In a recent PE class, my PE teacher said we were going to begin class with a game of moonball. As we began the game, only five students of 16 were participating. Everyone else was either sitting on the ground, talking to their friends and not paying attention or out on extended bathroom breaks. It was the careless attitude of the students during this class that made me realize our PE curriculum needs revision.
At GDS, freshmen and sophomores are required to take PE. While, according to PE teachers, the intention behind this requirement is rooted in promoting physical health and wellness for students, the reality is that many students view the requirement as pointless. Instead of being a course that teaches students about athletic material they can use outside school, it is an unserious environment; many students I’ve talked to think they could be using their time more productively instead of going to PE.
The three PE teachers declined a request to comment for this piece.
PE teachers give us workouts of the day, which consist of about five exercises. The majority of my class does not fully participate in these workouts because students play no role in creating the workouts. Instead of doing the workouts, many students leave the gym or talk to their friends—and this happens every class. Therefore, they miss out on the physical benefits that PE is meant to provide. Students also don’t learn how to design their own workouts independently, which is an issue because they will not always have someone to make a workout for them—they need to learn how to independently create workouts instead of relying on a teacher to do so.
Students should be able to design their own workouts; these workouts could be reviewed by the teacher to make sure that they make sense and are appropriate.
Many kids at GDS lack a path outside school to stay fit and active. The PE teachers focus on teaching us about equipment-based workouts, but several students are unable to do those types of workouts outside school because they do not have the necessary equipment at home. Although students are allowed to use the GDS gym outside school hours, many are unable to stay after school. The PE teachers should teach students ways to stay fit outside school that are accessible to everyone—regardless of what resources they have outside class.
Students should be able to take PE classes that specialize in their athletics-related interests during class. The PE department could offer a larger variety of courses where students can learn about their physical wellness in ways more applicable outside the classroom.
GDS prides itself on having a variety of courses on each academic subject, but when it comes to PE, students are bound to one curriculum. I value the diverse range of classes offered at GDS, and I would appreciate it if this diversity extended into our PE curriculum.
These courses could cover topics such as sports medicine and training, nutrition, strength training and sports administration; the current PE curriculum could even be an option. Through these courses, students could explore PE topics they are interested in, and they would still be required to work out in class and encouraged to outside class. If students are genuinely interested in what they are learning and can participate in creating the workouts they do, they will be much more likely to participate and therefore receive the physical and mental health benefits of PE.