Kids Getting Hurt in Phys Ed?
There’s an interesting article at CBS News on a significant increase in injuries in phys ed classes here.
A quote from that article:
"Children got hurt by running into equipment or having contact with structures or other persons," McKenzie said. "They had heat stroke, fainting and heart palpitations." Boys had more cuts and broken bones than girls. Girls were more likely to suffer strains and sprains.
It seems the study suggests that the increase in injuries is due in large part to large class size and decreased supervision. I guess the elimination of dodge ball and other dangerous games didn’t help that much.
2 comments
phys ed should be fun not painful
I see childhood obesity and inappropriate physical activity to be the cause of injuries. Face it most kids are not athletes and many have no interest in being one. I think if phys ed concentrated more on getting the kids moving around having fun than trying to get them to do the same level of exercise the sports playing kids do more kids would have a better and safer time in phys ed class. Phys ed also should not be embarrassing which it is to overweight kids. These kids need to be helped not tormented. A little warm up goes a long way. Foot ball up-down exercises are ridiculous to expect the average and certainly the overweight kid to do. Yes I've seen this expected of a phys ed class.
Phys Ed Should Challenge Kids
I was an overweight kid. All through high school, I struggled with PE and didn't play sports because of it. Unfortunately, any physical activity can be challenging and embarrassing for overweight kids-- I know, I was one. So that's a dilemma. What overweight kids need most is two things: help with their diets and help getting more exercise.
So yes, PE should be fun, but by it's very nature, it likely will push overweight kids beyond their comfort zones. That's not all bad, even when the kids themselves complain about it. Frankly, I think it's dubious to say that PE expects the same level of physical activity that sports kids achieve. Most sports teams practice every day for multiple hours. PE classes come nowhere near that level.
