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QUALITY PHYSICAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY
EFFECTIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES
TEACHing tools and RESOURCES
The Importance of Physical Education
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Of the many subjects children study in school, there may be none more important than physical education. However it must be of high quality and aligned with state/national standards and guidelines. A high quality physical education program offers children opportunities to develop the skills, concepts, and dispositions needed to be physically active for life. Sufficient, regular physical activity not only helps prevent major diseases but it also: promotes learning; reduces stress, anxiety, and depression; and improves overall student wellness. It doesn’t matter if the child excels in every other subject in school and grows up to become a successful doctor/lawyer/engineer/etc., with poor health any professional achievement becomes secondary.
There are many factors that contribute to the ease of implementing and sustaining a quality program, including the involvement of the administration, parents, and community. However it ultimately comes down to the willingness of the physical education teacher(s) to do their best no matter the situation. That being said, REAL teachers still need our support and appreciation. This can be in the form of equipment (every jump-rope, pedometer, heart-rate monitor, and home-made scoop catcher counts), classroom assistance, time and funding for professional development, and by advocating for quality physical education at the local, state, and national level. |
Videos on the Benefits of Physical Education |
Our Documentary - No Excuses! |
What is Physical Literacy and Why is it Important?
Research indicates that one of the leading factors for participating in physical activity is one's competence and self-efficacy in that activity (see below for research on motor competence and self-efficacy). With each skill mastered, new opportunities for physical activity are opened. This finding supports the need for attaining physical literacy in order to have the best chance at being physically active for a lifetime.
The table below lists some of the most utilized skill themes and what percentage of popular physical activities require them (table is based on Children Moving: A Reflective Approach to Teaching Physical Education, 2007). Canadian Sport for Life and Human Kinetics have similar graphics as well.
The table below lists some of the most utilized skill themes and what percentage of popular physical activities require them (table is based on Children Moving: A Reflective Approach to Teaching Physical Education, 2007). Canadian Sport for Life and Human Kinetics have similar graphics as well.
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON PHYSICAL LITERACY
MOTOR COMPETENCE AND SELF EFFICACy - Research Articles
- Additional Articles from Google Scholar
- A Developmental Perspective on the Role of Motor Skill Competence in Physical Activity: An Emergent Relationship
- A Narrative Review of Motor Competence in Children and Adolescents: What We Know and What We Need to Find Out
- Does Motivation in Physical Education Have an Impact on Out-of-School Physical Activity over Time? A Longitudinal Approach
- Early Motor Skill Competence as a Mediator of Child and Adult Physical Activity
- Effects of Physical Activity on Mathematical Computation among Young Children
- Investigating Motor Competence in Association with Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity in 7- to 11-Year-Old Children
- Motor Competence, Perceived Physical Competence, Physical Fitness, and Physical Activity Within Finnish Children
- Motor Competence and its Effect on Positive Developmental Trajectories of Health
- Motor Skill Competence and Perceived Motor Competence: Which Best Predicts Physical Activity Among Girls?
- The Association Between Motor Skill Competence and Physical Fitness in Young Adults
- The Relationship Between Fundamental Movement Skills and Self-reported Physical Activity During Finnish Junior High School
- The Relationship Between Physical Literacy Scores and Adherence to Canadian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines
- The Role of Efficacy Cognitions in the Prediction of Exercise Behavior in Middle-aged Adults
National Guidelines and Recommendations for Physical Education
"SHAPE America recommends that schools provide 150 minutes of instructional physical education for elementary school children, and 225 minutes for middle and high school students per week for the entire school year. A quality physical education program provides learning opportunities, appropriate instruction, meaningful and challenging content and student and program assessment" (SHAPE America Position Statements).
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**According to the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act, physical education is recognized as part of a "well-rounded education."**
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Position STATEMENTS on PHYSICAL EDUCATION
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DATA ON HEALTH and Health Policies
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WHAT ABOUT COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS/waivers?
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Since physical education is standards based and much more than just physical activity (see What Does Quality Physical Education Look Like?), it should NOT be substituted (or waived) UNLESS the replacing course addresses the same standards.
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the benefits of physical education - Research Articles
- A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Happiness
- A Physical Education Trial Improves Adolescents' Cognitive Performance and Academic Achievement: The EDUFIT Study
- Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance
- Adolescents’ Physical Activity Levels on Physical Education and Non-Physical Education Days According to Gender, Age, and Weight Status
- An Evaluation of the Relationship between Academic Performance and Physical Fitness Measures in California Schools
- An Investigation of the Effects of Daily Physical Activity on the Health of Primary School Students in South Australia
- Daily Physical Education Improves Motor Skills and School Performance A Nine-Year Prospective Intervention Study
- Do the Duration and Frequency of Physical Education Predict Academic Achievement, Self-Concept, Social skills, Food consumption, and Body Mass Index?
- Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
- Effect of Physical Education and Activity Levels on Academic Achievement in Children
- Enrollment in Physical Education is Associated with Health-Related Behavior Among High School
- Is There a Long-Term Health Legacy of Required Physical Education?
- Modeling The Economic And Health Impact Of Increasing Children’s Physical Activity In The United States
- Not Academic Enough? Enjoyment of Physical Education and the Arts and School Engagement in Early and Middle Adolescence
- Physical Activity Opportunities Associated With Fitness and Weight Status Among Adolescents in Low-Income Communities
- Physical Education, School Physical Activity, School Sports and Academic Performance
- Physical Education and Academic Achievement in Elementary School: Data From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
- Physical Education and Academic Performance in Urban African American Girls
- Physical Education and Its Effect on Elementary Testing Results
- Physical Education and Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Youth Are Both Important for Adulthood Activity, Physical Performance, and Health
- Physical Education and Sport in Schools: A Review of Benefits and Outcomes
- Physical Education in Kindergarten Promotes Fundamental Motor Skill Development
- Physical Education, Obesity, and Academic Achievement: A 2-Year Longitudinal Investigation of Australian Elementary School Children
- Physical Fitness in Children with High Motor Competence is Different from that in Children with Low Motor Competence
- Positive Effects on Bone Mineralisation and Muscular Fitness after 10 Months of Intense School-Based Physical Training for Children Aged 8-10 Years
- Sixty Minutes of What? A Developing Brain Perspective for Activating Children with an Integrative Exercise Approach
- The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance
- The Contribution of Physical Education to Physical Activity Within a Comprehensive School Health Promotion Program
- The Educational Benefits Claimed for Physical Education and School Sport: An Academic Review
- The Impact of Physical Education on Obesity among Elementary School Children
- The Relationship Between School Performance and the Number of Physical Education Classes Attended by Korean Adolescent Students
THE BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION - Editorials
Top 10 Reasons for Quality Physical Education
"This article presents the reasons that account for the need for quality physical education given the current trends of obesity and physical inactivity among youths and adults. The reasons presented are intended for physical educators to use when communicating the profession's scientific base to the general public."
"This article presents the reasons that account for the need for quality physical education given the current trends of obesity and physical inactivity among youths and adults. The reasons presented are intended for physical educators to use when communicating the profession's scientific base to the general public."
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1. Regular Physical Activity Helps Prevent Disease
2. Regular Physical Activity Promotes Lifetime Wellness 3. Quality Physical Education Can Help Fight Obesity 4. Quality Physical Education Can Help Promote Lifelong Physical Fitness 5. Quality Physical Education Provides Unique Opportunities for Activity |
6. Quality Physical Education Teaches Self-Management and Motor Skills
7. Physical Activity and Physical Education Promote Learning 8. Regular Physical Activity Participation Makes Economic Sense 9. Physical Education Is Widely Endorsed 10. Quality Physical Education Helps to Educate the Total Child |
WHY PHYSICAL EDUCATION (AND ACTIVITY) IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE - Research articles and editorials
Editorials
Research
- Associations Between Neighborhood Resources and Physical Activity in Inner-City Minority Children
- Barriers to and Facilitators of Healthful Eating and Physical Activity in Low-Income Schools
- Physical Activity and the Achievement Gap Among Urban Minority Youth
- Physical Activity Opportunities Associated with Fitness and Weight Status Among Adolescents in Low-Income Communities
- Physical Education Policy Compliance and Latino Children’s Fitness: Does the Association Vary by School Neighborhood Socioeconomic Advantage?
- Socioeconomic Disparities in Elementary School Practices and Children’s Physical Activity During School
- The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bond: Focus on Children in Poverty
The Relationship Between Physical Activity & Academic Performance - Multimedia
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Click on Photos to Enlarge and on the Links for Original Source
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE - SPARK by Dr. John Ratey
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SPARK: "A groundbreaking exploration of the connection between exercise and the brain’s performance that shows how even moderate exercise will supercharge mental circuits to beat stress, sharpen thinking, enhance memory, and much more."
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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE - RESEARCH ARTICLES
Additional Research Lists
- A Longitudinal Examination of the Link Between Youth Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement
- A Review of Acute Physical Activity Effects on Brain and Cognition in Children
- Active Education: Growing Evidence on Physical Activity and Academic Performance
- Aerobic Fitness and Academic Achievement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Associations of Physical Fitness and Academic Performance Among Schoolchildren
- Be Smart, Exercise Your Heart: Exercise Effects on Brain and Cognition
- Before-School Running/Walking club: Effects on Student On-Task Behavior
- Beneficial Effects of Acute Exercise on Executive Function in Adolescents
- Boost your Brain, While Having a Break! The Effects of Long-Term Cognitively Engaging Physical Activity Breaks on Children’s Executive Functions...
- Brief Aerobic Exercise Immediately Enhances Visual Attentional Control and Perceptual Speed
- Effect of Classroom-Based Physical Activity Interventions on Academic and Physical Activity Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Health and Academic Achievement
- Healthy and Ready to Learn
- Health-Related Behaviors and Academic Achievement Among High School Students — United States, 2015 (CDC)
- High-Intensity Training Enhances Executive Function in Children in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
- Independent and Combined Influence of the Components of Physical Fitness on Academic Performance in Youth
- Insights on the Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Performance
- Is There a Relationship Between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement? Positive Results from Public School Children in the Northeastern United States
- Justifying Physical Education Based on Neuroscience Evidence
- Multimodal Imaging Brain Markers in Early Adolescence Are Linked with a Physically Active Lifestyle
- Muscular and Aerobic Fitness, Working Memory, and Academic Achievement in Children
- Physically Active Lessons in School and their Impact on Physical Activity, Educational, Health and Cognitive Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Physical Activity and Performance at School: A Systematic Review of the Literature Including a Methodological Quality Assessment
- Physical Activity, Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Academic Achievement in Children: A Systematic Review
- Physical Activity, Health-Related Fitness, and Classroom Behavior in Children: A Discriminant Function Analysis
- Physical Activity Promotes Academic Achievement and a Healthy Lifestyle when Incorporated into Early Childhood Education
- Physical Education, School Physical Activity, School Sports and Academic Performance
- Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement in Third- and Fifth-Grade Students
- Relationship Between Academic Achievement And Healthy School Transformations In Urban Elementary Schools In The United States
- Relationships of Physical Activity to Brain Health and the Academic Performance of Schoolchildren
- The Association Between Aerobic fitness and Language Processing in Children: Implications for Academic Achievement
- The Effect of Physical Activity on Sleep Quality, Well-Being, and Affect in Academic Stress Periods.
- The Effect of Physical Activity Interventions on Children's Cognition and Metacognition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- The Influence of Daily Structured Physical Activity on Academic Progress of Elementary Students with Intellectual Disabilities
- White Matter Microstructure Mediates the Association Between Physical Fitness and Cognition in Healthy, Young Adults
- Whole Brain Volumetric Approach in Overweight/Obese Children: Examining the Association with Different Physical Fitness Components and Academic Performance
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - RESEARCH ARTICLES
Additional Research
Fitness, Health, and Absenteeism
- Association between Increased BMI and Severe School Absenteeism Among US Children and Adolescents
- Individual-Level Fitness and Absenteeism in New York City Middle School Youths, 2006–2013
- The Association of Obesity and School Absenteeism Attributed to Illness or Injury Among Adolescents in the United States
Physical Activity and Mental Health
- A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Children's Physical Activity and Mental Health
- Association Between Physical Exercise and Mental Health in 1.2 Million Individuals in the USA Between 2011 and 2015: A Cross-Sectional Study
- Depressive Symptoms and Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour throughout Adolescence: A Prospective Cohort Study
- Exercise as a Potential Treatment for Drug Abuse: Evidence from Preclinical Studies
- Exercise Therapy Improves both Mental and Physical Health in Patients with Major Depression
- Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, and Health-Related Quality of Life in School-Aged Children
- Physical Activity and Incident Depression: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
- Physical Activity and Mental Health: Evidence is Growing
- Physical Activity and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: An Updated Review of Reviews and an Analysis of Causality
- Physical Activity Improves Mental Health Through Resilience in Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents
- Physical Activity in European Adolescents and Associations with Anxiety, Depression and Well-Being
- Physical Activity Interventions and Depression in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Physical Activity May Protect Against New Episodes of Depression
- The Relation of Physical Activity and Exercise to Mental Health
- The Role of Exercise in Preventing and Treating Depression
- Volume and Social Context of Physical Activity in Association with Mental Health, Anxiety and Depression Among Youth
Physical Activity, Fitness, and Miscellaneous Benefits
- Associations Between Health-Related Physical Fitness, Academic Achievement and Selected Academic Behaviors of Elementary and Middle School Students in the State of Mississppi
- Association Between Objectively-Measured Physical Activity and Sleep
- Brain Connectivity Fluctuates Based on Exercise Intensity (Cognitive Control, Attention, and Emotional Processing)
- Physical Fitness Level Is Related to Attention and Concentration in Adolescents
- Systematic Review of the Health Benefits of Physical Activity and Fitness in School-Aged Children and Youth
Additional Documentaries promoting physical activity
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