IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION
JOSEPH EVANGELISTA
As the saying goes – Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness…
In most of the schools, physical education is part of the curriculum. Apart from maintaining physical fitness, it includes training in the development and care of the human body It helps a person sharpen overall cognitive abilities and motor skills through athletics, exercise and various other physical activities. Seeing its benefits for the body and its effect on life, the importance of physical education can’t be ignored.
Physical education inculcates in children the importance of maintaining a healthy body and teaches then the importance of regular fitness activity in daily routine, which in turn keeps them happy and energized. This helps the children to maintain their fitness, develop their muscular strength and increase their stamina.
Research has proved that children who actively participate in sports, be it team sports or dual and individual sports, have high self-confidence, which is very important for the development of a person’s character. Physical education instills the desire to participate, enjoy victory and take defeat positively, developing the overall personality of the charact er.
By making children participate in sports, especially team sports, physical education also imbibes in them a sense of team spirit. Children learn how to work as a team member, organize themselves and function together towards attaining a goal. This in turn improves a child’s overall communications skills and the ability to get along with different kind of people.
Physical education helps one gain knowledge about the overall aspects of physical health. In today’s world, several health problems like obesity, anemia, bulimia, and even diabetes, are rampant amongst teenagers. Through physical education, teachers can promote the benefits of healthy and nutritious food and discourage them for having junk food by highlighting their ill effects. They can easily promote sound eating practices and guidelines for nutrition.
Physical education also teaches about the importance of personal hygiene and importance of cleanliness. They guide the students by informing them about the important hygiene practices for maintain health and well being throughout the life. In addition to this, the physical education classes also cover an important aspect that the children have to deal with at the age of puberty.
Apart from health and knowledge benefits that students get from physical education, they also learn how to unwind and relieve themselves of stress and anxiety. Sports and other physical fitness activities offered in the physical education classes are a welcome break for the students.
It won’t be wrong to say that children, who learn the importance of health and hygiene in their early ages, tend to grow up to be responsible and healthy adults who are well aware of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Children who are provided good physical education are more likely to become responsible adults who know the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
— oOo— The author is SST I at Mabalacat National High School
LUDIVINA D. MALLARI
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” a very well known verse found in Proverbs 22:6.Nowadays ,21st Century learners are indeed much wiser and inquisitive. They tend to be more curious with lots of things and would want to explore and experience new things.
Aside from these evident characteristics that they possess, disciplining them is somehow an issue on our part already because of how they behave and act as well as speak on some things.
Oftentimes, we tend to reflect on some situations when we experience children answering back or asserting their rights in front of our faces. This would make us think: “Have the values of our children drastically changed?”Have we honed monsters out of how we have reared or even spoiled them”?
But, though things like these are encountered, we cannot just e passive observers witnessing how values of the young ones diminish. We must train them not only being wise, but being upright as well.
As an adult, we must be a good model. Though cliché, it would remain a fact that what adults do would seemingly be right in the eyes of the child. Thus, if we expect them to do well, then we must show they the meaning of being good.
Another thing is to make them know that there is a demarcation line on how they would be treating us. Yes, we would want them to be open, by establishing a non-threatening and child friendly environment but make sure that our children know when we mean business. They must realize that still there are boundaries and limitations between them and us, as an adults.
And lastly, we must train our children to have fear in God. Children who were raised with teachings from the bible would surely act and behave according to the design of the Lord to possess good values. Keeping and doing the commandments of our creator will assure them to have better future.
— oOo— The author is Teacher III at Abelardo G. Tinio Elementary School, Angeles City Division