Phys. Ed. mandatory?

[Dr.Re_Animator]

Here in New York, PE is mandatory throughout public schooling, I even had a form of it in pre-k!

While it is a good idea to get children running around active, some kids don't like some of the things that the gym teacher has them do. I hated tennis, football and basket ball, I had very little coordination and speed for them. I did like softball (strange with the coordination problem), floor hockey and big base (a form of kick ball that we played inside when it was raining or snowing. And anyone who went to my high school will know this too).

I would have rather had the "team building exercises". It exercised the mind and the body. You would get into groups and try to solve a problem. My favorite was the "bomb" problem. You had to get all of the team members (10 or so) to the other side of the gym (the width) on a scooter without any falling off (I can't remember if everyone had to go back or just that person), and you had to bring the "bomb" over, a ball in a cup balanced on a tennis racket, if that fell over at any time everyone had to go back to the other side. You only had the scooter, a too short piece of string and the "bomb".
They were really fun, and they made you feel a part of the group. Not like sports where they would yell at you for not doing something right or going too slow. It was a group effort and everyone had to do it, so the stronger people had to help the weaker, and the smarter people could figure out a strategy.

[lowemce]

I took it online. Didn't have enough time with my advanced academics to fit any phys ed in.

If you're overweight or unhealthy, then yes, you should have to take it.

O.o How in the world did you take it online? T.T Why didn't I know about this? It would've saved me so much stress from when I was going through my AP courses!

In my school (and my province xD) in order to graduate from High School you MUST take PE from Grade 8 to 10 and then AFTER that you must complete 80 hours of Physical activity on YOUR OWN TIME in Grades 11 and 12 otherwise you WILL NOT graduate. >< I think it's a pretty fair idea though. I mean, we're not high on the list of obesity in Canada, but we sure as hell ain't far from it! xDDDD

[kiki3321]

I like gym. It's fun to me. And I'm probably the most nonathletic person in my class except for one or two people who will only move when the ball's about to smack them in the face. I think gym should be required because a lot of people don't get enough exercise. Sure, some people can walk to school. But not someone one town over! Some people on my bus have to ride for 20-30 minutes to get to school. They can't walk (well, yeah, they could but it would take a long time and they would lose sleep which might be more unhealthy than a slight weight problem). And sure there are flights of stairs you need to climb but what about peoples whose schedules are like mine? I have one class on the 3rd floor and one on the 2nd. The other 7 classes I have are on the first floor as well as my locker. That's not much exercise at all. Most of my classes are close to each other too. Class 104 to 101 then to 115 my schools set up in a circle like fasion with a courtyard to cut through if needed so 101 is practically right next to 115.

Besides, if someone really didn't want to do physical education they wouldn't. A whole group of my friends just skipped all the time (didn't dress/wear sneakers) and they still passed.

[SavAnnah1237]

Naw, I don't think it should be..
Like stated many times before, a lot of kids walk home &/or too school.

Even myself.
It takes me an hour, almost 2, too get home. :x

In Canada, @ My school, Its mandatory to take it all throughout Elementary school
& 1 year in Highschool.

[Trish the Stalker]

Naw, I don't think it should be..
Like stated many times before, a lot of kids walk home &/or too school.

Even myself.
It takes me an hour, almost 2, too get home. :x

In Canada, @ My school, Its mandatory to take it all throughout Elementary school
& 1 year in Highschool.

80% of the kids in my high school were from out of town or across town, walking never happened. A lot of kids is not all of them. Most take the bus, and a lot get rides. I think teaching kids to get active is a good idea because a lot of them don't expose themselves to much physical activity on a regular basis. And walking is not very much work, a half hour of a truly healthy workout is worth about 3 hours of walking.

[SpringMoon]

I think PE for one year in high school is fine. The remaining three years should focus on education, getting into a good college, and skills used in the real world (such as job training). They could make it an elective for the last three years. I don't view PE as effective because most of the period is spend stretching or running. But if they make it a requirement, the least they can do is make it more fun, or allow the students to take an outside class (such as dancing), have the teacher sign a paper for each class, and get credit for it.