Let's Make PE Important Again!

Paging Dr. Gupta writes, "Even as first lady Michelle Obama continues her "Let's Move" campaign to fight childhood obesity, many American schools still don't have adequate physical education for their students.

That's according to a new report, by the American Heart Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. The report, "The 2010 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA," found that although there have been some improvements in making PE a requirement in schools, more than half of all states (32) are taking advantage of loopholes that give students a chance to "skip" PE, with waivers and exemptions for other activities, such as band or cheerleading."

Follow up:

There are a whole host of reasons why PE classes are important for our children's physical health...but not many people talk about how PE classes are important for our children's "educational" health.

Why do office workers take water cooler breaks? Because they need to physically remove themselves from their desks and from the concentration required to do their jobs efficiently and effectively so that they can re-group, re-focus, and mentally prepare themselves for the next task at hand. Our children are no different. How on earth can we expect a child, whether they are seven or seventeen, to maintain six hours of focus without a true break?

Think back to your own time in school. Recess gave you an excuse to blow off some steam...to run across a field...swing...or jump rope. You could chat with your friends...get a drink of water...and when you returned to your desk you were ready to return to exercising your brain. I think teachers and parents would be astounded at the improvement in students' schoolwork if some portion of each day was devoted to both stuctured and un-structured physical activity. Not only with our children feel better but they will think better too.