No Excuses! - A Documentary about Quality Physical Education
QUALITY PHYSICAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY
EFFECTIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES
TEACHER RESOURCES
What Does Quality Physical Education Look Like?
Quality physical education is based on national and state standards. These standards define what a physically educated person is and the outcomes/benchmarks that serve as curricular guidelines for each grade level. See the overarching national standards below, your state's standards, and SHAPE America's Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education. Also see SHAPE America's Appropriate Instructional Practice Guidelines document for a detailed list of appropriate teaching practices.
Standard 1: The physically literate individual demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
Standard 2: The physically literate individual applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.
Standard 3: The physically literate individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
Standard 4: The physically literate individual exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
Standard 5: The physically literate individual recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.
Standard 2: The physically literate individual applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.
Standard 3: The physically literate individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
Standard 4: The physically literate individual exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
Standard 5: The physically literate individual recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.
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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
"With heightened attention on childhood obesity prevention efforts, there seems to be some confusion between the terms 'physical education' and 'physical activity.' Often the words are used interchangeably but they differ in important ways. Understanding the difference between the two is critical to understanding why both contribute to the development of healthy, active children. SHAPE America believes every child in the United States deserves both a quality physical education and physical activity program" (SHAPE America). Read this article and see this infographic for more information.
Diamond Conceptual Framework: A K-12 Road Map for Physical Education
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The diamond conceptual framework helps illustrate the progression of skills and concepts taught in physical education, which are guided by national and state standards and research on physical activity and physical education.
Students should first learn the fundamental skills needed to be successful in physical activities (physical literacy), just as they would need to learn to read before tackling Mark Twain. Next they should experience a variety of activities with the goal of finding a few they enjoy; we wouldn't want them to go through life thinking the only way to stay healthy and fit is by running, playing basketball, and/or lifting weights. Lastly, students should become proficient in a few chosen activities with the hope that they will continue to participate in them throughout their lives. See SHAPE America's Appropriate Instructional Practice Guidelines document for a detailed list of appropriate teaching practices. |
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VIDEOS OF QUALITY PHYSICAL EDUCATION
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Cap'n Petes Power PE from Turner Zahn on Vimeo. |
PHYSICAL EDUCATION'S "HALL OF SHAME" ACTIVITIES
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Articles on "Hall of Shame" Activities
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Articles on Dodgeball and "Human Target" Games
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Here are additional characteristics listed in the Physical Education "Hall of Shame" articles that we omitted from our table and the reasons why:
- Requires little training or pedagogical skill to teach - Complexity of a task does not relate to its quality.
- Overemphasis on and concern for fun - A standards based program negates this issue.
- Does not address the proposed student learning objectives - A standards based program negates this issue.
- Lack of emphasis on teaching motor skills and lifetime physical activity skills - A standards based program negates this issue.
Resources for Evaluating a Physical Education Program
Evaluating a physical education program is important for teachers, administrators, and parents. By assessing the quality of your program, you can identify areas that are in need of improvement and make the necessary changes, as well as recognize and reward good practices. In an effort to help parents and administrators at all levels determine if a physical education program meets nationally recognized standards for high quality, we have provided links to various evaluation resources.