WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF P.E?
In general P.E. serves 4 important purposes.
1) P.E. increases physical fitness. Our goal is to incorporate all components (strength, flexibility, agility,cardiovascular endurance) of fitness into lessons throughout the year.
2) P.E. nutures a natural love of moving. We do our best to make learning and moving fun. We believe that this is the age where children really enjoy moving and playing and it is our hope that this enthusiasm remains as they grow.
3) Everyday in P.E. classes students learn and practice basic locomoter(hopping, skipping, running,ect.) manipulative(dribbling, kicking,throwing,ect.) and nonmanipulative(balancing,twisting,rolling,ect.) skills ,as well as, a multitude of spacial concepts(up,down,over/under,right/left,ect.).
4) P.E. helps create good citizens. Possibly the most important benefit of P.E. is the teaching and reinforcement of all aspects of good citizenship. In every class fairplay, responsibility , cooperation, sharing, honesty, and other virtues are strongly stressed.
Still as true today as back then
The principles of law-abiding citizenship, of individual iniative, of courage, justice, and perseverance, of community cooperation, and healthy living in general are learned to a considerable extent through play. The spirit of honesty, fairplay, truthfulness, reliability, friendship, respect for authority and for others' feelings, and many other homely virtues are acquired in the same way. Play makes for a better mind in a better body. It induces keener perception, surer judgement, better reasoning, sound emotions and a stronger will. It is effective in securing order and system.
TWO HUNDRED GAMES THAT TEACH BY: Laura Smith, 1923