October 14 was a huge day for Physical Education in the State of Nebraska. New Physical Education standards approved by the Nebraska State Board of Education by a vote of 8-0, outline a shift in curriculum from a sports based model, to a physical fitness based model for K-12th grade classrooms. The new curriculum has an emphasis on lifelong healthy living skills.
This means an increase in classes focused around dancing, strength and conditioning, flexibility, yoga, outdoor pursuits, and additional individual sports that can be participated in over a lifetime. As a former Physical Education teacher, I am very excited about the shift towards fitness based curriculum. Too often, with the current state of Physical Education classes, children do not get the moderate to vigorous physical activity necessary for a health enhancing life. This is due to a lack of a skill set required to effectively participate in team-sports based physical education classes. For example, in a game of 5 vs. 5 basketball in a regular Physical Education class, only 2 or 3 students have the skill competency to participate in a manner that increases the student’s heart rate high enough over an extended period of time, to qualify as a moderate to vigorous level of physical activity. In a typical Physical Education class with the enrollment size of 30 students, roughly 20 out of the 30 students will not be physically active in their Physical Education class. Anyone that has taken a Physical Education class knows what it feels like to not be competent or confident in a sport. A change to a fitness based curriculum will inspire more participation and instill more confidence in our children. The new standards for Physical Education are a small step in the right direction, but our state is not in need for step, but for a giant leap.
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Brad AverillExtension Educator- Food, Nutrition, and Health Archives
February 2017
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