PE versus academics?

Testing, testing, testing. Data, data, data. It’s all the rage. Tests are given, data is collected, and everyone gets a grade, from the students, to the teachers, to the schools, to the districts.

Around the country, this has become quite a provocative issue. Some say there are too many tests. Others say there are too few. It seems that no one is happy, and everyone is concerned. Of course we are concerned. We all want what is best for our kids. We want the best educational opportunities and resources, and we want to know that our kids are learning what they need to know to be successful, contributing citizens as they venture out into the world.

With budgets tight, and only getting tighter, it seems that we may be making a trade-off that doesn’t need to be traded. Around the country, policy makers have been cutting back on physical education, recess, and other perceived “extras” to make more time for reading, writing, and math, those traditional academic areas of instruction.

For example, it makes sense that a student who is struggling in math or reading would benefit from additional instruction in those areas. Practice makes you better, right? However, it’s the next decision where we most often get into trouble.

The school day is tightly scheduled. Guidance counselors probably take courses in jigsaw-puzzle-solving as part of their training to arrange such complicated itineraries. With such a carefully arranged day, when can that student receive additional instruction? Unfortunately, the student is too often removed from physical education in order to receive this extra tutoring.

“But it’s only gym class…”

Ah, that’s where you’re wrong.

Studies demonstrate that regular physical exercise enhances the “executive control” center of the brain, which relates to memory, planning, and decision-making. Exercise has also been used to treat attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, fatigue, and stress. It’s not difficult to see how these benefits would promote attention, behavior and learning in the classroom. Furthermore, research consistently shows that vigorous physical exercise stimulates the growth of brain cells (neurons), as well as strengthening and increasing the number of dendrites and synapses of those neurons, allowing for more robust connections. Harvard neurobiologist and author of the book “SPARK,” Dr. John Ratey has described exercise as “Miracle-Gro for the brain.” Physical activity is not only important for the child’s physical health, it is also essential for emotional health and academic achievement.

However, physical education is more than physical activity. Yes, they are interconnected, but physical education is where kids are taught the skills, concepts, and behaviors to be physically literate. It is in PE that students learn fitness concepts and strategies. A quality PE program teaches children how and why to move, how to win and lose, how to set and achieve goals, and how to overcome obstacles. It is the class where confidence in their bodies is developed, and the willingness to try new and varied activities is nurtured. Physical activity is the opportunity to practice those skills and concepts taught in physical education. All physical education has physical activity as a major component. However, not all physical activity is physical education.

Still confused? Think of physical education and physical activity as Denali and the Alaska Range. Denali is definitely part of the Alaskan mountain range, but not all of the Alaskan mountains are Denali!

A quality physical education program and additional opportunities for physical activity throughout the day, including recess, classroom brain breaks, and before/after school programs, are all a part of promoting academic achievement in our schools. PE versus academics? Not at all. PE teachers grow more brain cells — the classroom teachers can help fill them!

Nancy Blake teaches Physical Education at Goose Bay Elementary School. She is the SHAPE Alaska’s 2014 Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year.