Should physical education (gym) be required all the way through school?
By kbkbooks
@kbkbooks (7022)
Canada
December 6, 2006 9:39pm CST
It is common knowledge that our young people are suffering from too little physical activity these days. Computers, video games, and television take over their lives. In elementary school, children are generally required to take gym classes. In high school, it may or may not be required at least until a certain level and then maybe or maybe not in the higher grades.
When I was in school, we had to take gym all the way through. When I got to college, it was not required but there were classes of more interesting activities offered like archery and swimming, so physical education became interesting.
Many high schools are now equipped with or have access to swimming facilities. Things like cycling, archery, badminton, and other interesting activities are easy to set up at not too much expense.
Should phys ed be required of all students through high school age at very least, and possibly through college? If so, shouldn't they offer some more interesting options rather than requiring students to follow the traditional activities that often require them them do things they are not good at or find boring?
1 person likes this
9 responses
@4monsters4me (2569)
• United States
14 Dec 06
I took gym every year (as we could). There were a few years when I was a kid that our school couldn't afford a gym teacher so our teacher would take us outside to do jumping jacks or we played dodge ball in an empty classroom in the basement.
Once we got to a better funded school we had gym once a week and learned to play different sports. In high school we had to take 1 credit of gym during our 4 years. that was 2 semesters total. i did one at the end of my junior year and one at the beginning of my senior year. gym class was 5 days a week in high school.
we were also required to have 2 credits of physical fitness in college (which was a semester class--3 days in the gym (aerobics, sports, whatever) and 2 days of health classes a week.
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
13 Dec 06
I do not think that high school should require phys ed. But I also wish they would teach something more interesting.
If the school had a pool, then maybe they could have swim lessons. There are actually a lot of teens that do not know how to swim. Heck, my partner of 39 yrs doesn't even know how to swim and at this point he is embarrassed to even learn!
Archery would be fun. But I think given the fact that school are hyper-sensitive to any weapons, that is probably a no-no.
But I do agree with you that if in high school they offered more types of phys ed, teens would be more likely to take the classes and continue doing it after the class was over.
Great discussion question!
@abhishek87 (38)
• India
10 Dec 06
No..I dont think so..Though it might be healthy, you cant force it on someone, who's not interested..
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
10 Dec 06
I think they should be required to take gym because as you say they come home and do nothing usually except play games and watch t.v. But maybe they should put in a gym so those who would like to could work out during gym instead of palying ball and other sort of things. Girls don't really like gym but if they put in a small workout gym I think more peole would like gym better. I think it should be required all through school all grades even college keeps the mind focused and clearer for studies.
@ZowieR (940)
• Canada
7 Dec 06
I don't think so. Shouldn't the paretns be involved in some level of there kid life, if there strugglijng with obestity then get them doign some excersize, if not they p[robablyget enough on there own. I found gym humilyating (cant spell) and the changing in the locker rooms, omg...
@kbkbooks (7022)
• Canada
10 Dec 06
I am not going to go into locker room shyness here, that is whole other discussion. I don't think the human body should be a problem and if it is, then families are raising their kid's wrong. I think that yes parents need to encourage their kids to have physical activity and it would help if the families are involved together.
@mygreyparrot (1461)
• United States
10 Dec 06
Yes it should. I despised it, but it's really important. I wish they'd focus more on exercises to stay fit than they do.
1 person likes this
