isn’t cutting it - nor will it ever as its own entity as too many kids aren’t afforded opportunity to participate. Physical activity opportunities aren’t plentiful enough to cut it either. It must be a comprehensive school health model with a quality PE specialist at the core.
Facility Design.
Schools, hospitals, and all workplaces must reexamine their infrastructure. Fitness equipment, educated health coaches, and wellness programs should be a part of all human resource department protocol. Flexible schedules should exist in order to promote wellness. Give a little. Gain a lot. It’s that simple. Employees, students, and anyone else I’m forgetting will be more upbeat, less depressed, and much more productive. Give it a try.
Who are our heroines? Who are our heroes?
Do you know someone who is doing just this? Someone who “gets” that quality physical education should not be up for negotiation. Please share below! As well, contact your child’s school to learn how you can help promote quality PE in your community. Write letters to government telling them this is an important voting issue.
It’s 2013, we are experiencing the effects of the last several decades - where physical activity and healthy living has been viewed as an “add on”. How’s it working for us? Let’s apply common sense to some policy and get these schools realizing that quality daily physical education is not an extra, it is normal. We are made to move. It’s not rocket science.
What is today’s quality physical education? Click here to learn more!
