Every teacher seeks to find new ways to teach a lesson, designs dynamic programs, and finds creative activities that appeal to his/her students. He/she aims to create a learning environment that nurtures the whole child—including the child’s physical health. By doing this, a teacher makes an invaluable contribution to children’s growth and development.
Creating a healthy school means not only the physical facilities but this includes the health of the students and an increased achievement level. The teachers are the front liners when it comes to his/her classroom. Everyone has his/her own style and approach. He/she understands that students’ achievements depend on more than traditional classroom work. Research shows that daily physical activity improves concentration and academic achievement and can enhance math, reading, and writing test scores.
Twenty minutes of daily physical activity is critical not only to improve students’ achievement but also in making schools healthier places to learn. With daily physical activity , the teacher can make yet another impression on the lives of students making activity regular part of their day will show students the importance of being healthy and active, which will be long remembered
The students may be helped to help attain a positive impact to students’ physical, mental and social well-being. In particular, physical activity is likely to have an impact on students’ achievement, readiness to learn, behavior and self-esteem.. Positive experiences with physical activity at a young age can also help lay the foundation for healthy productive lives.
Students’ attitudes towards health and physical education can have a significant effect on their achievement of the(curriculum) expectations.
At the same time the school principal, will encouraged the staff to create school-based healthy physical activity programs that will provide a great opportunity to enhance the future health and well-being of children because they can reach almost all children and may: 1) enhance learning 2.) provide social benefits 3) enhance growth 4.) lower the risk for chronic diseases in adulthood, and 5.) to help to establish a healthy behavior at an early age that will lead to a lifelong healthy habits.
Parents to guide their children to develop health awareness.may help their children in the process of changing negative behavior. Parents can far more motivate their children when they involved their children in decision-making process of their health.
Teachers may help students through their teachers to set goals. Teachers may help students in the classroom in setting their class goals for physical activity. Teachers may encourage students to set goals that can be broken down into small, incremental steps. They can motivate students to reach their goals, then assess their progress, so that they will be responsible for their progress and be involved in forming and revising plans. They may explain further the benefits they can achieve through physical activity.
On the other hand, the Physical Activity Guide To Healthy Active Living claims that “ encouraging kids to build physical activity into their daily routine helps to create a pattern that may stay into their daily routine helps to create a pattern that may stay with them for the rest of their lives.” The goal is to get the children to be moving more. As a teacher who is in a daily contact with children, you can do a lot to help. You can build physical activity thinking and behavior into your classroom and help kids to become aware of the need for physical activity.
Shephard,(2007) explained that “academic performance is maintained or even enhanced by an increase in a student’s level of habitual physical activity, despite a reduction in curricular or free time for the academic area.”
Meanwhile, the Ontario Curriculum states that ”schools must develop procedures to ensure the highest possible level of safety, while allowing students to engage in a broad range of challenging activities. Safety guidelines should outline the practices to be followed for each activity, addressing questions related to equipment, clothing, facilities, special rules and instructions, and supervision.”
The Ophea, (2000), a curriculum support document, explained that “music” can be an excellent motivator for students when they participate in physical activities. Play upbeat music with a fast tempo during the warm –up to motivate students to move quickly and energetically. During the cool down, play slower and quieter music to help create calm and relaxed mood, allowing students to select music within certain guidelines can have a significant positive impact on the atmosphere in the class.
By: Nerissa A. Valenzuela
