thoughts re: competitive sports
May. 1st, 2007 09:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anotheranonHmmm...
I found this article about the use of Dance Dance Revolution in school physical education classes and IMHO it sounds sorta neat. Not that I know much about video games but dancing for exercise sounds a lot more fun than the rounds of team and competitive sports I was treated to oh so very long ago.
I NEVER liked team sports. Not because I sucked at them (I did) or because I felt particularly humiliated by my ineptitude (I didn't really), but because the "win or die" attitude from too many of my classmates leeched any joy that might be had from physical activity. I got yelled at not because I was bad but because I just didn't CARE that much, and there was little room for anyone who didn't have the killer instinct.
The cult of the superstar high school athlete also wedged it pretty firmly in my head that the only way to be athletic was the meatheaded competitive way, which is really sad given how much I've enjoyed my adult athletic endeavors.
I do think schools should offer some sort of physical education, particularly in light of 1) the problem with childhood obesity, and 2) I think it's valuable for kids (especially girls) to learn that their bodies can do things in addition to look good, but reframe it as overall physical fitness instead of the "winners vs. losers" binary. Hell, if it were up to me any sport involving a team and/or a ball would be elective only for kids who want to play for the school team :P
Don't get me wrong: I do understand the value of learning about teamwork - working with people you don't know well (and may not even particularly like) towards a common goal is a life skill that doesn't come naturally. I just question whether teaching it in an environment using projectiles is the best way to go :P
And as an afterthought, DDR might be great - for the schools that can afford it. At $500/system (from the article) it might be too much for public schools in poorer areas.
I found this article about the use of Dance Dance Revolution in school physical education classes and IMHO it sounds sorta neat. Not that I know much about video games but dancing for exercise sounds a lot more fun than the rounds of team and competitive sports I was treated to oh so very long ago.
I NEVER liked team sports. Not because I sucked at them (I did) or because I felt particularly humiliated by my ineptitude (I didn't really), but because the "win or die" attitude from too many of my classmates leeched any joy that might be had from physical activity. I got yelled at not because I was bad but because I just didn't CARE that much, and there was little room for anyone who didn't have the killer instinct.
The cult of the superstar high school athlete also wedged it pretty firmly in my head that the only way to be athletic was the meatheaded competitive way, which is really sad given how much I've enjoyed my adult athletic endeavors.
I do think schools should offer some sort of physical education, particularly in light of 1) the problem with childhood obesity, and 2) I think it's valuable for kids (especially girls) to learn that their bodies can do things in addition to look good, but reframe it as overall physical fitness instead of the "winners vs. losers" binary. Hell, if it were up to me any sport involving a team and/or a ball would be elective only for kids who want to play for the school team :P
Don't get me wrong: I do understand the value of learning about teamwork - working with people you don't know well (and may not even particularly like) towards a common goal is a life skill that doesn't come naturally. I just question whether teaching it in an environment using projectiles is the best way to go :P
And as an afterthought, DDR might be great - for the schools that can afford it. At $500/system (from the article) it might be too much for public schools in poorer areas.
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 02:40 am (UTC)Sigh.
Dance is awesome. Why did it take technology for pe teachers to remember that people like to dance?
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 02:58 am (UTC)