Philosophy

CHATHAM CENTRAL SCHOOLS

PHYSICAL EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY

"COMMIT TO BE FIT"

The ultimate goal of the Chatham Central School District's Physical Education program is to aid students in achieving their fullest potential at living a Healthy Lifesyle. Through the acquisition of sequential knowledge and skills that are taught and performed; students leave this program with an ability to maintain active lifestyles throughout their lifespan.

A physically educated person demonstrates sufficient skill in movement, uses effective game and performance strategies, and follows rules for activities culminating in the ability to perform proficiently in at least one selected activity. Students must learn basic skills, rules and strategies for a variety of team sports, individual sports, lifetime activities and creative movements in order to select personally fulfilling activities for a lifetime. Students must also understand how skills are developed so they can learn new skills later in life or can modify skills to meet changes resulting from aging or injury.

A physically educated person can apply principles of teamwork within physical activity to group activities within the family, community or workplace. Students must display acceptable levels of individual responsibility, cooperation, and respect for self and others in everyday life experiences. Students must learn to problem solve, make decisions, accept responsibilities for consequences, work with decisions made by others, develop and follow procedures, and determine when to compete or cooperate.

A physically educated person develops and maintains a healthy lifestyle. Fitness levels are periodically assessed, and are maintained at sufficient levels to allow the learner to participate completely in chosen activities, and reflect a low risk for diseases associated with unhealthy and inactive lifestyle. Students must understand how to assess fitness in each health-related component, must be able to select activities that contribute to improvement or maintenance in each fitness component.

It is our mission to have learners:

• establish a solid foundation for maintaining healthy, active and productive lifestyles

• recognize skills and behaviors essential to healthy lifestyles

• develop movement skills leading toward competency in specific activity, healthy levels of fitness and cooperative interaction skills needed for successful participation in an active lifestyle

• communicate and work in ways that promote and maintain dignity and respect for themselves and others

• develop teamwork and cooperative skills used to work effectively with others, set individual and group goals, solve problems and enhance the quality of interpersonal relationships

• accept responsibility and consequences for personal decisions and behaviors

• increase their capacity to work effectively individually and/or within a group setting

• make positive behavioral choices