USA on the Rest of the World

Good point BTA. In the last time I have seen a couple of kids who were clearly obese, at the age of 13. Horror. They will never be healthy, and not even with sport. And I don't even want to think of what they go through at the hands of the other pupils. Kids are amoral.

It is remarkable, that schools are increasingly tasked with compensating for family shortcomings, like making kids do sport, or teaching them what to eat and what to avoid, basic things in life.

 

I don't know why you think you should have to choose between PE or Geography. We somehow managed to do both (gasp!) when I was at school. And maths and science and reading as well! We must have had time machines to fit so much in because it is clearly impossible now.

 

Harborboy,
I had time for both, too. Point is, that if you're a fat immobile slug you'll live a miserable life, no matter how well you know the world map.

My neigbour weighs in at 300+ pd, and I witness his suffering daily, when he torments himself up two stairs to his flat. I pray I'll never be like that, never. Well, and I run and try to eat sensibly. And I have favourable genes I guess. But still. A quote from iirc Sindbad: Trust in Allah, but mind tethering your horse.

Without wanting to prioritise PE over geography, the consequences of ignorance in geography are merely embarassing, not unhealthy.

 

I don't think physical eduaction prevents anyone from becoming obese. If you are in shape when you start with physical education you're likely to remain that way and the same goes for those out of shape. Unless you start using some serious military tactics you aren't going to change anything,and I for one think that military tactics in schools is a bad thing and just help to create an hostile enviorment for those who allready have trouble with PE.

 

This is the best way to produce an uneducated population of dumbs, who know jack of the world, know jack of their nation's history, and believe all rubbish that comes from the television.
Of course the many dates of history (except the really important ones) and other much lexical stuff can be forgotten (in fact, they really shouldn't be learned too seriously), but not knowing where New Zealand, Luxemburg or Czechoslovakia is located should be a shame for every person who believes himself/herself to be an intelligent being, regardless of his or her profession.

On the other hand, I can second your words about PE. The health of children (and thus their life) is at stake. Additionally, regarding its relationship with studying/research/job: there is no efficient, productive intellectual work without proper physical condition. The harmony of body and mind.

Just like Harbourboy, I see no reason why there would be a need to choose between them. Both are possible (or should be made possible).

 

Thats true. Its annoying having to answer stupid questions about my country - "is it true that Irish people drink warm beer?", or "do you have Chinese restaurants over there?".

 

Well the confusion concerning Czechoslovakia would be quite understandable considering that there's no such country anymore, but I assume that it was only a slip of thought.

 

Nice catch! (It was intentional )

 

That's a valid counterarguement. Afterall, we are talking about introductory courses here, and as such, you really aren't taking them with the idea of having complete understanding. However, I think that physics is a special case. Afterall, Newtonian physics was developed as a direct result of calculus, a study of mathematics that also happened to be pioneered by Newton. That having been said, if you aren't interested in showing proofs of Newton's equations, you can do basic physics provided you have had basic algebra, which is taught long before high school.

 

Sorry, BTA - I thought you were being ironic. But I could not disagree more regarding your views on PE and "good habits." What good habits are you referring to? There is a difference between being healthy and being fit. We had a seperate class, which was devoted to health that had nothing to do with PE and it dealt with nutrition and those kinds of issues. But I really don't get all this rhetoric that people don't learn any of this through the media or that it is so difficult - Have you seen the array of info-mercials with fitness junk? I wish someone here could be specific on why PE is so great, instead of speaking in such broad generalities.

 

PE is great because playing Bombardment rules! Volleyball is fun! Chicks is gym shorts...yes! Dude, c'mon...

The word you are forgetting is 'fun'.

 

LNT - Yes, I agree that it is fun. I never took PE in high school, I was in marching band and drum and bugle corp instead. But I fail to see how PE is more useful than history or geography, regarding education.

 

On Wednesday I attended a lecture by Dr. Kyle Pruett, a child psychologist at Yale, researcher, author, and consultant to the preschool we use. He pointed out that there is an overwhelming amount of research that supports the idea that physical exercise - particularly activity that focuses on mastery of a skill - improves children's ability to learn, and their interest in learning about the world around them. Conversely, there is NO (nada, zip, zilch, zero) research that supports the "earlier, faster, better" approach.

Yet another problem with NCLB is that it forces schools to teach to the test, and doesn't leave time for PE, even when the authorities all say that PE is necessary.

 

BTA - Why is it important for your health to be fit? If your activity is equal to your calorie intake, than why is it important? If you get some physical activity, like walking or running around the neighborhood a bit, eating enough of the right foods and getting enough rest, (in another words, staying healhty) who needs to be "fit?" It sounds like just another money-making scheme, especially by fitness clubs, workout equipment companies and overpaid coaches.

 

To be attractive to the opposite sex. Plus it helps when you're confronted by three or four goons in some dark alley and you've got to open a can of whoop-ass.

 

Well, OK. But it seems silly to me, at least, that what I put into one sentence needs to be taught almost every day for 12 years. I mean if they want to just let a bunch a students run around the track a couple times, a few days a week, than I suppose that's fine. It just doesn't seem like education, or something that needs to be taught. I had to take 2 semesters of PE in college to get my degree. And that's what we did - it was my last class of the day and we walked over to the stadium, ran around the field a few times, then I got in my car and drove home. Then I had to study for my real classes.