The physical education program has adapted over the years to accommodate changing lifestyles and perspectives of students, and teachers are determined to teach students the benefits of this class.
Students’ behavior towards PE class has been a critical factor in the way the curriculum has formed. Wellness teacher and coach, Eric Royer said, “I think a lot of has to do with the energy level of the instructor. It’s important to make it fun and offer activities that students can enjoy that allow them to interact with their friends.”
As students grow up, the idea of PE class typically becomes less appealing. With the stress of academic courses along with extracurriculars, PE class can be placed on the back-burner. Royer said, “As they get older, they may still enjoy being active and working out, they just may prefer to do that on their own, not at school.” It is a constant factor for the teachers to pay attention to the students’ attitudes towards the course.
With these struggles, the teachers are always finding ways to keep the students engaged. Coach Jane Wheeler loves to switch the activities up to avoid each class growing dull. She said, “We try to introduce students to a variety of physical activities, so hopefully they can find a few things they will enjoy and continue as lifelong activities.”
Wheeler’s idea about lifelong activities is a common stance for many students. Junior Morgan McCartney believes the most valuable aspect of gym stems from the skills they teach for the future. “It sets us up well for our future, giving us a foundation for a healthy lifestyle,” McCartney said.
Wheeler understands the importance of physical education. “The benefits of regular exercise include physical, mental, social and emotional aspects. We have increased the emphasis on fitness due to research on the increase in childhood obesity, using new technologies to help inform students about their fitness level,” she said.
PV gym teachers are using the new heart rate monitors. Each student is responsible for pushing themselves to a comfortable, yet still demanding, fitness level. The monitors have caused an increase in the levels of effort the students give.
All these viewpoints and curriculum changes are being created with positive goals in mind. Gym teacher Angie Musal truly believes these adaptations are going to build a community of healthy adults. Musal said, “You only have one body, so why not take care of it the best you can?”
