Education vs. Exercise
Children can earn PE credits without a curriculum. It’s easy! Consider the wide variety of physical education options available, and then count hours. If your child has about 90 hours of PE, call it a ½ credit. If you count 180 hours, then call it a whole credit. The name "physical education" means PE can be a combination of education and exercise. Some kids are very active in sports, and all you have to do is count the hours they spend breaking a sweat. Other kids are "not so active" and it helps to think outside the box.
Wii Fit for the Wee Fat If your child loves the computer, it’s possible encourage physical activity with computer-based games.
Wii Fit and Wii Sports are games for the Wii game console, which has lots of fitness games including yoga, strength, and stamina. Dance, Dance Revolution is a PlayStation game. Both of these are played with your TV set, and children move along with the game.
Children who are a "wee fat" can learn fitness the same way we wee fat adults learn. Take a class at the YMCA, join Weight Watchers, or get regular exercise. As a nurse, I know that many people need a refresher course in health and fitness. When kids become teenagers, they can learn about health and fitness the same way adults do. What are you doing to be physically fit? Encourage your children to become a fit adult. As someone who is a "wee fat" myself, this is a great way to encourage physical activity.
If your child loves books, you can pursue physical education in different ways. First, you can focus on "education" by reading about health. I love the books by Susan Boe, called Total Health. It describes social, physical, spiritual, and emotional health. Taught from a Christian perspective for private schools, the Registered Nurse in me thought it was a great overview. We didn’t use the teacher’s guide or do additional work, we just read the book.
Second, you can buy books to encourage physical fitness. There are many books that have detailed photos or drawings of exercises. For a child who hates exercise, you may want to try
8 Minutes in the Morning by Jorge Cruise. Most of the photos are of younger women, so it may not appeal to men. It’s a quick read, with some chapters on healthy living – diet, exercise, sleep, etc. Then there is a section describing exercises that can be completed in 8 minutes a day.
Science minded children may enjoy the Charlotte Mason style of learning. A Nature Handbook or field guide may send them off to the wilderness, contentedly learning as they enjoy nature.
Summer is a great time for learning new skills – especially skills that count for PE. Kids can learn skills like bowling, swimming, ice skating, or inline skating. They might participate in a fun run, marathon, or walk-a-thon for charity to learn giving.
Kids who love to "Play" more than anything are perfect candidates for learning real skills. On their own, they may learn new games, new sports, and try new skills with their friends. If you meet with other homeschoolers at a park, encourage everyone to bring their teenagers and outdoor games. Search your closets for badminton, croquet, bocce, volleyball, and other games.
Artistic Pursuits Artists may not gravitate toward soccer, but that doesn’t mean they are doomed to a slovenly lifestyle! Many of my artistic young friends are very involved in Dance. You may not recognize it, but Dance is a very physical activity. Swing, ballroom, ballet? Anything that breaks a sweat can count as PE, and Dance certainly fits the bill. For artistic kids, there are often more than enough credits for fine arts, and it’s easy to put their dance hours in the PE category.
If your artistic child is not a dancer, focus on the art they love. A bike, a backpack, and some art supplies may be all their need for a summer PE credit. They can hike or bike to a scenic vista to sketch, paint, or draw. New drawing supplies may be the only motivation needed!
An artist may be drawn to the musical concerts in the park. Find your park department schedule, and determine if they have music or theater performances. An artist might be convinced to spend time in the park playing Frisbee or soccer before those performances, or enjoy the music while doing other active games.
Socialization Skills My children were involved in organized sports, and summer was an interesting time. In a secular sports league, they were exposed to some unsavory behavior and vocabulary. Because the exposure was limited, these issues didn’t become part of my children’s psyche. Instead, they could observe this behavior as if from a distance. We could discuss the negative socialization without taking it on as a personality trait. If you are participating in team sports or sport camps, it can be an eye-opener for your kids. They can learn what socialization is like in school, but because it’s not an all-day and all-year experience, and with appropriate "de-briefing" they are unlikely to face any negative consequences.
Social children my enjoy activities not related to sports. Gather a group of friends and go for day hikes, for mid-day picnicking or active games. Camping with family or friends can be great outdoor skills that count for PE. Golf is a great opportunity for walking and talking together. Look into the
"First Tee" program. "First Tee" provides young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop life-enhancing values such as confidence, perseverance and judgment through golf and character education. "First Tee" has wonderful college scholarships for participation. Read their website for more information, www.thefirsttee.org
Take advantage of the learning style of auditory learners. They may be motivated toward aerobics if you include fast-paced music on their MP3 or i-pod while taking a walk. An auditory learner may find books on tape so enjoyable, they will even go for long walks, hikes, or bike rides while listening to great literature. Be sure to include those books on their reading list, just carefully labeled as audio books.
PE from a Nursing Perspective I have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, from the University of Washington. As a nurse, I have a unique perspective on PE. Fitness is important, but not just the fitness of your own child. Like community health nursing, you can also encourage the physical well-being of the public. For that reason, you may want to consider promoting long term health concerns.
Physical education may involve taking a course in first aid or CPR from the local fire department. You may want to take an advanced first aid class from the
American Red Cross or have your children take life guard training. For families that have major medical concerns, students can learn the healthy behaviors necessary to cope with those issues. For some, a nutrition course might be the best solution. For most young adults, sleep becomes a major issue. I strongly recommend that parents have their students do a research project on sleep before going to college.
Sometimes parents will focus so much on "teaching PE" that they forget what their children are already doing. If your child is already involved in a sport, or scouting, then they are probably getting all the PE they need.
If your child is involved in some physical activity, they will have the advantage in some schools. Military academies, police training, and ROTC place a high value on physical fitness. It can help if fitness is measurable in some way. Kids who enjoy physical fitness may be motivated by the
Congressional Award program.
This program encourages has four focus areas; Volunteer Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.
This is also a great way to be noticed by your congressman, if your child is interested in a military academy some day.
The Final ExamWhen you are faced with PE and you don’t know what to do, remember that the acronym is for physical EDUCATION and not physical exercise. You can use exercise as a portion of your homeschool course, and count everything that breaks a sweat. You can also provide physical education without focusing directly on exercise. The final exam is really…. Health and Fitness. You know your child best, and you are in the best position to know how to encourage health and fitness in your own child.
Copyright © 2010 The HomeScholar (www.TheHomeScholar.com). Text may be reprinted without permission if used in full, including the bio box (below) and this copyright, except for use in a book or other publication for rent or sale.Lee Binz, The HomeScholar is an expert in how to craft a winning homeschool transcript . She has an award-winning Christian homeschool blog and one of the most popular homeschool newsletters available. You can find Lee online at http://www.TheHomeScholar.com
