Physical education class is undoubtably unique; the monotony of sitting in a desk is broken as students can move, learn sports concepts, and participate in activities. Physical education teachers implement warm-ups, cool-downs, and games to push students toward their goal of sixty minutes of physical activity per day. How do physical education…

As obesity rates rise among youth, physical education classrooms have become a resource for teaching children how to make lifelong changes that will lead to improved overall health. In addition, new curricula and government mandates are focusing on health-related fitness content and its application to lifelong fitness. As these components become…

The purpose of this article is to spotlight successful advocacy of traditional HPE teacher pedagogy in non-school settings and to provide implementation strategies to design college programs to meet the job demands in this field.

Physical educators can expect to work with students experiencing a mental health concern. Mental health concerns are prevalent among children and adolescents in the United States. An estimated 13 to 20% of U.S. children meet the diagnostic criteria for an emotional or behavioral disorder. The purpose of this article is to provide physical…

This article introduces readers to the GoNoodle platform for incorporating physical activity throughout the school day, and describes how one of the features, Ultimate Champ Training, can be used to teach health concepts in the elementary school classroom.

Obesity among children and teens continues to be a major public health concern in the United States. Approximately 16.9% of children and adolescents age 2-19 years are obese. To address this epidemic, schools have been encouraged to develop a coordinated school health program, which includes an interdisciplinary approach to nutrition education.…

The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that youth engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, most of which should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Half of this amount (30 minutes) should be achieved during the school day. NASPE provides guidance in the form of a…

Teaching wellness principles in secondary physical education classes has become an important aspect of physical education as teachers work to help their students develop lifelong healthy lifestyle habits. Many schools now have a required wellness/fitness component as part of their state core requirements. Having developed their teaching skills by…

Summer sport programs provide regular physical activity opportunities for athletically gifted children. Unfortunately, these programs tend to appeal only to children who enjoy competition and are already skilled in these particular team and individual sports. For the remainder--the majority of children--who either lack the skill, opportunity, or…

In recent years efforts have been made to emphasize the need for physical education by showing how physical activity helps students reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease; strengthen bones and muscles; supply energy, reduce stress, and help maintain a healthy body weight. This article describes a variety of proactive fitness strategies…

Those growing up in the 1950s, 60s or 70s are familiar with how physically active children were before computers and video games were introduced. Each neighborhood had its own version of the various games that were played. Many of these games involved a pink rubber ball called a Spaldeen. They were everywhere and almost everyone had one. These…

This article offers readers ideas for using mass media to enhance their physical education program. Generally, media is the term used to define the way in communicating with a large number of people. Technically, media is divided into two categories: print and film (electronic). Print (journals, newspapers, books, etc.) is "put to paper" to create…