PYRAMIDS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION
There are many pyramids in P.E. The stunt performed with several students kneeling together in a row forming a base and smaller tiers built up of more students on their shoulders and backs is only one type of pyramid used in physical education. Even more important are the Physical Activity and Food Pyramids. Both are utilized to help students understand how both physical activity and healthy eating are necessary to be physically fit.
The Food Pyramid is used in physical education when teaching the importance of good nutrition, proper hydration and the effects on health and performance. Nutrition is integrated into the physical education curriculum, utilizing resources such as the Dairy Council's "Exercise Your Options" program, and mypyramid.gov, which has excellent interactive tools enabling students to assess their food intake and physical activity.
Most physical education lessons include a fitness component. Each day students have the opportunity to work on one or more of the following health-related fitness components, with the exception of the 4th and 5th graders who participate in P.E. two to three times a week: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility. The Physical Activity Pyramid recommends the following "FIT" formula for Frequency, Intensity and Time within each activity level:
· Lifestyle Activities - at least thirty minutes daily of moderate activities such as walking the dog, riding a bike to school, or chores around the house
· Aerobic Activities - twenty minutes three days per week of vigorous activity
like running, cycling, or swimming
· Sports or Recreation Activities - three days per week of moderate to vigorous activities including kayaking, soccer, hiking and skiing
· Muscle Fitness - two to three days per week performing
activities such as push-ups, curl ups, pull ups, and weight or resistance exercises
· Flexibility - at least two to three days per week of stretching exercises and activities such as yoga
· Sedentary; activities such as watching TV or playing video games
should be limited.
The 2010 Surgeon General's report advises that children participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity at least sixty minutes per day. As students participate in our physical education classes we hope to instill the importance of getting enough of each type of physical activity during the week and encourage participation in sports, recreation, and exercise after school and on weekends. A California study found a direct association between students' high level of fitness and high academic scores. La Entrada students have a history of high scores on state academic and physical fitness tests. They are fortunate to have time and instruction during physical education class to practice the health-related fitness components and are physically active outside of school.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/1055.htm
http://www.islandcounty.net/health/images/PhyAct1.jpg
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/obesityvision/obesityvision2010.pdf
mypyramid.gov
http://www.fitness.gov/
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/fitness-for-life-physical-activity-pyramid-for-teens-poster
Ten Core Attributes of Children Who Thrive
By Roni Gillenson, MFT Program Director, On Campus Counseling
We all want our children to thrive and, yet, it seems more of a challenge than ever in today's world. They are growing up more influenced by peer culture and media than on family style and values. Their sense of assertiveness sometimes turns to aggression and their sense of themselves often sounds disrespectful. What can parents do to help their children grow into successful, healthy adults?
Parents need to remember that they are still parents and children actually need them -just in a different way. When children are asked what they need from parents they respond, "Sit next to me and watch a movie together," "Stop being so busy and talk to me." This sounds easier than it really is. In the beginning, your child may not respond to a change in parent behavior. It takes persistence and purpose. But don't give up!
What we are really trying to do as parents is help children develop a stronger inner sense of themselves. In order to do this they need certain fundamental skills. We parents need to help them achieve these skills:
- Mood Mastery - Model specific ways to soothe intense emotional states - anxiety, fear, and anger.
- Respect - Be clear about expectations and know how to follow through with reasonable consequences when they are not met.
- Expressiveness - Match your communications to a child's particular preferences, including communicative style, most accessible time of day and degree of directness that can be tolerated.
- Passion - Know the ways to encourage love of learning - praising appropriately, dealing with disappointment, competitiveness and perfectionism.
- Peer Smarts - Teach a child to trust his or her feelings about friends, to try active solutions to relationship problems and to walk away when nothing works.
- Focus - Organize activities - number, duration and complexity - that allow kids to stick with tasks and to succeed.
- Body Comfort - Help a child accept the way he or she looks - to think but not obsess about it, to avoid struggles around food and to avoid sexual attitudes that affect self-image.
- Caution - Be open and directive enough that children will seek guidance before first-time events and not be afraid to discuss difficulties afterward.
- Team Intelligence - Teach kids the basic laws of group dynamics, so that they can function well with others without losing their individuality.
- Gratitude - Understand how to instill healthy appreciation and nurture the roots of spirituality.
It is our job, as parents, to help our children learn to know themselves and to develop their core selves. It is our responsibility to stand for something. We are in a struggle with the outside world as to who will connect with our children's core self. Will it be mothers and fathers or peers and media?
Taken from Ron Taffel, PhD,
Nurturing Good Children Now
Adolescent Counseling Services is a community non-profit, which provides vital counseling services on eight secondary campuses at no charge to students and their families. To learn more about our services please visit the ACS website at www.acs-teens.org or call Rom Brafman, PhD, Site Director at La Entrada at (650) 854-3962. ACS relies on the generosity of community members to continue offering individual, family, and group counseling to over 1,500 individuals annually. ACS provides critical interventions and mental health services, building a better future for tomorrow. If you are interested in helping to support our efforts, do not hesitate to call to make a donation. It goes a long way in helping teenagers find their way!
Thank you to the following foundations that supported ACS' On-Campus Counseling Program during the 2009-2010 school year:
The Altos Foundation, Atkinson Foundation, In-N-Out Burger Foundation, Laurel Foundation, Palo Alto Community Fund, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund, Rotary Club of Palo Alto, Sand Hill Foundation, The Nick Traina Foundation, and the WD Foundation
