Gym Class: Useful or Useless?

Gym class. It’s a requirement for all four years of high school, or so people have been telling me as everyone stresses about their courses for next year. A lot of people think of gym as playing capture the flag outside in June, running the mile back in sixth grade, and playing ultimate football at Pollard. However, at the high school, there’s a lot more to it. In ninth grade, we had sex education half the time, and sophomore year we got to pick between CPR, yoga, and more. The Needham public schools system definitely offers a lot of opportunities when it comes to gym class, but can it be improved?

The gym class debate has gone on for years, with students, parents, and teachers across the country joining in to offer opinions. The time-old argument for gym class is that it helps counteract American obesity and teaches kids healthy lifestyles, especially those who don’t participate in sports outside of school. High school students also say that it offers them a break between classes and a chance to connect with their friends during the school day, which can definitely get a little overwhelming. And for younger kids, it can be a good chance to work on fine motor skills and get some energy out during the day.

However, in addition to being a possible liability for schools, gym can be an uncomfortable environment for kids who aren’t as athletic outside of school. The biggest problem with gym class is it uses the same standard of athletic ability for all kids, regardless of their actual abilities. For example, it can make kids feel awkward when they go to math class in a full sweat after taking 15 minutes to run the mile, while the kids who maybe play soccer finished it with no problem in 6 minutes. No one actually puts that much stock in their middle school mile time, but it can be humiliating to experience this as a core memory of gym class and school in general. Even in my own experience, I’ve had friends be embarrassed to do the ropes course because they’re worried about looking stupid, not knowing what to do, or seeming un-athletic.That’s no way for a gym class environment to be. Before anyone can make the argument that “well, it’s good for unathletic kids because they can get started on a healthier lifestyle!”- I would present the counterargument that working out doesn’t seem that attractive after you’ve been required to do it, while surrounded by more athletic people, for years. Also, if kids aren’t athletic by choice by the time they’re say, in high school, they’re unlikely to start as adults, because people tend to stick with what they’re comfortable with and have practiced.

One way to fix this is to let students choose specific activities within gym, and while it is impossible to please everyone in the class simultaneously, presenting options at the beginning of the course would certainly help overall morale in the class. For example, if there are kids who love science, but aren’t necessarily coordinated enough to climb the rock wall, they can learn about substance abuse and the six dimensions of wellness in the classroom, while still fulfilling the gym class requirement to learn healthy habits. Kids who do school sports could have the option to do yoga or learn CPR so they don’t overexert themselves.

Another option is to have the choice of a different class entirely. Although home economics is a little outdated, classes like personal finance could be taken instead of gym, to free up student schedules for another academic class. Life skills like those taught in personal finance are arguably more important than those we learn in gym, and with the extra half-year block open, students could choose another class that maybe they didn’t have time for because of the fitness requirement. And for students who are really interested in getting a workout in during the school day, they could take a personal fitness class in the gym or play a sport in the main gym. School should be about using student time efficiently and getting them to do and learn about things they are actually interested in, not just fulfilling graduation requirements.

But what do Needham High School students think about gym class? A poll on the Hilltopper’s instagram account revealed that out of 108 students, 84 said they did not like gym class, while only 24 said they did. One student pointed out that gym glass is often gendered and divided into the two binary gender categories, which can make genderqueer and gender non-conforming students uncomfortable. Even regardless of gender, student responses cited awkwardness and not feeling comfortable engaging in the physical activity that gym class requires. Multiple students argued that for those who already do a sport, gym is unnecessary because they already get their exercise out of class, so it takes away from time to do other things. Others thought that the mental health and self-care parts of the curriculum should be mandatory, while the physical fitness requirement should be dropped. A few more pointed out that many students don’t take it seriously, which detracts from the value of the class and can overlook important parts of the curriculum. A number also noted that, especially when choosing classes for senior year, when many new electives are made available, that having one less self-selected class can be frustrating and seem pointless.

Gym class has always been controversial, and the question of whether or not to include it in highschool curriculum will undoubtedly remain an issue for years to come. So what can we do about it? The most important thing to do, as with any issue, is to just start a dialogue. Ask those around you what they think can be improved about gym, their experiences with it, and what can be done about it. As with anything that needs to be done, it starts by doing the little things,and hopefully, by starting this dialogue about gym class, we can start making real changes to students’ comfort and productivity in school.