Why is Physical Education Important?
Over the past decade the repercussions of physical inactivity have become more prominent in our society. Physical inactivity costs Canadian taxpayers approximately $6.8 billion a year, or 3.7% of health care costs per year (ParticipACTION, 2012). Today's Canadian children and youth are heavier, rounder and weaker than they were a generation ago (Tremblay et al. 2010, as sourced by ParticipACTION, 2012). In the past three decades, childhood obesity in Canada has tripled (Shilds, 2005, as sourced by ParticipACTION, 2012), which is leading to an increase of physical and mental diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and an increase in childhood depression. According to Colley et al. (2011), as cited by ParticipACTION (2012), "Recent data indicates that only 7% of Canadian kids attain the recommended level of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day." There has been a huge push for our schools to increase the amount of physical activity for our children today, and as educators we play a huge role in encouraging a healthy and physical lifestyle and getting our children moving!
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Benefits of Physical Activity
The Early Years 0-4
Physical activity is essential for successful early childhood growth and development. By being active for at least 180 minutes a day, young children can:
- maintain a healthy weight - improve gross motor skills - build a healthy heart - have fun and feel happy - develop self-confidence - improve learning and attention (ParticipACTION, 2012) |
Children 5-11
Research has shown that increased physical activity leads to decreased chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. By being active for at least 60 minutes a day, children can:
- improve their health - perform better in school - improve their fitness - feel happier - learn new skills - maintain a healthy body weight - improve self-confidence (ParticipACTION, 2012) |
Youth 12-17
Research has shown that when youths increase their physical activity to at least 60 minutes per day, they not only reduce their risk of heart disease, but are generally happier and healthier. Increasing physical activity can also help youths:
- grow stronger - do better in school - learn new skills - maintain a healthy body weight - have fun with friends - improve their self-confidence (ParticipACTION, 2012) |
Why do we need Physical Education in Schools?
In the past, physical education has not received the recognition it deserves as a vital component to student learning. Often referred to as gym class, it has been seen as a time for students to play, with little academic learning provided. However, as our society changes and adapts a "learning through play" teaching philosophy, views towards physical education are changing. Today, not only are more and more people are beginning to view physical education as a time for student to be active and healthy, to learn fundamental skills, to socialize and to gain self confidence, but they are beginning to see that all of this can be accomplished from a simple game of dodgeball.
For more information about the importance of physical education in our schools, check out a fantastic education poster created by CiRA Ontario, or read a great article about the importance of physical education on the LIVESTRONG website. |
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Mental Health and Exercise
Neuroscience and Physical Education
According to Berg (2010), recent research has strengthened the connection between physical education and cognitive function. For more information about this research, click the link below to read Berg's article.
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Minding our Bodies: Physical Activities for Mental Health
There are many health factors that are influenced by exercise, for example, mood, self-esteem, social anxiety, sleep and cognitive function. To discover more about how exercise impacts these areas of health, refer to an extensive literature review compiled by Paula Bude Bingham
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Mind and Exercise
The following Word Map was created to show the keys words from the article, "Exercise and the brain: Something to chew on" by Henriette van Praag. As you can see, some of the most prominent ideas throughout this article relate to physical exercise, activity, brain function, health and learning. To review this article in more detail, check out the following link.
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Not Convinced Yet?
Check out this powerful and informative video created by OHPEA called "The key to Physical Activity"