WHAT GOES AROUND...

What do platform shoes, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Hawaii Five-0 all have in common? You guessed it. At various times they've all gone through periods of popularity, neglect, then resurgence. I was reminded of this following my editorial in January that wondered aloud whether integrating physical education with other school subjects might be worth considering as we try to secure a "healthy" future for the profession. In response, Lynn Housner, now a Dean at West Virginia University, sent me a copy of a letter he wrote to ASCD's publication Educational Leadership 20 years ago. With his permission, here's what he said:

Lynn further reminded me that several years earlier NASPE had developed an initiative called Basic Stuff (document resume). It consisted of a series of booklets that advocated an integrated teaching approach but with a different goal in mind: To enhance the effectiveness of physical education teaching. Part of the information in the booklets summarized knowledge in the areas of exercise physiology, motor learning, kinesiology, motor development, the humanities, and psychosocial aspects of physical education.

The other part gave advice to teachers on ways to integrate this information into their lessons. The thinking was that a better understanding of the body and the scientific foundations underlying physical education teaching would enhance student learning. Although heavily promoted, this initiative received only moderate support and has since faded into our professional history.

Today's discussion on integration should perhaps be focused more on answering questions about the overall effectiveness of today's public schools. Our schools face increasing pressures to do a better job preparing students with the skills and knowledge they will need to be successful in the future. There appears to be growing recognition that bodies do not solely serve the purpose of transporting heads.

The ASCD, a 150,000 member worldwide educational organization is fully supportive of "whole child" education. More and more critics are pointing out that today's public schools are organized to prepare students for yesterday's needs rather than tomorrow's. The impetus for reform of public school education is accelerating. Change is on the way and the physical education profession needs to prepare itself or face the risk of extinction. Integration is only one choice of many. What's most important is that we begin to ready ourselves for the impending revolution rather than let circumstances decide our fate for us.

Steve Jefferies, publisher pelinks4u

(For more information on Basic Stuff see Locke, L.F. (2008, September). Three Examples of Kinesiology in Physical Education Why, How, and for Whom? JOPERD, 79(7), 50-54. (series can be found at amazon.com)

Survey: Dr. Paul Rukavina and Anne Gibbone are conducting research on Physical Education Teachers' attitudes and beliefs regarding body image, obesity bias, cultural diversity and motivational goals for physical education. They are asking your help to fill out their survey, which will take 20-30 minutes of your time. To be included you must have taught physical education in a school. For your help, your name will be placed in a raffle to win 1 or 3 polar heart rate monitors. Click on the link below to read more details about the study and provide your consent to participate.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ObesityPEteachers

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