Charles Burke

Current Issues

Dr. Devito

Quality Physical Education

What is quality Physical Education? Many Physical Education teachers would not be able to answer that question today. I believe the definition of quality is of importance. Some define quality as a grade or degree of excellence or worth. The definition of quality allows us to better understand what we want out of physical education. In the past thirty years, there have been many who believed that Physical Education was playing sports and a position held only by coaches. Is that quality physical education? I am sure to those coaches teaching the classes believed it was, but I beg to disagree.

I believe that there were many students during those times who were left out and began dislike Physical Education. The only students who excelled in classes were those who were gifted athletically. What about the other students? Athletically gifted students are a minority when it comes to the whole school, and the rest of the school was left out. Even though we have to live in a testing world, schools can now assess their Physical Educators and their programs. We can now see which students are left out.

To me, quality physical education teaches every student. Not only does it teach every student, but it should teach all aspects of learning. It should focus on the Psychomotor, Cognitive, and the Affective domain. Lesson plans should be circled around helping students learn physically, mentally, and through their behavior. This allows the student a greater chance of learning in physical education. Quality Education is essential in every school, district, county, state, and nation because Physical Education is in jeopardy. Many school systems are removing their Physical Education programs from their curriculum. It is important for every Physical Educators, new or experienced, to have a quality program to help keep physical education in schools.