Chloe K.
Research in the Community Excerpts
Fall 2009 Trimester
Let's Get Physical
In the United States, only 36% of high school students are receiving the recommended amount of physical activity. Physical activity is beneficial to students; they need physical activity in order to be successful academically and to lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle. This requires a balance between both academic pursuits and physical activity. Physical activity has a significant impact on a student's grades and ability to learn in the classroom. Research has shown that physical activity not only benefits a student physically, but is also an important factor for a student's social, and spiritual fulfillment, and has a positive effect on a student's level of academic achievement.
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Physical Benefits of Activity:
Across the United States, students are not receiving enough physical activity and this has contributed to a large portion of them being diagnosed with obesity. According to WebMD, "Much of the increase in obesity in the last 20 years is thought to have resulted from the decreased level of daily physical activity" (Obesity). The graph below indicates how obesity has steadily increased over the past forty years in children and adolescents. ...Obesity is a serious medical condition that can lead to other life threatening diseases.Obesity is caused by insufficient exercise and improper nutrition. A person is considered "morbidly" obese with a BMI over 40, and has a higher risk of death (Obesity). If a child does not change their lifestyle by having a better diet and doing physical activity, they could be diagnosed with serious life threatening diseases. Those diseases are Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, asthma, liver disease, and various eating disorders. It is important for a child to stay healthy and fit so they will not be negatively effected later in their lives.
Mental Benefits:
Not only does physical education have a positive affect on a student's weight and health, it also has a positive influence on student's grades and their ability to concentrate and learn in the classroom (Trost). Many researchers have found a positive relationship between physical activity and cognitive function. ... "After the experimental students were exposed to daily physical education, their academic performance became significantly better than that of the students in the control group who were not exposed to daily physical education" (Smith and Lounsberry).There have been many other studies that have shown the positive effects of the relationship between physical education and cognitive function.
A person who is an expert on physical activity is Dennis Hartzell. Dennis Hartzell is both a basketball coach and a teacher at the Bay School. His observation over the years, concerning his players, is that they perform better in academics in the season of their sport: "There's also the obvious reality that the pressure and stress of academic work can be relieved by good physical exertion" says Dennis. "I mean sweat is a really good thing in terms of managing stress and feeling better about yourself." Physical activity can relieve the stress of academic work and can control a student's stress levels in order for them to maintain a higher GPA and get better grades.
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The Bay School of San Francisco has a unique activity program, which it believes benefits students in a variety of different ways. ... Dennis Hartzell comments on this program, "As Father Malcolm used to say, 'If you got a good night sleep, you ate healthy food, and you got vigorous physical activity a few times a week, you just might learn something.' We really do believe that this place is a learning community in which everyone is concerned with the whole person." The Bay School focuses on different aspects, besides academic, that makes up a student's life. Physical activity is a major factor that benefits a student's academic achievement (Hartzell).
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Social Benefits:
When children participate in physical activity-either in PE class, sports, or recess, they work together in a different ways than how they work together in an academic classroom environment. When children play sports together, they create lasting bonds,...they become a part of a team and learn how to be part of a group. Kids make new friends and create friendships they will remember forever.
When I came to the Bay School, I decided to become a part of the girls' basketball team. Not knowing anyone, I hoped that I would be able to create new friendships. Upon becoming a member of the basketball team, I bonded with the girls through experiences relating to our team. For example, our practice schedule was different from everyone else's so we had endless opportunities to be able to work on homework together and chat about Bay. I was able to connect with the girls on a new level. I was a part of a team and we had to work as a group in order to be successful. ... I created bonds and lasting friendships that I would not otherwise have been able to form.
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In summary, physical activity is important for a successful, balanced student. Many studies have shown that physical activity has a positive impact on a student's grades and their ability to learn in the classroom. Unfortunately, many schools are decreasing or entirely eliminating physical education programs due to budget constraints. Students need to have the recommended amount of sixty minutes of activity per day in order to be healthy.