Physical Education in Schools Essay examples -- Education, Teaching, P

Historical Context The purpose and approach to teaching and classroom management has considerably changed due to a variety of factors including government policies, developing research and scientific explanations for its benefits to children during their education (Lance et al, 2007). Mackenzie (2004) recalls on how in the Havoverian Period (1714-1790) play and sport, particularly in the education environment was largely ignored by the government. This lead to minimised use of it and Physical Education (PE) was a very irregular activity in schools. (Lance et al, 2007; Mackenzie, 2004). However, progressively school sport and activities within the teaching environment were developing (Mackenzie, 2004 [online]). Public schools became highly involved in competitive sporting events, and by 1940 school sport was being used as exercise with ‘creative physical training’ known for its multiple physical and mental benefits for the participant. Statutory expectations and overviews began to arise in the early 1900’s with a strong emphasis on the relationship between sporting skills, exercise and health benefits. The 1909 Syllabus of Physical Exercises (Board of Education, 1909) suggested that the educational benefits of Physical Education and School Sport were primarily moral and mental. Bailey et al (2006) states that this is the first indication of sport and exercise supporting the children in holistic ways. The 1909 syllabus explains that the moral benefits of exercise were improved behaviour and social skills, and the mental benefits being the development of the learning processes and opening opportunities for the child to learn. (Bailey et al, 2006) In 1944 physical education was established for its â€Å"educational value† (Mackenzie, ... ...es an increase in heart rate for a sustained amount of time is therefore the most beneficial towards children’s learning, however Dwyer et al (2001) found that although boys did benefit from this higher impact vigorous activity, girls benefited the most from calming, lower impact activities that involved stretching and cross-body co-ordination such as yoga. Smith (2001) backs this in the exercise programme ‘Move It Brain Breaks’ where some of the exercises do not require an increased heart rate, but activities such as ‘stretchers’ and ‘lateralizers’ which involve the use of brain and body functions which are not naturally used together; as in Brain Gym () exercises. Smith (2001) suggests that particularly ‘lateralizers’ should be part of the everyday teaching repertoire to balance children, and co-ordinate their brain and body before learning. (Smith, 2001:11).