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In most educational systems, physical education (PE), also called physical training (PT) or gym in less progressive settings, is a course in the curriculum which utilizes learning in the cognitive, affective and psycho motor domains in a play or movement exploration setting. In the United States, it is almost always mandatory for students in elementary schools, and often for students in middle schools and high schools. The primary aim of physical education is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, capacities, and values along with the enthusiasm to maintain a healthy lifestyle into adulthood. Some schools also require physical education as a way to promote weight loss in students. Activities included in the program are designed to promote physical fitness, to develop motor skills, to instill knowledge and understanding of rules, concepts, and strategies, and to teach students to work as part of a team, or as individuals, in a wide variety of competitive activities.
Curriculum In the United States, the physical education curriculum is designed to allow students to experience at least a minimum exposure to the following categories of activities: aquatics, conditioning activities, gymnastics, individual/dual sports, team sports, and rhythms and dance. Students are encouraged to continue to explore those activities in which they have a primary interest by effectively managing their community resources. In these areas, a planned sequence of learning experiences is designed to support a progression of student development. American physical education activities include: In all states in the United States, physical education is offered to students from grades K to 12. However, Illinois is the only state that requires physical education in all schools (even private schools) for all grade levels. Mandatory physical education is up to each individual State and school district. Most States do require physical education 6th-9th grade and offer "elective" physical education classes 10th-12th grades. Many school districts, especially those with limited budgets, cut back or eliminate on physical education from the curriculum. About two dozen states required physical education in secondary schools in 2001, that number has since gone down. In Canada, physical education is required up to grade 10, although some provinces are considering extending this to grade 12. In the United States, individual states determine the requirement for physical education in their schools; requirements in middle schools and high schools vary widely from state to state. In France, physical education is required from age 6 to age 16 (mandatory schooling period). It is actually taught by specialized state teachers to all secondary school students, mostly in coeducational classes 4 hours/week at age 11, 3 hours/week from age 12 to 15 and 2 hours/week from age 16 to 18. National programs and contents refer to the contemporary physical culture: sports, dance and circus. In the United Kingdom, sports like netball, cricket and rugby are also played. In Romania and Moldova, oina (which is similar to baseball), rugby, basketball and soccer are popular sports played in PE classes. In New Zealand and Australia, softball, cricket, Australian rules football and sometimes rugby are played. In Japan, physical education is more like what are known as health classes in the United States, although some Japanese high schools, especially in Hokkaido, have the more common version. In Sweden, sports like floorball and brännboll are played, along with internationally known sports such as soccer, basketball and volleyball. In Spain, sports like soccer, basketball, handball and volleyball are played from primary education to bachillerato. Clothing
Criticism There is some disagreement about required PE classes. PE is promoted as a way to teach students about teamwork and sports, but there is often more to it than that. Much harrassment and bullying occurs in PE classes, and non-athletic students (especially those who don't care about sports) are made to feel inferior by both the teacher and other students. Some PE grading scaled are also (partially or fully) based on athletic ability, and students who do not excel in sports will inevitably receive a poor grade, which is sometimes put on their GPA (which colleges look at when considering students for admission). See also | ||||||||||
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