Moral Education Within Physical Education
The
primary purpose of physical education is and should always be moral education.
As addressed by Clifford and Feezell1,when the nature of sport is
derived and one becomes a coach, they take on the role of a moral educator. Sport
and physical education, while they differ in initial structure and setting,
both promote physical activity that provides participants with an opportunity
to practice and create good character. Physical education, just like sport,
encompasses a variety of physically and mentally demanding activities and
exercises that teach people, primarily the youth, to efficiently control their
body and mind to accomplish and excel in the instructed activity.
Health
benefits aside, P.E. is nothing more than a freely chosen, unnecessary and
nonessential activity. It is INTRINSIC; unless physical education is more
geared towards installing traits of respect, organization, discipline,
cooperation and more. All of these values/virtues fall under the category of
moral education, and if moral education continues to be viewed as a
nonessential attribute of physical education, society will continue to view
physical education as a discipline that the public school system can do without.
The primary purpose of physical education is and should continue to be moral
education.
1Clifford,
C., & Feezell, R. M. (2010). Sport
and character: Reclaiming the principles of sportsmanship. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics.
Great commentary on just how important physical education truly is. You're right, too often it is seen as "nonessential," a tragedy that is inevitably wreaking havoc not only on our moral development, but our physical health as well. I also like the parallel you draw between the "control" of mind and body that young people learn. So much of our own moral development is learning what we can and cannot control and our reactions to both.
ReplyDeleteAlso, great picture!
I agree with out us teaching students respect its hard to learn. If we continue to teach morals within our physical education and prove hoe essential it truly is it coule change the minds of the public view. I like how you stated that physical education should allways educate morals. With out morals ware would we be in a society
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