The benefits of physical education and how this can promote a child’s well being in primary education.

Hello Bloggers,

This blog will explore the benefits of physical education and how this can promote a child’s well being in primary education. 

 “Well-being is a crucial core element of the work of the educational settings” (DCELLS, 2010). This highlights the importance of the teacher’s role in influencing activities in primary schools to promote children’s well-being. Kirsty Williams the cabinet secretary for Education further supports this statement by stating how teacher’s are at the frontline of recognising changes in a child’s health and well-being (Welsh Government, 2017). One of the main health benefits in primary schools today to enhance well-being is the influence of physical education. Ginsburg, (2007); Pellegrini, Dupuis, & Smith, (2007); Rigby & Rodger (2006) all state how engagement in physical activity allows and provides children with opportunities to develop a broad range of skills which link with physical, social and emotional well-being.  Physically, children have the freedom to run around, keep fit and play which improves strength and flexibility. Also, bones become stronger, a child has a much better outlook on life as health is improved and a child is likely to become overweight (Bouchard, 1993). Many suggestions have been made on how physical education should be given the same status and priority as maths, English and science to tackle obesity (The guardian, 2018). Yet, the major concern for Wales is that despite physical education being influenced across society, obesity is still at its highest (BBC, 2018).  Not only does this cause of serious risk of health problems for children, it also negatively affects their overall well-being. Children and young people who are overweight can experience victimisation, discrimination and teasing by their peers, which can contribute to poor peer relationships, school experience and psychological wellbeing. Research shows how obesity has been associated with low-self esteem in children such as mental health problems such as anxiety, stress and loneliness (Morten et al, 2012). This is why it is extremely important for exercise to be influenced in primary schools. Yet, more importantly to have a balance, it is about educating children how to live a healthy life through exercising, and eating a balanced diet and sleeping.

Donaldson is now tackling this at a very young age in education, to improve health and well-being of the nation, which is beginning in schools. This is seen in the Donaldson’s report, ‘Successful Futures’ with the curriculum soon to be implemented in primary schools across Wales (Donaldson, 2015). The review has a positive influence on health and well-being, which will play a core role in education. One of the 4 purposes of the review influences children to become, “healthy, confident individuals” who are ready to achieve in today’s society, to promote a child to focus on “themselves” and “their well-being”(Donaldson,2015). Exercise such as Yoga is being used in schools today, this form of exercise can promote a child’s confidence and fitness. It is used to improve flexibility, reduce stress and address many physical and mental health challenges (Bertzeletos, 2018). Although Jin et al (2016) notes how it is unclear whether or not yoga can improve overall well-being, however, it has been proved to reduce stress and this can lead to a positive beginning. The six areas of learning in the Donaldson’s review focuses on physical education as more of a holistic approach to well-being, instead of being taught in silo subjects, this benefits children as it prepares citizens for the future (Donaldson, 2015).

Physical education leads to benefits beyond physical health, which include improvements in problem-solving skills, social relationships, and emotional well-being (Burdette and Whitaker, 2005). Children have the opportunity to socialise and make new friends in a new environment whilst being active. This can push children to join clubs and sport activities such as dancing, football, netball and many more which can also teach team work. Lu and Buchanan (2014) highlight how social interaction and meeting new people can benefit well-being as emotions are shared between friends. Theorist Alfred Adler supported this statement by noting how the development of social interest was crucial to good health, how this leads to successful relationships in the family, work, and overall future. A child is able to successfully meet life’s challenges due to and through the quality connection of others (Adler, 2017). However, there is a concern in the growing number of children who have lost connection to the outdoors and exercise, who spend more time indoors due to technology and the world of media, despite knowing the health benefits (Klesges, et al. 1990, Louv, 2008).  

There are many issues in today’s society with obesity, depression, body image and anxiety which are mainly linked to the world of media. With social media playing such a big part in today’s society, it is evident that many people spend a lot of time online, which can sacrifice mental health and well-being. A report from the BBC highlights how magazines and television programmes are often blamed for portraying an ideal body image, which can cause people to question themselves and lose self-esteem and confidence in themselves (Roxby, 2014). For many young people growing up today, social media such as instagram and facebook have provided pictures and news which are unrealistic and idealistic. Many young people refer to these images as a form of comparison which can create harmful and dangerous circumstances (Richins, 2014). This can negatively impact on young people’s well-being as they can become depressed, this can lead to  young people limiting what they eat to try and fit in, or even excessive eating. However, there are many programmes in place to try and prevent and resolve this from becoming an even bigger issue. An example of this is called the Loud Education, a group of young people who have experienced these circumstances, who go into schools to talk to pupils and train teachers on how to deal with body confidence issues. Programmes like these are very beneficial and can lead to a very positive outcome on children’s health and well-being (Hibberd, 2018). This is why being active in education is important as it offers a suitable and appropriate environment where children can learn to regulate a variety of emotions (Tieerdsma, 1999). By keeping active children are able to be healthy by also having a good sleeping pattern, which can improve concentration which will benefit them academically as the National Association of head teachers (2017) highlight how good academic outcomes are closely associated with positive wellbeing in children and young people who are keeping fit. Children seem to express joy and happiness when being active which can motivate and challenge their emotions as well as their self-confidence, which is improved by making friends that can lead to new ideas and a brighter future.

I try to be as active as I can by joining running sessions and joining the gym, as I understand the importance it has on my well-being and health. And in university we were able to express this as we took part in a dance lesson as part of our AOLE session, where we focused on keeping fit and healthy while having fun. We were set in groups of five, as a challenge I decided to join a group of girls that I do normally socialise with as much as others. As a team we created a 10 minute dance routine which contained a lot of laughter and joy, I also had the opportunity to make new friends. This activity positively increased my confidence as I was able to express myself in a dance routine in front of the whole class room. White (2009) highlights the importance of getting out of the comfort zone and expressing yourself in front of others as this has an impact on self-esteem self-worth. Austin (2000) similarly notes how children who collaboratively express themselves have a deeper understanding of one another, which positively impacts their confidence as they have the opportunity to get to know one another by sharing the same interests. Social interaction is influenced by Vygotsky (1978) theory as he highlights how social interaction between one another was at the core of a child’s development process. Which is still relevant in today’s education. I soon became non-stressed and felt better and proud of my-self once I realised we were all in the same situation, which suggests how this experience would be very useful for future teaching for children. The only issue with this activity would be that some children could find it more difficult than others to join in, as it took courage for myself to be able to dance in front of everyone, some students did not participate and this could also happen with children. This is why it is important for teachers to be enthusiastic and to join in, this will engage and motivate the children more, which happened in our activity as both lecturers took part – which made it fun for all of us students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utuPQRXf-Sw – This video highlights the importance of being active in primary schools. It is a campaign called ‘active at school’, which ensures children have 1 hour of exercise a day and shows how this has significant benefits on their health and well-being.

Preparing ourselves for the dance!!

 

Reference List

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BBC News. (2018) Welsh health survey: 57% of adults overweight or obese. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19659074 (Accessed 10 April 2018)

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Bertzeletos, B. (2018) Evidence Based Research Clearly Demonstrates the Remarkable Health.

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Donaldson, G. (2015) Successful futures: Independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales. Available at file:///C:/Users/Acer/Downloads/Donaldson%20Report%20-%20Successful%20Futures%20-%20Independent%20Review%20of%20Curriculum%20and%20Assessment%20Arrangements%20in%20Wales%20(5).pdf  (Accessed 02 April 2018)

Ginsburg, K. (2007) 'The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds', American Acadamy of Pediatrics, 119(1), pp. 182-191

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Pellegrini, A. D., Dupuis, D., & Smith, P. K. (2007) ‘Play in evolution and development’. Developmental Review, 27 (2) pp. 261–276.

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