Keep the “PHYSICAL” in “EDUCATION”

1. Keep the “PHYSICAL” in “EDUCATION” Jeff Wascavage West Chester University KIN 586- Professional Issues in Adapted Physical Education

2. Link to Video • http://youtu.be/_z4ahxNmra0

3. Objectives • To understand to effects that budget cuts are having on physical education and all of the students. • To understand how students with disabilities are at higher risk for obesity. • To examine the link between academic achievement and physical activity. • To identify strategies that help show the importance and the benefits of quality physical education programs.

4. Part 1: The Issue

5. Eliminating Physical Education • Physical Education programs are in danger of being reduced or eliminated due to budget cuts. • Schools are choosing to eliminate elementary physical education programs. • Physical Education departments are losing teachers through furloughs. • Retiring physical education teachers are not being replaced. • A lack of resources and trained professionals impacts the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education. • Budget cuts are asking teachers to do more with less. • Only 6 states in the country require physical education in every grade K-12 (Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, and Vermont). • New Jersey and Rhode Island require physical education in grades 1-12.

6. NASPE Recommendations • NASPE recommends that schools provide 150 minutes of physical education for elementary school children, and 225 minutes for middle and high school students per week.

7. Adapted Physical Education Laws • Federal law (I.D.E.A) mandates that physical education is provided to students with disabilities and defines Physical Education as the development of: • physical and motor skills • fundamental motor skills and patterns • skills in aquatics, dance, and individual and group games and sports • There are no federal laws that mandate that physical education is taught in public schools to children without disabilities.

8. Qualified? • Legislators want to make sure “qualified” individuals provide physical education to students with disabilities. • However, each state can determine who they view as qualified. • There are only 17 states have developed specific requirements and/or licensure for professionals who provide physical education services to students with disabilities.

9. Part 2: The Research

10. Cuts in the United States • 300,000 teaching jobs were lost between August 2008 and August 2011! • If automatic spending cuts are enacted for the fiscal year 2013, education faces $3 billion dollars in cuts. • 44% of schools reduced elective offerings. • 70% of schools increased class sizes. • Handout for teachers and administrators created by Spark.

11. Cuts in Pennsylvania • After cutting $860 million from Pennsylvania’s public schools in 2011-2012, Gov. Corbett called for an additional cut of $100 million in his proposed 2012-2013 state budget. • A survey, conducted by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials and the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, shows: • School districts have eliminated or left vacant nearly 20,000 education jobs. • 75 percent of school districts are furloughing employees or cutting positions through attrition. • 58 percent of school districts are cutting art, music, physical education, electives, and advanced placement courses.

12. Childhood Obesity • Among children ages 6-11, 33% are overweight and 17% are obese. • The President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition reported that physical activity is 4.5 times lower for children and youth with disabilities compared to their peers without disabilities. • Nationwide, 25.6% of people with a disability reported being physically inactive during a usual week, compared to 12.8% of those without a disability. • Children and adults with mobility limitations and intellectual or learning disabilities are at greatest risk for obesity.

13. Childhood Obesity • Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. • For children with disabilities, obesity rates are approximately 38% higher than for children without disabilities. It gets worse for the adult population where obesity rates for adults with disabilities are approximately 57% higher than for adults without disabilities.

14. Physical Education and Academic Achievement Why We Should Not Cut P.E. • Decreasing (or eliminating) the time allotted for physical education in favor of traditional academic subjects does not lead to improved academic performance. • Increasing the number of minutes students spend per week in physical education will not impede their academic achievement. • Increasing the amount of time students spend in physical education may make small positive contributions to academic achievement, particularly for girls. • Regular physical activity and physical fitness are associated with higher levels of academic performance. • Physical activity is beneficial to general cognitive functioning.

15. Conclusions • Conclusion 1: Policymakers must stop trying to justify cuts to physical education onthe grounds that such cuts will strengthen school achievement or, ultimately, theeconomy. • Conclusion 2: Policymakers, school administrators, and teachers should stop arguingover whether physical education is essential. • Conclusion 3: School administrators must aggressively make room for physicaleducation.

16. Part 3: The Impact IMPACT

17. Teachers • Loss of Job • Larger class sizes • Heavy class schedule • Less resources • Feel overwhelmed and stressed. • Lack of training and professional development “The Bag of Magic Tricks Syndrome”

18. All Students According to NASPE, the benefits of Physical Education include • Improved Physical Fitness • Skill Development • Regular, Healthful Physical Activity • Support of Other Subject Areas • Self Discipline • Improved Judgment • Stress Reduction • Strengthened Peer Relationships • Improved Self-confidence and Self-esteem • Experience Setting Goals

19. Students with Disabilities • Able-bodied students are exposed to a variety of activities and leave the program with the ability to successfully participate in two or more lifetime leisure activities. • However, students with moderate and severe disabilities will only acquire critical lifetime leisure skills if training focuses intensely on these skills.

20. Part 4: What Can We Do

21. Teaching Philosophy • Remember you are responsible for ALL students (no matter the size of the class). • Focus on the student and not the disability. • Everyone likes to experience success and be complimented. • Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. You can learn a lot by experiencing failure. • Keep up to date with the latest best practices and research. • Teach life-long skills.

22. Professional Development • Graduate Programs • West Chester University’s Adapted Physical Education Graduate Certificate • Slippery Rock University’s Graduate Program in Adapted Physical Activity • University of Toledo’s M.Ed. Adapted Physical Education • Webinars • AAPAR’S Adapted Physical Education Webinars • Useful Websites • PECentral • PEUniverse • Adventure To Fitness

23. Teaching Strategies Checklist • Teaching Style and Structure of class • Class Format, and Size of Group • Level of Methodology (cues, demonstrations, physical assistance) • Student Communication • Starting and Stopping Signals • Time of Day • Duration • Order of Learning • Instructional Setting • Elimination of Distractions • Level of difficulty • Motivation

24. Real-World Challenge Activity • Go to PEUniverse and search for one new activity that you have never taught before. • After picking the activity, come up with modifications to maximize participation for all students. • Think about what type of assessments you can use with this activity. • Think of ways to incorporate other subject areas into the lessons. The activity “Pyramid Battle” (created by Corey Baxter) is a great example of integrating academics and physical education. I have tried this lesson before and my students loved it! • Remember, we need to show our schools the importance of a quality physical education program! • Let’s break the stereotypes that all physical education teachers just roll out the ball and play games. We are teaching skills that are beneficial for the future!

25. Summary • Over 300,000 teaching jobs have been cut in the United States between 2008 and 2011. • School districts in Pennsylvania have eliminated or left vacant nearly 20,000 education jobs. • Physical education is one area that is in danger of being cut. • Decreasing (or eliminating) the time allotted for physical education in favor of traditional academic subjects does not lead to improved academic performance. • I.D.E.A mandates that physical education is provided to students with disabilities. • However, there are no federal laws that mandate that physical education be taught in public schools to children without disabilities.

26. Summary • For children with disabilities, obesity rates are approximately 38% higher than for children without disabilities. • Students with moderate and severe disabilities will only acquire critical lifetime leisure skills if training focuses intensely on these skills. • It is up to the physical education teachers to show the importance and impact a quality physical education program can have on all students. • I think that the word “healthy” should be used in ever school districts’ mission statement when describing their goals for the students.

27. Works-Cited Page Adapted Physical Education National Standards. (2008). Retrieved December 26, 2012,from http://www.apens.org/ Block, M. E. (2006). A teacher’s guide to including students with disabilities in general physical education.(3rd ed.) Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co. National Association for Sport and Physical Education.(2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012,from http://www.aahperd.org /naspe/ President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from http://www.fitness.gov/

28. Works-Cited Page An Alarming Downward Trend in America’s Concern for Physical Education. (N.D). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from http://www.sparkpe.org/ blog/alarming-downward-trend-for-physical-education/ Implications of removing physical education from schools. (N.D). Retrieved December 26, 2012, from http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/implications- of-removing-physical-education-from-school/ The Pennsylvania State Education Association(PSEA). (2012). Retrieved December 26, 2012,from http://www.psea.org/ Trost, S. & Mars, H. (2009). Why we should not cut P.E. Educational Leadership, 67, 60-65.