News Brief

02/18/13

Gym Class Isn't Just Fun and Games Anymore

The New York Times (02/18/13) Rich, Motoko

Driven by a heightened focus on student test scores in math and English as well as a desire to encourage kids to be healthy, more school districts are pushing physical education (P.E.) teachers to include math, writing, and reading in their gym lessons. Some parents and educators worry that making gym class more academic could hamper its focus on health and physical activity. In schools nationwide, P.E. teachers now post vocabulary lists on gym walls, ask students to test Newton's Laws of Motion as they throw balls, and quiz students on parts of the anatomy or food groups. Other teachers suggest it is just another way to demonstrate gym's relevance at a time when school budgets are tight and schools are looking to cut expenses. P.E. helps students learn about lifetime fitness habits and other subjects previously taught in health classes, studying the muscular and respiratory systems, learning to use pedometers, and calculate optimum heart rates. There also is a growing body of research demonstrating that physical activity can help improve cognitive function.

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