Tag: physical

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Laguna Blanca honors physical education teacher Andra Wilson

Laguna Blanca honors physical education teacher Andra Wilson
COURTESY PHOTOS
Andra Wilson, a health and physical education teacher at Laguna Blanca School, has received the 2021 Faculty Excellence Award. Andra Wilson is known for her dedication to keeping students healthy through her physical education classes.

Andra Wilson has received Laguna Blanca’s 2021 Faculty Excellence Award.

Ms. Wilson has taught physical education, health, wellness and personal development since 2006 at the school, which has campuses in Hope Ranch in Santa Barbara and Montecito. 

She also has served as assistant athletic director, P.E. coach at Camp Cito day camp and coordinator of the Middle School Advisory Program for several years.

Mostly recently, Ms. Wilson became Laguna’s Challenge Success coordinator.

“Andra infuses energy and excitement into every role she has on campus,” Laguna Blanca staff said in a news release. “Her love for health and wellness extends not only to Laguna students but to the faculty and staff as well. She was instrumental to bringing bi-weekly on-campus workouts to campus for Laguna employees through Reveal Fitness.”

During the pandemic, Ms. Wilson helped students before they were allowed back on campus. She presented 20 one-minute virtual fitness challenges that kept students and faculty healthy during the pandemic. “It was the perfect example of her athleticism and the joy she brings to teaching,” Laguna Blanca staff noted.

“This year alone, Andra stepped into a multitude of challenges and added COVID responsibilities to her plate in order to best serve her students,” said Melissa Alkire, head of the Upper School. “This was evidenced in the Middle and Upper athletic training program that she began when all other schools in the county were neither in-person nor able to maintain in-person afternoon activities for their school.

“Andra’s work across every single grade at Hope Ranch ensured that our students were finding balance and joy after their early days of remote school,” Ms. Alkire said in the news release. “When sports began, Andra supported Director of Athletics Jason Donnelly fully as he worked to unpack the COVID guidance, which was evolving each week. She was his teammate and demonstrated her strong character in this role.”

In addition, Ms. Wilson partnered with Pacific Pride Foundation to hold inclusive conversations about relationships and gender identity.

“I wish we could have an entire faculty full of Andras,” colleague Tara Broucqsault said. “She has thrived at each level at Laguna. Her pure heart inspires all those fortunate enough to call her teacher and a trusted colleague.”

Ms. Wilson grew up in Malvern, Pa., and earned a bachelor’s in health and physical education at West Chester University in West Chester, Pa. She began her career as a collegiate-certified athletic trainer before completing her Pennsylvania teacher certification in 2003.

Then she worked as a health and physical education teacher in Pennsylvania’s Central Bucks School District before moving in 2006 to Santa Barbara and teaching at Laguna Blanca School.

email: [email protected]

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A Proclamation on National Physical Fitness And Sports Month, 2021

A Proclamation on National Physical Fitness And Sports Month, 2021

Despite the unprecedented challenges and disruptions of the past year, we continue to see examples of Americans finding innovative ways to stay active and healthy.  Some have moved their workouts into their living rooms or garages.  Others have taken up new sports.  Many have simply rediscovered the satisfaction of a walk through their neighborhood.  Despite this creativity, far too many people struggle to incorporate regular physical activity into their daily lives.  Socioeconomic disparities, lack of opportunities for safe play, and limited access to programs for increased activity are just a few of the inequities that many Americans face — inequities that have been further exacerbated by the pandemic.  During this National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, we encourage all Americans to stay active for their health and wellbeing.  Whether by pursuing a more active lifestyle, making physical activity a priority and an essential part of everyday living, or supporting efforts in local communities that increase access to sports and physical fitness opportunities for all, participating in physical activities leads to a healthier lifestyle.

Physical activity is one of the best tools we have to help combat chronic diseases experienced by over half of all Americans.  Even a single session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can boost your mood, sharpen your focus, reduce your stress, and improve your sleep.  More regular physical activity — over months or years — can contribute to a reduced risk of depression, heart disease, several types of cancer, dementia, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

No matter our age or ability, the more that we can make regular physical activity and participation in sports a part of our lives, the better off both we and our Nation will be.  Greater amounts of physical activity can have positive effects in every stage of life and lead to better overall health outcomes for both children and adults, including those with disabilities.  The Department of Health and Human Services’ Move Your Way campaign provides helpful tips to encourage children and adults to meet the recommendations from the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Active People, Healthy Nation initiative provides a blueprint for building active communities to make it easier for all Americans to attain the physical activity they need, with a goal of getting 27 million more Americans physically active by 2027. 

By transcending differences and uniting in celebration of physical activity, healthy competition, and shared enjoyment, sports are a fun and engaging way to stay active and keep fit for people of all ages.  For our Nation’s youth, playing sports can also help to build confidence on and off the field, while team sports foster the added virtues of service to common causes and communal responsibility — win or lose, every game offers the opportunity to learn something new or hone your skills.  Every athletic challenge is an avenue to greater mental and physical resilience.  While social distancing has made participation in organized sports challenging, we can use this time to renew our focus on fundamental skills and training in preparation for a return to play, especially for young athletes. 

Our Nation can and must do more to make sure that every child has the opportunity to play sports and obtain the benefits that come with play, including greater physical fitness and better health.  As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that we ensure equal access to sports and fitness activities for everyone.  To that end, my Administration continues to promote programs that provide opportunities for all of our young people to play sports — regardless of their race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, or neighborhood — in support of the National Youth Sports Strategy.

I encourage every American to discover an enjoyable exercise activity that fits into their daily routine.  It does not matter how you choose to be active — whether you are trying your hand at a new sport, exploring a local park, or going for a walk or a jog in your own neighborhood, physical activity holds the key to better health and wellness.  During National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, let us all strive to be more active together.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2021 as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. I call upon the people of the United States to make daily physical activity a priority, to support efforts to increase access to sports opportunities in their communities, and to pursue physical fitness as an essential part of healthy living.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Physical activity in children can be improved through ‘exergames’

Physical activity in children can be improved through ‘exergames’
physical activity
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Physical activity among young people can be improved by well-designed and delivered online interventions such as ‘exergames’ and smartphone apps, new research shows.

According to a review study carried out at the University of Birmingham, children and young people reacted positively in PE lessons to the use of exergames, which deliver physical activity lessons via games or personalized activities. Changes included increases in physical activity levels, but also improved emotions, attitudes and motivations towards physical activity.

The study, published in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy is one of the first to examine not only the impact of online interventions on physical behaviors in non-clinical groups of young people but the effects of digital mediums on physical activity knowledge, social development and improving mental health.

The evidence can be used to inform guidance for health and education organizations on how they can design online interventions to reach and engage young people in physical activity.

The authors analyzed 26 studies of online interventions for physical activity. They found three main mechanisms at work: gamification, in which participants progress through different levels of achievement; personalization, in which participants received tailored feedback and rewards based on progress; and information, in which participants received educational material or guidance to encourage behavioral change.

Most of the interventions were focused on gamification or personalisation and the researchers found the majority of studies (70{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}) reported an increase and/or improvement in outcomes related to physical activity for children and young people who participated in online interventions. Primary school age pupils in particular who participated during PE lessons benefited.  

Lead author Dr. Victoria Goodyear, in the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Science, said: “We find convincing evidence that PE teachers can use online learning to boost attitudes and participation in physical activity among young people, particularly at primary school age. There’s a real opportunity here for the PE profession to lead the way in designing meaningful and effective online exercise opportunities, as well as an opportunity to embed positive approaches to exercise and online games and apps at an early stage.”

Girls ‘least likely’ to enjoy fitness tests, finds study

More information:
Students’ perceptions of fitness testing in physical education across primary, secondary, and pre-university school levels: a motivational profiles perspective, DOI: 10.1080/17408989.2021.1953458

Provided by
University of Birmingham


Citation:
Physical activity in children can be improved through ‘exergames’ (2021, August 26)
retrieved 28 November 2021
from https://phys.org/news/2021-08-physical-children-exergames.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
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State laws can bolster physical education among children, study finds – The Source

State laws can bolster physical education among children, study finds – The Source

The presence and strength of state physical education (P.E.) laws positively affected P.E. attendance and the frequency and duration of physical activity throughout the day, suggests a new analysis from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

“We found that compared to those residing in states with weak or no P.E. laws, students in states with strong P.E. laws had an additional 0.2 days of P.E. attendance per week and spent an additional 33.9 minutes participating in P.E. classes per week,” said Ruopeng An, associate professor and first author of the paper “State Laws Governing School Physical Education in Relation to Attendance and Physical Activity among Students in the US: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” published in the March print issue of the Journal of Sport and Health Science.

An also wrote an editorial on policy and physical activity published in the issue.

Physical activity among children and adolescents has been an indispensable way to prevent childhood obesity and mental illnesses, An said. Currently, over three-quarters of children and adolescents in the U.S. don’t meet the guidelines-recommended daily physical activity level — at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day of the week, he said.

“In the meantime, nearly half of children and adolescents exceed two hours per day of sedentary behavior,” An said. “The gender disparity is also prominent — 28{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of boys meet the guidelines-recommended level of physical activity, whereas only 20{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of girls do.”

Despite the promising policy effect, state laws mandating P.E. participation have seen a sharp decline by school grade level — only 15{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf}, 9{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} and 6{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of students in elementary, middle and high schools in the U.S., respectively, are required to take P.E. classes on three or more days a week during the entire academic year, An said.

“Our analysis shows that state P.E. laws affected girls’ physical activity more than boys’,” he said, “It is possible that girls are less likely to take P.E. as an elective course so that mandating P.E. increases girls’ P.E. time more substantially than boys.”

“Not all laws are born equal,” An said. “Different aspects of state P.E. laws tended to affect students’ P.E. attendance differently. Certain parts of the laws could be counterproductive — reducing rather than increasing students’ P.E. attendance.”

Based on An’s earlier work published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, state laws governing P.E. class time, staffing for P.E., joint use agreement for physical activity, assessment of health-related fitness and P.E. curriculum all were associated with increased weekly P.E. attendance.

In contrast, state laws governing physical activity time in P.E., P.E. proficiency and recess time were associated with reduced P.E. attendance. “For example, mandating fitness tests could raise concerns and anxiety and reinforce peer pressure and a competitive atmosphere among students. Consequently, some students may choose to skip P.E. to avoid performance assessment,” An explained.

An conducts research to assess environmental influences and population-level interventions on weight-related behaviors and outcomes throughout the life course. He is an expert on physical activity and the sedentary lifestyle.

A total of 17 studies were included in the review, and five contributed to the meta-analyses. Eight used nationally representative school- or student-level data; three focused on multiple states; and the remaining six examined the P.E. laws of a single state.

An and his co-authors, Jianxiu Liu and Ruidong Liu of Tsinghua University in China, found that some states have policy waivers that may exempt children from P.E. attendance in school.

“Some of those policy waivers could compromise students’ participation in P.E. and their physical activity levels at school,” An said. “Based on the available evidence, states should implement strong evidence-based P.E. laws to increase P.E. attendance and promote physical activity engagement among school students.”

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Homeschooling mothers are ‘extremists’ now

Homeschooling mothers are ‘extremists’ now

As lawmakers, technology companies, and media outlets try to come up with more restraints on “extremists,” it’s important to keep an eye on whom they include under that label, Pay Per Touch.

You might think, when a journalist, tech mogul, or politician says “extremist” speech needs to be reined in or we need more federal surveillance of extremists, that they are talking about neo-Nazis or coup-plotters. We know, though, that “extremist” has long been expanded to include anyone with fringe beliefs, such as polygamists or RFK-style anti-vaxxers. Also, “anti-vaxxer” has been expanded beyond its old meaning, which involved rejection of all vaccines, to now include anyone who doesn’t want the COVID vaccines.

The trend here is to gradually stretch the definition of “extremist.” This combines with the trend of demanding new government and corporate efforts against “extremism.” The ugly result is a massive push to crack down on a huge portion of the country that rejects the cultural demands of the elites.

It’s an ever-widening culture war purge.

The Sacramento Bee has just published
a great exhibit in this “Great Excommunication
.” It’s a 4,000-word, sprawling piece warning that “women in extremist circles often use their leadership to uphold white male culture.”

You see, typically, a reporter for a major newspaper uses a shortcut to show you that some group is bad — they point out that the person is a white male, or the group is dominated by white males. That shortcut isn’t available when the groups the newspaper wants to villainize are run by women. To build a greater permission structure for hating women with bad politics while still preserving the ability to use identity politics to protect one’s own belief from criticism, the Sacramento Bee ran this opus.

That’s the strategic purpose. Here’s the tactic, which is also tried and true: Blend together extremism, fringiness, or slightly odd beliefs with perfectly normal people you just happen to dislike because they are of another cultural tribe.

Mark Hemingway pointed out the core paragraph of this piece:

Got that? This piece profiles women who object to vaccine mandates, homeschool their children, or don’t want their 4-year-old to be forced to wear a mask while trying to learn speech alongside white nationalists and QAnon ladies. These people are causally called “conspiracy theorists” in a piece that attempts to link violent rioters to women who form homeschool pods and try to grow their own lettuce.

You may recall the recent effort by education bureaucrats, the news media, and the Biden administration to tar parents as domestic terrorists if they got upset about their schools’ failures. This is all part of the same effort: Politically active parents on the Right, or even those who opt for some sort of child rearing outside the governmental channels, are now extremists.

So, recall, the next time someone calls for action against “extremists,” they are including homeschooling mothers.

VISIT : https://paypertouch.com/

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Career Paths You Can Take with a Physical Education Degree

Career Paths You Can Take with a Physical Education Degree

Do you feel called to educate others to live healthy lives through fitness? Do you feel called to coach others to enjoy athletic competition through sport participation? If so, pursuing a graduate physical education degree could be a great option for you.

Physical educators work on the front lines each day to help students stay healthy, not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. With about 13.7 million overweight or obese children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these educators can play a key role in reversing the trend. Many also serve as leaders and change agents in their communities, whether as coaches, counselors, or managers in a variety of settings.