Should physical education be compulsory?

[pacmansays]

In schools (at least in the UK) physical education is a compulsory subject. That is sports, gymnastics, athletics etc.

But should this subject be compulsory for children to take?

In many cases PE can be a catalyst for bullying and a very humiliating subject for certain students and surely the right to choose matters.

But PE does give children at least some amount of exercise a week which may help the health of many students and may help produce many sporting talents.

So, should this subject be compulsory or not?

 

[Purple]

In schools (at least in the UK) physical education is a compulsory subject. That is sports, gymnastics, athletics etc.

But should this subject be compulsory for children to take?

In many cases PE can be a catalyst for bullying and a very humiliating subject for certain students and surely the right to choose matters.

But PE does give children at least some amount of exercise a week which may help the health of many students and may help produce many sporting talents.

So, should this subject be compulsory or not?

Hell if i know, some people straight up just can't do the barline that PE provides due to severe asthma or things of that sort.

Even with that, i know in the US students tend to not even do the exercise here, so the PE class is pretty much an easy A. I feel it's a waste of a class when there's classes like weight training that are practically the same thing except people actually want to do it.

So now that i think about it, no physical education shouldn't be compulsory.

 

[DyceDarg]

Both of your arguments make a lot of sense, but keep in mind the word education is part of the subject for a reason. Even if you don't do the work in the class, you know what a sit-up is right? (At least in my school) P.E. is also a health class, which in my opinion is a really good thing to learn about, calories, weight-training, and fats etc. I think that's a really good thing to learn about, and plus even a SMALL amount of exercise does help a lot and American obesity issues kind of bother me right now...

 

[Purple]

Both of your arguments make a lot of sense, but keep in mind the word education is part of the subject for a reason. Even if you don't do the work in the class, you know what a sit-up is right? (At least in my school) P.E. is also a health class, which in my opinion is a really good thing to learn about, calories, weight-training, and fats etc. I think that's a really good thing to learn about, and plus even a SMALL amount of exercise does help a lot and American obesity issues kind of bother me right now...

so you're saying that physical education itself should be compulsory, but not doing the actual exercises.

 

[pacmansays]

so you're saying that physical education itself should be compulsory, but not doing the actual exercises.

No, he's saying that PE shouldn't just be doing some exercise some week but more educational and health oriented. Meaning students would learn about calories and burning fat and the theory and knowledge behind being healthy rather than just merely doing some exercise: a combination of both.

A student could go out and 2 hours of exercise in PE a week and thats it: they could be lazy outside of school and eat awfully but if you not only give them that slot for exercise but give them knowledge about how to eat well, how their body works and what exercise is effective then maybe it will have a more profound effect.

I think PE would work better that way: in our school you can take PE as a subject where you get a grade at the end (GCSE, in UK you don't normally get a grade for PE) and if you choose to take it then you have to learn about muscles, tendons and so forth. However, that is focused on rather knowing this knowledge for sport and not for health and also its not given to everyone. So perhaps it should be extended and its approach changed

 

[Wrath`]

I think PE should not be compulsory, It would be better on teachers and students. Teachers would not have to go through the hassle of any paperwork involved with frequently absent students. Students who take the activities they are in semi-seriously wouldn't have to be annoyed with the people who just stand there. (ex: Our class was playing Baseball, and the ball came to this kid, and he just stood there and did nothing). The only thing they need to stop in PE is mandatory activities, such as swim, in my school you have to take swim to get credit for that year, but I hate swim in my school, they make you do laps and various strokes. I like swimming in the summer and stuff, but I am not a great swimmer. I am afraid of deep water, so when we are in the deep end, I am reluctant to do much, and when we do laps I am always lagging behind, but this is my school, it could be different for others.

As for it teaching health, well it depends on the school. in my school you have to pass a health class, or you can not graduate. I think that goes for all of NY. So making NY gym classes health oriented would be a waste of time.

Overall, it should be a choice, or it shouldn't be mandatory to pass it to graduate.

 

[pacmansays]

I think PE should be compulsory, It would be better on teachers and students. Teachers would not have to go through the hassle of any paperwork involved with frequently absent students. Students who take the activities they are in semi-seriously wouldn't have to be annoyed with the people who just stand there. (ex: Our class was playing Baseball, and the ball came to this kid, and he just stood there and did nothing).

I assume by compulsory here you mean to pass secondary/high school. I didn't mean that by my original post (going by UK, you can't pass or fail but compulsory means you still have to take it as a subject and as part of your timetable: at sixth form here we can choose not to do PE at all) though the angle you approach it from is quite interesting...

I am not familiar of what will get you a pass in PE in the US so I would be quite intriqued to know this but I believe it should be based on picking some sport subject and trying within your own capabilities: one of my main issues with PE is the people bad at PE are pitted against those who excel in it. While, in most subjects you may be bunched together with people of different intelligence generally in non-PE subjects the person to person competitiveness is not there.

By this I mean in PE: 2 people play basketball, one is very good and the other is not. Here the two peoples skills are fought against each other until one is classified the winner and the other the loser.

In say, maths the two students were also of differing abilities: one good and one bad. Here, if they sat a test or were learning in the lesson they are not pitted off against each sometimes (sometimes teachers do for fun in lessons) and rather just work to get a grade.

In maths it would be competitive if the teacher then set 1 on 1 quizzes or decided to rank the students of the class by ability. Here, it would be similar to PE and this can be quite socially stigmatising.

 

[Wrath`]

I meant to say not compulsory, whoops.I don't know if that will affect your statement

 

[pacmansays]

I meant to say not compulsory, whoops.I don't know if that will affect your statement

hahaha, doesn't matter...I went off on a tangent anyway

 

[Riddle]

At my school (A private School) PE is compulsory. However, in my P.E. all we do is play sports and don't spend any time at all on the education part of PE. I think that this kind of PE is not useful and should not be compulsory. However, if PE classes were regulated and made actually educational as well as still providing exercise, then they should be compulsory.

A large number of children in our world are obese and this is not only affecting them and their families, but also tax-payers in general. Obese people cost the country an estimated $75 billion in 2003 and this number is on the rise. (source)

With a education based PE that also provided exercise this number could be decreased. This type of PE should be made compulsory.

 

[Wrath`]

PE classes are not the solution to America's obesity problems. reason being is that the kids that are in the line to become obese don't usually participate fully in activities anyway or skip class. And education has yet to help, in NY health class has been around for a good 20 years (I think, I'll try and find the exact time later) and obesity rates are still on the rise. It's all about how the kid is raised at home, you can make a kid take a PE and eat healthy at school, but the minute he/she gets home, they are right back into the style that will lead them into unhealthiness. so unless they can take their education to the next level and apply it in their life outside of school, I do not see how compulsory PE will help at all period.

 

[Riddle]

PE classes are not the solution to America's obesity problems. reason being is that the kids that are in the line to become obese don't usually participate fully in activities anyway or skip class. And education has yet to help, in NY health class has been around for a good 20 years (I think, I'll try and find the exact time later) and obesity rates are still on the rise. It's all about how the kid is raised at home, you can make a kid take a PE and eat healthy at school, but the minute he/she gets home, they are right back into the style that will lead them into unhealthiness. so unless they can take their education to the next level and apply it in their life outside of school, I do not see how compulsory PE will help at all period.

There aren't any classes at all that can help kids who skip, so they should not be the focus of this discussion. If compulsory physical education helps even one person per school from becoming obese, then I think it has done its job. PE could also help kids who care and actually want to be healthy learn lifetime sports and how to live a healthy lifestyle. And while these programs often don't reduce weight, they have other benefits such as reducing blood cholesterol and improve fitness (lung capacity). (source)

Another benefit of compulsory PE is the ability to let kids unwind. This has been proven to improve kids learning ability and make their other classes more useful. While Recess also allows kids to do this, PE has other benefits already stated. (source)

Sorry about the signature...it was an accident.

 

[pacmansays]

There aren't any classes at all that can help kids who skip, so they should not be the focus of this discussion. If compulsory physical education helps even one person per school from becoming obese, then I think it has done its job. PE could also help kids who care and actually want to be healthy learn lifetime sports and how to live a healthy lifestyle. And while these programs often don't reduce weight, they have other benefits such as reducing blood cholesterol and improve fitness (lung capacity). (source)

Another benefit of compulsory PE is the ability to let kids unwind. This has been proven to improve kids learning ability and make their other classes more useful. While Recess also allows kids to do this, PE has other benefits already stated. (source)

Sorry about the signature...it was an accident.

I kinda agree with this: if someone chooses to skip their class then they've made a choice not to accept the resources they've got but I think it would be good to improve PE so that people would not feel like they would have to skip it or not do anything in it.

A lot of people I know do this because either: they hate the subject or see is at useless and dumb. So I do think that a more educational aspect should be brought it.

PE only seems to attract those who care about the sports and sport and competition which tbh most people don't. However, sometimes in PE we do smaller fun games that everyone seems to enjoy such as this version of football (soccer)

The teacher would divide the class into two sides of a sports hall and put a ball in the center with a goal on either side. Each person on each side was given a number then the teacher would shout out a random number then the corresponding numbered students on each time would run in and play until one side scores.

Or, for badminton: there would be a queue on either side of the net and once you hit the shuttlecock on your side you would run around to the back of the queue on the other side and wait until it is your turn again. If you miss the shot then you are out of the game and so eventually it would be a game between 2 people.

Both this games forced people to do something, allowed for worse people a chance at doing well (football: being paired with a good side and badminton: depending on others being eliminated) and most of all they were fun. If most lessons were like that I would of enjoyed PE much more

 

[Riddle]

I kinda agree with this: if someone chooses to skip their class then they've made a choice not to accept the resources they've got but I think it would be good to improve PE so that people would not feel like they would have to skip it or not do anything in it.

A lot of people I know do this because either: they hate the subject or see is at useless and dumb. So I do think that a more educational aspect should be brought it.

PE only seems to attract those who care about the sports and sport and competition which tbh most people don't. However, sometimes in PE we do smaller fun games that everyone seems to enjoy such as this version of football (soccer)

The teacher would divide the class into two sides of a sports hall and put a ball in the center with a goal on either side. Each person on each side was given a number then the teacher would shout out a random number then the corresponding numbered students on each time would run in and play until one side scores.

Or, for badminton: there would be a queue on either side of the net and once you hit the shuttlecock on your side you would run around to the back of the queue on the other side and wait until it is your turn again. If you miss the shot then you are out of the game and so eventually it would be a game between 2 people.

Both this games forced people to do something, allowed for worse people a chance at doing well (football: being paired with a good side and badminton: depending on others being eliminated) and most of all they were fun. If most lessons were like that I would of enjoyed PE much more

Exactly, I think what PE really needs is to find a way to make sports fun for more kids. If people actually enjoyed PE then you would start to see more and more physical/mental benefits.

The educational aspect is also something I completely agree with. If kids learn what they can do to be healthy outside of school then they could be fit for their entire life.

Your badminton game reminds me of a very similar game that my dad has people on the tennis team do. I agree, games like that are very fun, and also take away a lot of the competitive aspect which turns off a lot of kids (like me).

 

[pacmansays]

Exactly, I think what PE really needs is to find a way to make sports fun for more kids. If people actually enjoyed PE then you would start to see more and more physical/mental benefits.

The educational aspect is also something I completely agree with. If kids learn what they can do to be healthy outside of school then they could be fit for their entire life.

Your badminton game reminds me of a very similar game that my dad has people on the tennis team do. I agree, games like that are very fun, and also take away a lot of the competitive aspect which turns off a lot of kids (like me).

Yeah, like this may seem like a bad example but take Wii Fit...

I use wii fit regularly but I'm a person who hates doing exercise. However, this game allows me to have some fun while exercising and makes me a bit more enthusiastic about it.

Perhaps also setting goals in PE might be useful and I'm not talking about body weight as that is embarrassing for the student but like things to improve on and to be met by each term. This will give the student something to work towards rather than pointlessly running round for an hour.

 

[Wrath`]

I do agree that PE is fun, but there are some aspects that do not work.

Education- I don't think we come to agreement, since different states have different laws, as in NY already has mandatory health classes that cover physical exercise and how to count calories and etc.. Unless we make a national standard for PE, I doubt state powers would ever get done correctly.

Clearing the Mind- I do find PE to be fun, but I hate when you are on with a team of people who couldn't care less. If PE wasn't mandatory, these kids would not be in this class, and therefore not making active students mad.
Yes it may have some beneficial extras as lung capacity and so on, but only if you do the activity. It can also solve the grade standard problem, if a kid who barley passes gym with say a 69 has it removed of there report card, there grade average will rise. While kids who do take it seriously will get a boost with a 90+ grade in the class, so it can help both ways.

I do not know if you guys have the fitness testing, but god I hate that, they make us run a mile, do push-up and sit up and other miscellaneous crap which to me is not fun, neither does it let me "Unwind"

Gym, if mandatory needs a major overhaul to give us more freedom.

 

[Riddle]

I do agree that PE is fun, but there are some aspects that do not work.

Education- I don't think we come to agreement, since different states have different laws, as in NY already has mandatory health classes that cover physical exercise and how to count calories and etc.. Unless we make a national standard for PE, I doubt state powers would ever get done correctly.

I do believe PE needs to be regulated nationally to provide all students with equal opportunities etc. However, our government has bigger problems right now.

Clearing the Mind- I do find PE to be fun, but I hate when you are on with a team of people who couldn't care less. If PE wasn't mandatory, these kids would not be in this class, and therefore not making active students mad.
Yes it may have some beneficial extras as lung capacity and so on, but only if you do the activity. It can also solve the grade standard problem, if a kid who barley passes gym with say a 69 has it removed of there report card, there grade average will rise. While kids who do take it seriously will get a boost with a 90+ grade in the class, so it can help both ways.

I think if PE was changed to be more based on fun games, that were less competitive, then people would participate more, and it would be fun for more students. Also, I think my schools gym grading is better than number grades. We get either a S (satisfactory) or a U (unsatisfactory) and the only way to get a U is to show up w/o clothes, or not at all enough of the time. This makes it so gym doesn't factor into our averages.

I do not know if you guys have the fitness testing, but god I hate that, they make us run a mile, do push-up and sit up and other miscellaneous crap which to me is not fun, neither does it let me "Unwind"

Gym, if mandatory needs a major overhaul to give us more freedom.

I don't have the fitness testing now, but when I went to public school I did and it was awful.

 

[HawaiianJigglyPuff]

TL;DR everything

Sorry, I couldn't read everything before posting because this was making me tear my hair out. Physical health is INCREDIBLY important. In high school, I only needed one year of P.E.
So out of my four years of high school, I only needed P.E. for one of those years.
Anyway, you definitely need physical health as well as mental health. Physical activity actually does a good job stimulating your mind.

By reading the OP, it sounds like you're more concerned with people getting teased or being traumatized from being beaten in sports. It's not going to take a PE class to get bullied or teased. Seriously. It's not like if you take away PE kids will not get bullied or teased.

Honestly, I'm having a hard time finding definitive proof that P.E. is a failure. They teach you important skills that can be used for the rest of your life. (eg. swimming)
I don't know how someone could say swimming in PE should be taken out. Swimming is a perfect example of an activity that is good for your body and is useful.

As stated before, obesity is a HUGE problem. Along with physical education needs to be WAY MORE education on nutrition. I had NO nutrition classes in secondary schooling. I had a "health" class. The most we ever learned was the food pyramid. -_-

A physical education class should have a curriculum surrounded with physical activity and information on how to to stay physically fit/well. (I.E. Provide information of physical health and nutrition to keep your body healthy)

edit: oh yeah, i was thinking someone was going to say something about people with disabilities. if there's a legit argument on that, i'll debate that.

 

[pacmansays]

TL;DR everything

Sorry, I couldn't read everything before posting because this was making me tear my hair out. Physical health is INCREDIBLY important. In high school, I only needed one year of P.E.
So out of my four years of high school, I only needed P.E. for one of those years.
Anyway, you definitely need physical health as well as mental health. Physical activity actually does a good job stimulating your mind.

By reading the OP, it sounds like you're more concerned with people getting teased or being traumatized from being beaten in sports. It's not going to take a PE class to get bullied or teased. Seriously. It's not like if you take away PE kids will not get bullied or teased.

Honestly, I'm having a hard time finding definitive proof that P.E. is a failure. They teach you important skills that can be used for the rest of your life. (eg. swimming)
I don't know how someone could say swimming in PE should be taken out. Swimming is a perfect example of an activity that is good for your body and is useful.

As stated before, obesity is a HUGE problem. Along with physical education needs to be WAY MORE education on nutrition. I had NO nutrition classes in secondary schooling. I had a "health" class. The most we ever learned was the food pyramid. -_-

A physical education class should have a curriculum surrounded with physical activity and information on how to to stay physically fit/well. (I.E. Provide information of physical health and nutrition to keep your body healthy)

edit: oh yeah, i was thinking someone was going to say something about people with disabilities. if there's a legit argument on that, i'll debate that.

lol well most of this has been mentioned in the thread: most people came to the conclusion that as just an hour slot is not going to do much to stop obesity and so lessons focused on keeping good care of your body that can be used outside school will be great.

And yes, its true that people will be bullied even if PE doesn't exist but the issue still stands that it just causes more bullying to occur and gives people a reason to bully others.

 

[Wrath`]

@ The swimming comment. I have had too swim for the past 6 years of school, 4 of those years I had to do laps and stuff. Neither of those class taught me more than the two years I had a teacher who just lets us play games/free swim. He taught us how to tread water, best skill I have learned, swimming laps didn't make me a better swimmer, learning a survival skill did.

Swimming is good for your body, yes, but only if you can excel in the activity and have fun with it. In health class they say exercise is supposed to relive stress, not add more.

 

[Fuelbi]

well while i do believe PE is important i dont think it has to be compulsory. but not for the reasons most people are saying here that it is an easy A or something along those lines but because what if you want to take a career in lets say journalism (yes i want to do that). then if you want to concentrate more on being prepared for that career than i think it isnt required for that right. i dont think you are going to be swimming while you write an article or running while you write. so i believe whether or not it is compulsory is dependent on whether you dont want to do it because you suck or your lazy but it on the basis that if it will or it will not affect your career. now if you have fun doing sports and you want to do something completely different in your future then do it.

(sorry if i didnt make myself clear)