Self Improvement...

Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Physical fitness, an important component of health that involves the ability to perform work satisfactory, results from regular participation in physical activity. Appropriate levels of physical activity and fitness are important in determining children's physical and mental health status, optimizing their general development, and in realizing their physical and intellectual potential.

Though it is frequently assumed that children have an innate interest in physical activity, children often adopt sedentary lifestyles. The increasing number of children choosing a sedentary lifestyle is a major concern facing health care specialists, as habitual inactivity contributes to health problems such as obesity, asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease.

The declining number of students opting to take physical education classes has been documented in many American schools. While the school system cannot be held entirely responsible for influencing a student's decision to participate or not to participate in physical activity, the amount of time spent in school consumes a substantial number of the child's waking hours. Moreover, the child may attend school for an average of 9-13 years. Thus, time spent in physical activity during recess and physical education classes could be regarded as having a potentially major influence on children's health and fitness.

As parents or people responsible for a child’s physical fitness, following recommendations outlines the ways for improving children's attitudes and for increasing their participation in physical activity.

Parental support organized by the teacher: Parents should be educated as to their children's general and special fitness needs. Orientation sessions should be given to provide parents with information on content and purpose of school physical education programs.

Physical Education Teachers: Physical education teachers should offer positive, constructive, and immediate feedback without being evaluative, critical, or demanding. Children should be taught how to set their own personal goals, their individual goals should be realistic and in keeping with students' perceptions of their skill level.

No comparison: Children should be taught not to compare themselves with other children who may be more skilled or at a different level of maturation. Likewise, skill mastery and effort should be emphasized rather than winning and competition. Self-improvement should be emphasized to allow for success on a regular basis, and a progression of skills should be identified for each grade to help ensure continual fitness development from year to year. Finally, students should be taught a health-oriented approach to physical education which focuses on health promotion.

School Environment: Students should be taught to engage in fitness activities as part of normal daily life, and school staff and programs should promote a positive attitude toward regular, health-related exercise.

Elementary School Programs: A similar quality of performance should be expected from boys and girls, and specialized physical education teachers should be hired to handle physical education needs. Changes in physical activity programs should be implemented to improve poor self-concept and low activity levels of children acquired by the eighth grade.

Regular participation in appropriate physical activity contributes to children's physical and mental health. The school system should strive to increase the number of children participating in physical activity, especially aerobic activities suitable for enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness. This goal may be accomplished by using a health-oriented approach to physical education and by encouraging students to select physical education courses.