Author(s): Rick Ferkel, Ray Allen, David Stodden and Ryan Sacko

Abstract:
SHAPE America’s National Physical Education Content Standards Task Force has released the Guiding Principles and Students Attributes that are being used to shape the national standards “rewrite”. The emphasis of the Task Force is predominantly on a new social domain while minimizing the “physical” education that has been the foundation of the discipline. This paper provides evidence-based rationale and a strong voice of dissent on the current direction of the Task Force and to validate the importance of our field to continue to educate in the physical as a) it is greatly needed for our societal well-being (physical activity, fitness, health) and b) it is crucial for our subject matter to be relevant and valued in the school system. The current National Standards have an established vision to promote physical literacy in students that coincides with the long history of focusing on physical and affective development. The debate should not be over adding a social domain and moving away from the physical, but rather what curricular content should be implemented to reach the current standards along with aligned assessments to evaluate if the standards are being met. This article emboldens the logic on why we should not change our current purpose and vision, which provides a unique contribution to K-12 education and society as a whole. We must get back to our foundation and seek out how to do it better rather than changing that focus, which will hinder students’ ability to stay physically active and fit for a lifetime.

Pages: 173-178  |  757 Views  440 Downloads

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