Physical Development, Health and Physical

Education

The importance, benefits and my aims.

Mastiana Hoque

Research has shown that children between the age of five and 12 years benefit in many ways from being physicallyactive. Physical activity can:

• promote healthy growth and development• develop and improve balance, flexibility and motor skills• improve cardiovascular fitness• help achieve and maintain a healthy weight• improve posture• provide opportunities to make friends and improve self-esteem.

What the research tells us….

The Importance of Physical Education

Physical Education in primary schools is essential as it has the potential to set children up with a lifelong commitment to staying physically active. The following points are important to note :

• Quality physical education programs from preschool to year 6 lay strong foundations for lifelong participation in physical activity.

• In order to maximise children’s commitment to lifelong physical activity, activity should be enjoyable to them, as well as develop their fundamental movement skills.

• Children benefit from being active at school, after school and on weekends.

• Schools must take a holisitic approach to enhancing the health of students.

Howard Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences

The Psychologist Howard Gardiner’s theory of ‘Multiple Intelligences’ has had a profound impact on educators. It demonstrates that each child is unique and intelligent in their own way. Children learn differently and as educators we must cater for these difference. The intelligence relating to Physical Education is:

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. It is the ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements. Howard Gardner sees mental and physical activity as related.

As a teacher, I aim to incorporate physical education, in particular skills games which develop students movement, problem solving, decision making, communicating, interacting and listening skills.

References

• http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

• http://www.det.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/17835/GetaMoveOn.pdf