Is cutting gym class really a good solution to solving poor standardize test scores and budget problems? Gym classes are one of the "Specials" being cut in many schools today for a couple of reasons. One of these reasons is poor standardize test scores and the other is school funding. There are big debates about standardized test scores and how they need to be raised. Many people's solution for this problem is cutting gym classes. However, I do not believe that this is a valid solution. Having students sit in a classroom with no real relief from learning for 7 hours a day is not going to help their test scores improve that much. Kids need to get up and move around throughout the day and gym class is one of those times they get to run around and not really have to think. I strongly believe that children need at least a short amount of time everyday or every other day that they can have a structured time to release their energy. Cutting gym class is not a viable solution to fixing budget problems or standardize test scores. Often times I think that people have lost site that kids are still kids and they need some time to just have fun, taking "specials" out of their school days does not necessarily benefit them but instead harms them. Keeping gym classes in schools despite test scores and budget problems is essential to keeping our kids healthy and productive.
How could anyone disagree especially with a national obesity problem? Are there readings that make the case for cutting gym?
ReplyDeleteKids need exercise! It seems as if our world today is focusing on the "quickness" of life which includes drive thru's. What happened to sitting down at the kitchen table and eating a well balanced meal? Sometimes the only activity children are receiving is when they are at school in gym class, or at recess. We all know that most schools after the sixth grade, maybe even earlier, exclude recess in their day. Therefore, the child would be sitting in a classroom, standing and walking to lunch, and then going to sit back in the classroom with zero physical activity. Children are becoming obese, instead of healthy and they are only in the early stages of their life. I completely disagree with cutting gym class, especially for young elementary children.
ReplyDeleteGym class is needed. The people who say that kids need to be engaged in activities that only relate to academics are not letting kids be kids. Most adults don't even like to sit at a desk all day long. Imagine what a kid would feel like having to do just that? In my opinion, gym class helps kids learn. If they are given a time where they can run their extra energy off then maybe they will be able to focus better in the classroom. Doctors are also complaining that our society is becoming obese. Physical activity needs to be promoted at younger ages so that it remains a priority later on in life.
ReplyDeleteFrom being in some of the schools here in South Bend, some of them have a great amount of time set aside for specials and others do not have time whats so ever. It is sorta of sad to me especially for the younger grades because they may get a total of 10 mins of free reading time or quite time to finish work in class and that is it. Other schools who do have this needed time for gym, art, music, etc., make use of it wisely. I can see the differences in the students at the schools who have gym class or those who do not.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is not the answer. Even though I hated gym class when I was in school (I was always picked last. LOL), it's still a valuable part of the school day. We need to change from teaching for memorization to teaching for understanding and application. When we do that, the test scores will improve. Until then, all we're going to do is waste time, energy, and money because if they don't understand what they're learning and they can't apply it, then what's the point?
ReplyDeleteGym should NEVER be cut! Like everyone else has said already, childhood (and adulthood) obesity is a plague that has hit America, and shows no sign of stopping. We're only going to perpetuate this problem by cutting classes like gym and retracting funding for sports. Not only is gym a fun class for some kids, it's a form of exercise for all of them, which means that even though some students hated going to gym, they still had endorphins that were being released in their brains once they left the class and had been doing physical activity. These endorphins help the students to feel happier, more focused, and most likely showed in their grades. Gym also helps children who naturally have more energy to burn than other students. For students with ADHD, gym can be a perfect outlet for them to expel some of their energy, so they're able to focus better in their other classes. Gym promotes a healthy lifestyle, and once we begin cutting that from our students' lives, we've officially begun downgrading as a society.
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