Getting Physical

Abstract

Sport and physical activity have been part of my family’s culture; this shaped the person I grew up to be and the key values (group cooperation, professionalism and punctuality) I choose to display in all aspects of my life. When I began my teaching practice, however, I witnessed the difficulty of catering for all students, discovering that not all liked Physical Education (PE) as much as I did. Those interested in PE select it as their elective straightaway in first semester, leaving others to choose it for second semester, and thus I saw the ratio of students not interested in sports shift dramatically. Through my teaching experiences I learned that a student’s attitude towards PE can be influenced by multiple factors, including family, whether the school provides a quality PE program taught by skilled staff, and whether students perceive that teachers enjoy what they are teaching—an idea I tried to implement, often by joining in lessons to help create my intended atmosphere. The community also plays a role, with the availability of parks, ovals, bike paths and beaches providing opportunities for physical activity. While multiple factors thus influence young people’s participation in physical activity, the quality of teaching and school resources can foster positive participation in PE, and hopefully this will carry over into a physically active lifestyle.