Physical Education in Schools

[Desert Arabian]

I was wondering what everyone’s thoughts are when it comes to physical education in schools. Do you think it is unfair? Do you think it should even exist? What were your experiences like?

In a way this is kind of a rant, sorry about that, please bear with me. Thanks.

I am dead against it, and I absolutely hate it. I think it is absolutely absurd that it is required class. I think that it should be an elective class, that way the fitness buffs can work out and make sure they stay in shape, while other not so in shape people can take classes that will actually teach you something valuable for your future. What do you learn in physical education? Nothing. As far as I see it, the only thing you learn is how to dislike yourself, to be very self conscious, and very embarrassed.

I just started physical education today (since it is a one semester course), and I had to run for 6 minutes, do push ups for 6 minutes, jump rope for 10 minutes, ride an exercise bike for 10 minutes, and do step aerobics in a class of around 50 students that is 90% in shape people, pretty/nice looking girls, and athletes.

When it comes to the swimming unit, the only dress code is "no thong bikinis". All the girls where bikinis that are so small and disgusting there is no d*** point in wearing them. We have to do all sorts of crap and we are graded on our SKILL. I cannot swim, and I don't want to learn how to swim. If I want to learn how to swim I will do it on my own time when I feel like it, in private where I will not have to worry about the pressure from other people.

I have really bad asthma that is irritated by prolonged exercise, such as running, fast walking, etc...and my teachers don't give a rats rear end that I have a medical condition effected by doing physical education. If I want to be in shape, I can exercise just fine by myself I do not need the stupid physical education class for assistance. If it wasn't -25 below outside right now, I would most likely be outside doing some kind of activity, instead of being on the computer. When it's warm out, I am always active...I can keep fit just fine by myself.

I think physical education is a waste of time. I could be taking a different class (such as art, computers, business, etc) that will actually help me out in my future a great deal.

And the gym teachers.....they are so *can't really think of a word to describe them* *BLAH*. All they do is dress in gym clothes, toot a whistle, and yell some directions to us...how pathetic can you get!?!?! COME ON! Now if you were teaching me how to decode DNA (like we are talking about in Biology) or teaching me about the Declaration of Independence, I would take them more seriously. Gym teachers are so nasty, at least all the ones I have met. I can't stand them, and it really irks me that they ALL love their athletic students and could basically care less about the other students. Every single gym teacher I have had has been like this...they LOVE to favor the good students.

Besides my asthma, I am *EXTREMELY* self conscious and very paranoid. I have a horrible level of self esteem, and think very low of myself- most of this is thanks to horrible experiences in physical education class. I am petrified to do anything in gym because I am afraid I will get made fun of. When we are jogging I am afraid to slack back, because I am afraid people will see me and say "Oh, there is that slow fat girl, look at her, looks like she's gunna pass out.". And I really CAN'T run that fast because of my asthma, but I push myself too run fast to the point where I am going to pass out, all because I am so self conscious and paranoid. And if you think I am about to jump in the pool with guys and girls half naked...you are dead wrong. No way. There no way in "h-e-double hockey sticks" I am getting in a swimming suit and swimming. I just can't do it.

I have tried talking to my gym teachers about all of my problems, and all they tell me is "do your best and use your inhaler". @#)$@#&*$^@)*#&$*@_#$*)@#$^&@_#$ What the heck kind of advice is that!?! Just goes to show you what great teachers they are!

This has gotten so bad for me it is not even funny. And I am a sophomore in high school, how pathetic can you get!? My parents are very concerned about this (it's making me seriously depressed), so my dad is going to talk to my gym teacher on Monday and we are going to talk to my doctor.

Physical Education....a pathetic class...a pointless class...a waste of everyone’s time......

Thanks for reading my rant...I really appreciate it..it let me get a lot of weight off my back, which is what I really need right now.

This is a good example why Physical Education shouldn't exist. And I am by far not the only one who feels like this too....there are a lot of students like me in my school, they just don't have the guts to go against it.

(If there are any gym teachers here, sorry if I offended you!!)

[GoldenRetrLuver]

You just need to take it for one semester? We need to take it for two years, so four semesters!

I don't *hate* P.E. but I'm not crazy about it either. We run a mile (which is 4 laps) every week around the field. I don't have asthma, so I can't say it affects me, but I have friends who do and the teachers tell them the same. "Use your inhaler." My P.E. teacher says physical education is very important, and I quote him "It helps you look better, feel better, and perform better." He says this *every* day, so it starts to get on your nerves.

I hope things get better for you.

[Uabassoon]

I'm glad I was able to aviod P.E. when I was in high school. Marching band counted for your P.E. credit and since I was in the marching band for 4 years, no P.E. for me

[lovemyshiba]

I had to take it all 4 years!!!!!
It did suck though--we had one teacher who was a real witch.

My male gym teacher, who was also the wrestling coach, made us wrestle in gym class. We had to learn all of the positions or whatever, and actually partner up and have a match with another girl in the class, with everyone else watching

By the time I was a senior though, he had mellowed out, and would let us do what we wanted for gym class. Sometimes we would just go and lift (we needed to for track anyway), or play ping pong

I hope your parents and your doctor and your teachers can come up with some kind of compromise for you.

[trayi52]

I don't remember how long we had to take Physical Education in high school. I hated it too, had a teacher that was very bossy. You want to know something though, I am 51 years old now. I am very proud I took it now, it taught me to at least try and take care of myself. I don't know how it is now, when I was going to school back in the stone ages, we had exercises, even dancing classes, and something else that I can't remember the name of.

Oh yeah don't get me wrong, I HATED it. We had to dress in gym clothes, everybody had the same kind, we look like a bunch of prisoners out there in the gym. Felt like it too.

But I am now glad I took those classes!

Willie

[Shelteez2]

I loved PE!! But I went to a different sort of school. You basically got to pick your own course. All that was required was doing a unit of weight lifting and a unit of cardio fitness stuff, and the rest you got to pick on your own. I took country and western dance, horseback riding, hiking, tennis....etc. Some other options were sailing, kayaking, all the normal stuff like b-ball, volleyball, soccer, etc. It was so much fun.

[Moose]

I didn't mind PE...but it wasn't my favorite class either. While yes, it is important to exercise and whatnot I can't even tell you of a day when my friends and I actually tried in PE. Everyone just slacked off during class...it was a waste.

We did get to pick what "classes" we wanted to take though...and most of them were pretty good. There was "team sports" [basketball, volleyball, football, soccer, softball, etc]...there was "individual sports" [tennis, ping pong, pickleball, etc]...and then there was weightlifting [the ultimate blow off class ]. All in all, it definitely wasn't too bad.

I didn't have to take it Junior or Senior year, though, because I was on a varsity sport for both semesters both years.

[2kitties]

Childhood obesity in the US is reaching epidemic levels. And, an obese child is almost certain to be an obese adult. I'd like to see twice the PE in schools at all ages. Fitness is important to health and gives us quality of life.

[guster girl]

Originally posted by 2kitties
Childhood obesity in the US is reaching epidemic levels. And, an obese child is almost certain to be an obese adult. I'd like to see twice the PE in schools at all ages. Fitness is important to health and gives us quality of life.

I agree with this 100%. Don't get me wrong, I was paranoid in gym class. I hated getting dressed in front of other girls. I was never overweight, but, I was always the smallest girl (in every way) and I had hairy arms and legs (not Sasquatch, but, not normal either) and a problem with acne, not just on my face. I was terrible at basically everything we did in PE. And, I dreaded taking the class. I still can't run a quarter mile without almost passing out. But, I don't say it's a waste of time to have PE as a required course because of girls and boys that are shy, overweight, underweight, weak, etc. There are a lot of people that benefit directly and immediately from PE. And, ALL people can benefit by taking care of themselves physically. Most kids and teenagers would not take any classes if they weren't required, then, we'd have even more unintelligent, physically unhealthy people. And, physical fitness is just as important as mental fitness. Now, if you have legitimate medical conditions that prevent you from safely doing what's required, the school should accomodate you. I stand by that, most definitely, but, having low self esteem is not enough of a reason to not be required to take a class. Trust me, I was 23 years old before I realized that confidence has less to do with the way other people look you at as it does with the way you look at yourself. I have very high self esteem at 27, and, have recently been taking good care of myself physically and mentally. Negativity does no good for anyone, though. There has to be a way for them to accomodate your asthma and, even letting you wear a shirt and shorts in the swimming pool. Heck, I think I wore a long tee shirt over my swim suits til I was about twenty years old, because I'm so small chested. And, people may think that being overweight is a lot harder mentally to deal with than other physical qualities, but, for the individual person, being skinny or freckled or hairy or pimply or small or large-breasted can be just as crippling. Just my two cents (or maybe my ten cents)

[moosmom]

I had to take it for 4 years as well. My senior year I managed to show up for attendance and then run back into the locker room and get dressed, while everyone else headed outside or to the gym. So I guess my opinion isn't worth much.

[G.P.girl]

Originally posted by 2kitties
Childhood obesity in the US is reaching epidemic levels. And, an obese child is almost certain to be an obese adult. I'd like to see twice the PE in schools at all ages. Fitness is important to health and gives us quality of life.

i totally agree! i used to have very bad asthma, and my gym teacher at the time was very meaan! she made me run anyway even when i didn't have my inhaler and i was sitting there in front of she wheezing(sp?) and crying and all she was doing was yelling at me and calling me a baby and a wimp. (but that's another story--she did things way worse than that ) but i think there should be more P.E. in schools, but it should be graded on effort, not skill. some gym teachers are mean but sometimes they have to be. we only have to take 2 semesters a year, but at the highschool you dont have to take it at all. my sister doesn't take it at all and she's not fat, but she's lazy and can't run or excersize much. people who are on sports teams should be able to get out of P.E. if there's a class they would rather take that's more educational.

[RubyMutt]

I had to take it for 1 1/2 years in high school and all 3 years of middle school. I hated it. But, I think the main reason I hated it so much was due to the teachers. It's like they didn't understand that not everyone was an athlete! It was so frustrating. I'm not in bad shape, but I get horrible side/chest pains when forced to do a lot of running. And if I ever paused to take a break, of course I was yelled it And if I told them I was in pain, did it matter? Of course not. For someone who simply CAN'T do strenuous exercise PE was dreadful. There should be other options - racquet class, weight lifting, etc. In HS, we did have other options, but many times you had to take general PE classes first and/or get a Dr's note.

Aside from that, I honestly don't see what PE has to do with academics (unless, of course, you want to get into that field). I see no reason why that should be a required course. It is awkward and frustrating. It should be an elective credit, IMO. I don't think it's the schools' responsibility to reduce the amount of obese youth.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by G.P.girl
people who are on sports teams should be able to get out of P.E. if there's a class they would rather take that's more educational.

Over here you don't *have* to take P.E. You could take Dance, R.O.T.C., or be on our school sport's team. (volleyball, basketball, football, soccer, and golf) So there are ways to go around taking P.E.

[Moose]

At my high school, you were required to take PE if you weren't a Junior/Senior in a varsity sport for that semester [as I already said], or if you wanted to take a class that was only available [or would only work out for your schedule] during your PE hour.

[Felicia's Mom]

I took PE in the late 50's and early 60's, and it is probably a lot different now. We had to take it through 12th grade, but skipped a day in between.

I didn't like it. That started back in grade school when captains
(other students), would choose their teams. I was always the last one to be chosen. That didn't make me want to win for my team. I love to jump on the trampoline (sp), and things like that. I couldn't do those because of my epilepsy.

Teachers were not rude.