I started a short term class last week and really, it isn't demanding in the least bit. I've decided to try to make these weak ol' assignments somewhat interesting and just get as deep in these questions as I possibly can. This is a PE Theory class mind you, and if not boring enough I have it with my football coach who is as lazy a teacher as they come.
My first assignment is to write what physical education means to (me), and why it is important to keep PE in schools. Like all things, 'why' makes the question deeper and more abstract. It is kind of interesting to consider why P.E. is in schools in the first place. Here it is though, think what you will:
Physical Education, PHYS ED, PE, Gym Class—however the concept is presented the impact physical education has remains. In a nutshell, physical education is the art of teaching or learning anything dealing with the physical aspect of peoples’ lives.
I think everything in life is physical, and since anyone can learn about anything, everything can potentially be considered education. So the most broad and profound definition of physical education I can muster is just that—everything that we think, say, or do deals with the education of physicality.
To narrow things down a bit, I consider when I was younger and the perspective I held towards physical education or PE. P.E. is what I used to believe to be the most fulfilling class in all of academia. I wanted so badly to love P.E. but the thought of getting to play sports during school is a much better thought than actual class. I hated P.E. in school—switching sports themes three times a semester and sitting through weeks of pre-sporting event lectures—it was horrible. I never understood how it could take a PE Teacher (and ONLY a PE Teacher) two full class periods to explain how to properly step into the batter’s box, or three step approach the imaginary foul line on the gym floor before rolling a rubber ball ten feet—attempting to hit plastic pins—commonly known as “bowling.”
The best thing about PE, which was the worst thing about PE when I was actually in P.E. is the fact that everyday students have to do something that is both physically demanding, and beneficial. Everyday students have to warm up, run, stretch, and participate in an activity—the aggregate unknowingly being that our nation has some standard of the physical condition. Without PE, or Gym Class things would almost certainly be far worse in terms of our national health. Something about Gym Class that is almost always over looked is asking the question, “why?” Why is it so important that every kid participate in these classes that force students to physically damage their bodies for grades? Why has PE always been in schools but just now its importance being questioned? PE needs to stay in school because it may be the only thing keeping us from becoming a nation (and later world) of lazy wastes of space. We’re already moving from hard work towards convenience and I don’t know if any of us are really educated enough to know where we are putting ourselves—physically or any other ‘lly’ desired.
Standing on the backs of giants doesn’t make us any taller. I don’t even know what the hell physical education is…
I think everything in life is physical, and since anyone can learn about anything, everything can potentially be considered education. So the most broad and profound definition of physical education I can muster is just that—everything that we think, say, or do deals with the education of physicality.
To narrow things down a bit, I consider when I was younger and the perspective I held towards physical education or PE. P.E. is what I used to believe to be the most fulfilling class in all of academia. I wanted so badly to love P.E. but the thought of getting to play sports during school is a much better thought than actual class. I hated P.E. in school—switching sports themes three times a semester and sitting through weeks of pre-sporting event lectures—it was horrible. I never understood how it could take a PE Teacher (and ONLY a PE Teacher) two full class periods to explain how to properly step into the batter’s box, or three step approach the imaginary foul line on the gym floor before rolling a rubber ball ten feet—attempting to hit plastic pins—commonly known as “bowling.”
The best thing about PE, which was the worst thing about PE when I was actually in P.E. is the fact that everyday students have to do something that is both physically demanding, and beneficial. Everyday students have to warm up, run, stretch, and participate in an activity—the aggregate unknowingly being that our nation has some standard of the physical condition. Without PE, or Gym Class things would almost certainly be far worse in terms of our national health. Something about Gym Class that is almost always over looked is asking the question, “why?” Why is it so important that every kid participate in these classes that force students to physically damage their bodies for grades? Why has PE always been in schools but just now its importance being questioned? PE needs to stay in school because it may be the only thing keeping us from becoming a nation (and later world) of lazy wastes of space. We’re already moving from hard work towards convenience and I don’t know if any of us are really educated enough to know where we are putting ourselves—physically or any other ‘lly’ desired.
Standing on the backs of giants doesn’t make us any taller. I don’t even know what the hell physical education is…
