Tuesday, July 13, 2010

RECAP: First Lady's Let's Move! Web Chat

The First Lady held the first ever web chat to discuss the Let's Move! campaign this morning. The public was invited to ask the First Lady questions regarding her initiative and the childhood obesity epidemic via Facebook.

During the chat, we heard some great ideas and tough questions posted on Facebook from some of our physical education experts. Now, we want to know what you think! Do you agree with what was said from these physical education experts? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

  • How will physical education be promoted and advanced in the schools. All of our kids attend school so this is the most comprehensive opportunity to address the needs of all children with quality, age appropriate physical activity/physical education.
  • Quality physical education can be THE VEHICLE to educate all kids!
  • We HAVE to change the mindset...define QUALITY physical education.
  • Questions about Physical Education are not Sports or extra curricula! This is part of the issue. Play is fun and great but don’t we really need physical education also? Do we need to do more to educate folks on the difference?
  • I wish we could have the opportunity to educate the First Lady on QUALITY physical education. PLAY is not physical education. Physical Education is not all games.
  • Seems lets move is supporting more physical activity which is awesome! But I am not hearing much about true physical education. NASPE can certainly help clarify the difference.
  • While the intent here is positive, if the administration does not know the difference between physical activity and physical education, if they don't know what constitutes quality, 21st century physical education, if they don't understand the EDUCATION portion of physical education, the outlook for this program isn't very positive.
  • She did not mention policy to increase PE time, but focused on integration of physical activity. Integration of PA is important but not at the expense of a quality physical education class.
  • The First Lady does not know what Quality Physical Education is & does not know the differences between Physical Education & Physical Activity. Kickball and duck, duck, goose are NOT examples of Physical Education.
  • As long as the jobs of teachers and administrators is made dependent on test scores, physical education will be the lowest priority. The research relating physical exercise/education to academic success is overwhelming. Have you or the President or Sec. Duncan read Dr. John Ratey (SPARK) or Dr. Carla Hannaford (Smart Moves) or Dr. John Medina (Brain Rules) or any of the other books that provides us the research.
  • Physical Educators would like to be a part of this initiative. We would like to offer our advice and support. Please start including us and recognizing the important role we play in schools.
  • If you don't involve physical education and physical educators in this battle you cannot win. We are the ones who work with children on a regular basis. We are the ones who educate children so they understand life long active life styles.
  • The terms “physical activity” and “physical education” are often used interchangeably. However, they differ in important ways. Understanding the difference between the two is critical to understanding why both contribute to the development of healthy, active children. Think of this: Physical Activity is a behavior. Physical Education is a core subject area with a curriculum that includes physical activity.
  • We truly appreciate the First Lady's move to take on the fight against nationwide overweight/obesity, but the process is poorly constructed and poorly framed, lacks inclusion and I have doubts that it will ever be as successful as it could and should be.

  • I would not expect her to know about QPE; that is not her passion. Professionals in the field must continue to advocate for and educate about QPE, so all people can begin to feel our passion. Let's take the first lady's agenda and positively use it to our advantage.

1 comment:

C.J. Cain said...

Here are the questions I posed:

Though physical education meets the same criteria for rigor that other core subjects in education do, physical education is conspicuously absent from the current list of subjects defined as the core. Will the Let's Move campaign advocate for the inclusion of physical education as a core academic subject?

Why are ... See Moreschools not required to report on ... See Morethe quality and quantity of physical education, physical education facilities, teacher accreditation, and physical education curriculum?

Why are states not required by law that all physical education teachers are licensed in physical education?

Why does the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition not include one person from the Physical Education world?

Why has "Let's Move" failed up to this point to include & recognize the important role Physical Educators play within schools and in combating childhood obesity?

Do you know that the Obama administration’s education policies, some of which stem from the disastrous No Child Left Behind era, will do little, if anything, to increase physical education in public school systems? And that many of those systems have drastically reduced their programs to make more time for standardized test prep?

If you do know, have you talked to him about it and asked him why? If you don’t know but are learning this right now, will you try to find out what’s going on and talk to your husband about taking a really critical look at some of the policies emanating from the Department of Education?