(Courtesy of InklingsNews).
Many students find themselves polarized on the new physical education curriculum, and especially the mandatory group warm ups. The group warm ups consist of the average exercises: push ups, sit ups, stretching, and running. This is very different from last year, where there was a more laid-back approach to physical education. This was implemented by the teachers and coaches this year to make gym class actually feel like a gym.
When students walk into the gym this year, they go immediately into the locker room to change into gym-appropriate attire. This, once again, is very different from last year, where some students could participate in the activities even if they were not dressed for the occasion. The physical education teachers this school year enforce a strict policy stating that anyone who is not dressed for the activities will lose all credit for the day.
Many students find themselves divided on this topic, so I went on a deep dive to what the student body is saying about the new physical education policies. A junior, who asked to remain anonymous, is frustrated with the warm ups not correlating with the activities done during gym. “What’s the point of warming up just to walk the track?” he questions. Another student criticizes the time away from actual gym class, stating that, “The warm ups take away from gym class because it takes 15 minutes to get started, and by the time we’re done with warm ups, there is only 25 minutes left in the period to do actual gym activity that we enjoy.” Clearly, some students dislike the new gym policies and wish it could return to the old simplistic way of instructing.
On the other hand, some students actually like the new instruction methods that physical education teachers and coaches provide. One student told me that “I actually enjoy doing the push ups…and it gives gym class structure that it didn’t have last year.” Another student highlighted the opportunity that it gives other students to all be on the same page and same athletic ability. Students who do not have enough time in their busy schedules at JCHS can knock out a workout before they even leave school. One of my peers puts it like this: “The new warm ups give students who might not get enough exercise at home a chance to participate on the level of the other students.” As you can probably tell, this topic isn’t as one sided as some believe.
This topic is very nuanced and I find myself agreeing with all the students I interviewed for this article. While I agree that the warm ups provide structure for physical education, I also agree that they might not correlate with what the students participate in once warm ups are completed. I agree that they provide exercise for students who might not get it elsewhere, but I also agree that they take too long and actually take away from the gym period. That being said, while I miss the “chill” and laid-back style of physical education last year, I don’t hate the new style of instructing.
Overall, there are many different arguments for and against the new PE curriculum. Students are divided in their beliefs as well. It begs the question whether or not the PE teachers will take feedback and perhaps change the curriculum for next marking period, or keep them the same, hoping the students who are dissatisfied will learn to take something away from them.