Letter: Gym class needs televised revolution to fight obesity epidemic (Printed June 1, 2007)
Posted by Sentry Editor at 6/8/2007 12:32 PM 
Categories: Opinion, Letters to the editor, Cape schools, So Po Schools
Categories: Opinion, Letters to the editor, Cape schools, So Po Schools
Editor:
As a public school physical educator in Maine for the past 30 years, I’d like to put a little perspective on Amada Estes’ recent essay, “Gym class revolution” [Reporter’s Notebook, May 11].
The obesity rates for children as well as adults in this country has sky rocketed; not a news flash. What this indicates besides greater consumption of junk food and an overall more sedentary lifestyle is that something we’re doing isn’t working.
As a teacher, when something isn’t working for my students, it is my job to figure out what will work.
I totally agree with Ms. Estes’ assessment of the benefit of sports and that still remains the centerpiece of most physical education programs.
The kids who are drawn to sports aren’t the ones whose health is imperiled.
What about the kids for whom sports is a tortuous, humiliating experience in PE class? They feign illness, “forget” to bring sneakers, etc. They’re the ones who need the physical activity the most.
Enter DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), pedometers, heart rate monitors, etc. Like it or not, today’s students are drawn to technology and these tools are making a difference. An example I would share is a middle school student I have who had zero interest in anything physical until I brought out the heart rate monitors. This student now asks to wear it in every class, and works hard to keep in her target heart rate zone.
Students as well as adults should learn about their cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility development and maintenance, and understand what motivates them, and then practice it in their daily lives.
That is what the real gym class revolution is about.
MaryEllen Schaper,
South Portland
As a public school physical educator in Maine for the past 30 years, I’d like to put a little perspective on Amada Estes’ recent essay, “Gym class revolution” [Reporter’s Notebook, May 11].
The obesity rates for children as well as adults in this country has sky rocketed; not a news flash. What this indicates besides greater consumption of junk food and an overall more sedentary lifestyle is that something we’re doing isn’t working.
As a teacher, when something isn’t working for my students, it is my job to figure out what will work.
I totally agree with Ms. Estes’ assessment of the benefit of sports and that still remains the centerpiece of most physical education programs.
The kids who are drawn to sports aren’t the ones whose health is imperiled.
What about the kids for whom sports is a tortuous, humiliating experience in PE class? They feign illness, “forget” to bring sneakers, etc. They’re the ones who need the physical activity the most.
Enter DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), pedometers, heart rate monitors, etc. Like it or not, today’s students are drawn to technology and these tools are making a difference. An example I would share is a middle school student I have who had zero interest in anything physical until I brought out the heart rate monitors. This student now asks to wear it in every class, and works hard to keep in her target heart rate zone.
Students as well as adults should learn about their cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility development and maintenance, and understand what motivates them, and then practice it in their daily lives.
That is what the real gym class revolution is about.
MaryEllen Schaper,
South Portland
Comments