Overview
It’s no secret that adequate physical activity is necessary for a schoolchild’s overall well-being. The benefits of physical education in schools are significant, including improved physical health of students and better academic performance. Physical education is more than running on a track or hitting a ball. It improves children’s health and well-being and teaches important life skills. Obesity continues to increase around the world, and more and more people lead a sedentary lifestyle. Encouraging a positive attitude towards exercise from an early age can help them stay healthy as they age.
Physical benefits
It is well documented that at least 30 minutes of daily exercise is a great way to get fit. Physical health can delay the onset of disease and statistically increase life expectancy. Daily P.E. Activities, especially in middle and high school, are a great way to keep teens active.
Because this lesson is part of their school day, students do not need extracurricular activities or club memberships to meet the recommended daily level. Not only are they comfortable as students, but the coach and teacher teach them many skills that will encourage them to continue contributing throughout their lives after high school.
Physical health contributes to a longer life, but it can also be a factor in improving the quality of life. Physical activity is important for long-term health promotion. It also helps increase the health benefits beyond the physical sensation. It can also have a positive effect on mental health. This becomes even more important for students because mental health is very dangerous for young people, especially during a pandemic.
Psychological benefits
It’s no secret that many teenagers go through phases where they struggle with body image issues. Weight gain can be a big problem for young people, both physically and psychologically, which can contribute to mental health problems. Regular exercise in physical education classes can combat this problem. Exercise also has other mental health benefits, such as reduced stress, improved mood, better self-esteem, and increased mental awareness. All this brings a very positive benefit to students.
In an age where students are suffering from mental health problems at an alarming rate, PE lessons can certainly help tackle this huge problem. The pandemic has left many students and adults struggling to cope with austerity measures and government orders. Mental health problems among teenagers were common even before the pandemic. However, recent strategies of the Covid-19 pandemic have exacerbated existing mental health problems among students and created new challenges for others.
Finding ways to avoid these problems is now more important than ever. 30 minutes of daily activity during PE classes can help students develop coping mechanisms and reduce depression and suicidal thoughts.
Social and emotional benefits
Of course, there are some characteristics that young people can develop through being active, which is another advantage of physical education in schools. Many athletes have the opportunity to develop their leadership qualities by being active in a team. Being part of a group is something that almost everyone has to experience at some point. Physical education lessons are structured around group activities, preparing students for real group situations.
They can develop their communication skills with classmates and improve their academic performance. Being physically active and working toward goals or benchmarks, especially in a group setting, can build self-confidence. Since relationships develop through group membership, peer acceptance will necessarily come with the ability to empathize with others.
How to change physical education due to covid, and how to adapt to that change?
This pandemic has revolutionized the way of life in schools. Even though the academic year 2020-2021 has been extremely difficult, educators are slowly figuring out how to adapt. First, physical education lessons are not the same. The locker rooms were closed for P.E. Uniforms are not common. At first, playing with equipment and playing with others are discouraged.
Gradually, the situation began to change. This allowed me to attend gym classes until sports and extracurricular activities returned to normal. Although classes have changed and last school year was almost a holiday, this year, everything is back to normal. Some schools still require wearing masks indoors, but P.E. In many American schools in Dubai, uniforms, access to lockers, and play equipment are not an obstacle. This is a great relief for lovers of sports and physical activity. For too long, societies have been deprived of things that make up a large part of our lives. Both children and adults were very disappointed by the suspension of sports and school activities. Not only do children enjoy watching these events, but so do parents and community members. Physical education lessons can create a level of interest in students they carry with them throughout their lives. Often this interest leads to physical activity through lifelong activities taught in daily physical education classes.