The Idea of Creating Several PE Programs

I was 11 years old when I first encountered General Science as a subject in high school. For the record, I am a proud alumnus of the Kilikili National High School located at East Kilikili, Wao, Lanao del Sur, Philippines. Way back, the Philippine public education system then provided 10 years of basic education - 6 years in Elementary and 4 years in Secondary. First year high school (which was the term we used for Grade 7) taught General Science. The following year was Biology. On the third year, Chemistry. And finally, during my fourth year, we had Physics.

Mathematics! At first, I thought Math was only about counting. Then Algebra was introduced, followed by Geometry, and then finally, Trigonometry. But it didn't end there. There are other branches such as Applied Math, Analysis, Statistics, Calculus, Logic, Set Theories, etc.

What's the point?

Well, I have been trying to make sense if the case for Science and Math could also be a case for Physical Education - you know, maybe we should create branches too.

Unlike any other academic disciplines, PE is unique because it is the only subject that involves the total psychomotor and affective domains in learning. However, PE has become one of the most overlooked subjects in schools.

In the Philippines, the word "lang" (only) has become a suffix to PE, thereby, hearing the expression "PE lang" most of the times in schools. Maybe, PE either has a reputation of being an easy A or being less academic.

For years I've been trying to figure out why people use lang when they describe PE. Then it hit me. It is not about the perceived difficulty or easiness or making PE less academic than any other subjects. Lang is to describe that PE is simple, singular, and without complexity. Physical Education is never perceived as complex as Math or Science. PE is practical while the rest needs a lot of cognition and thinking. PE is tangible while the rest could be abstract. PE is easy and simple and the fun element makes it appear that it doesn't make life complicated - but it makes life stress-free and simply happy. In my opinion, this is the main reason why there's "PE lang".

A Physical Educator would argue that PE should not be described this way. I, for one, have been fighting for this cause - for people to never look down on my profession because PE deserves a status similar to other academic subjects. However, it's undeniable that PE gets small credit in being an academic subject worldwide.

Does this mean we have to make PE a little bit more complex than how it is perceived today? No. This is not my point. I refuse to make PE much more complex than what it is today. I'm satisfied with its simplicity. But I refuse to accept the fact that its simplicity makes it look like it is not what it should be - an integral part of school curriculum.

A lot of factors affect why PE in the Philippines and around the world has been perceived inferior to other subjects. But I won't point fingers at anything or anyone. My life's work is to identify the problems and offer solutions as best as I can.

Today, PE has only one face - physical type of education. For this reason, I want to create several branches of PE like that of Science and Math. It may not appear fancy such as the names: Biology, Chemistry, or Physics; but at least dividing PE will make it more relevant to the learning experience of each learner. It may not be "branches" after all because we don't really have to create names like "a branch that study sports" or "a branch that study movements and rhythms". Of course, creating branches or different types of PE shouldn't just be for the purpose of creating to make it look good. Besides, there has to be bases in doing so. I believe in purpose and intention. For what reason do I want to create several Programs in PE?

If you are a PE teacher, you know that PE has many faces or appearances. The question is: what side of PE are you showing to your learners?

• Are you showing the competitive side of PE where learners undergo training to win competitions? 
• The recreational part where learners are encouraged to seek fun in physical activities? 
• The health and wellness part where learners are given physical activity options to be fit for life? 
• The artistic part where movements are associated with rhythm and performing arts? 
• The scientific and theoretical part where students need to learn science-related topics in PE? 
• The aesthetic side where learners have to exercise and move for beauty and good outward appearance? 
• The extreme part where learners seek adventure and challenge? 
• The relaxation part where learners meditate and practice mindfulness? 
• The adaptiveness of physical activities where modification of activities are made to fit into certain type of population? 
• The leadership part where learners experience to belong to a team and get exposed to the meaning of teamwork and being a team player? 
• The lifestyle part where learners are encouraged to develop healthy practices and avoid dangerous unhealthy habits
• The values formation part where physical activities and exercises are used to impact learners' attitudes and behaviours
• The life-saving part where learners value lives and learn techniques to save lives

One of the main issues in Physical Education is the idea that the one and only PE program that we offer to our learners is enough and it caters to all types. Yes, we may have divided our programs into several units/topics. But that doesn't solve the issue. There is no such thing as "one size fits all" in Physical Education.

For a second, this reminds me of my former student in Mandalay, Myanmar a few years ago. He has the biggest feet in the school. He always come to my class with a pair of flip flops. He reasoned out that he cannot find shoes that have his size. It affected his academics. I was certain it affected his entire life too when he dropped out.

A "one size fits all" programming in PE may have been seen effective by some schools. But it is not inclusive at all. There may be one, two, or half of the class struggling to find their best fit but many schools only offer one type of program in PE.

In conclusion, what if PE could become similar to Math or Science with several branches and focus of studies? What if schools create several programs in PE and change the "one size fits all" programming to "customise to fit all"? How will this be possible at all?

Our First Project: PhysicalEducasean™

World Class Physical Education Programs for ASEAN by ASEAN

~ PE100 ASIA's response to the ASEAN Integration

Like our FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/PHysIcaLeducASEAN 

Physical Education is an integral part of school curriculum in Southeast Asia. With the 2015 ASEAN integration, the region is facing many challenges to be able to realize its slogan - one vision, one identity, one community. Well-planned, organized, and efficiently implemented school PE programs and extra-curricular activities not only create a physically fit and healthy population, but can also provide a wide range of benefits such as the ability to assist in the development of productive and engaged citizens, provide social solidity, yield economic profits, enrich the region’s identity and build a healthier community (Dudson et al., pp 2). Physical Education plays a vital role in ASEAN education system to be able to realize the slogan.

There’s an ongoing debate on whether or not PE should be mandatory in schools  because of many perceived negatives such as uneven results in assessments and grades, lack of choice, liability, interference with academic course load, bullying potential, and one size fits all programming. While it’s true that PE has also many positives such as its beneficial effects on brain development, promotion of healthy lifestyles, battling obesity, and an avenue for fun and enjoyment, mandatory PE faces great challenges to vindicate PE to the community. This issue is not only a concern in Western countries. It is also true in Asia, particularly, in the Southeast Asia.

To be able to address the perceived negatives of mandatory PE, we have to look back to the purpose of why PE exists in schools in the first place. What is the main purpose of Physical Education? 

A number of position statements and research from different organizations in the US advocating for quality physical education have been supporting the establishment and expansion of Physical Education in schools with great emphasis placed on preparing students for a lifetime of physical activity (EPEC, 2005). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends to implement physical education curricula and instruction that emphasize enjoyable participation in physical activity and that help students develop the knowledge, attitudes, motor skills, behavioral skills, and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles (CDC, 1997). One of the topics and objectives of the Healthy People 2020, the source of science-based 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans, is to increase the proportion of the Nation’s public and private schools that require daily physical education for all students.

These organizations in the US are telling us the same thing—a more active populace is what we should strive for. There should be a paradigm shift for schools to lead physical education in a new direction: to equip people with physical literacy and help them become active for the rest of their lives. In other words, the main purpose for having PE as an academic discipline is to guide students in the process of becoming physically active throughout their lifetimes by letting them acquire knowledge, skills, values and enthusiasm to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

Having said that the purpose is active participation in and out of school throughout one’s lifetime, aside from the negatives mentioned earlier, students also face barriers in participation such as physical activity preference, motivation factors, and issues of activity adherence. 

With the absence of a governing body that could create the most anticipated future “Physical Education Standards in Southeast Asia”, most schools rely on standards created in Western countries. The 2013 UNESCO final report on World-wide Survey on School Physical Education suggested that policies and practices are subject to localization and/or local interpretations, and that there is no “one size fits all” solution (UNESCO, 2013). What works in many Western countries may not work as efficiently and effectively in Asia.

PhysicalEducasean™ has been created for the purpose of bringing out the core essence and the purpose of Physical Education in schools all around Southeast Asia. It also addresses issues and challenges for a mandatory PE program in schools and factors that affect student participation. During the past seven years in various locations around Southeast Asia particularly in the Philippines, Myanmar, and Thailand, Oliver Gomez, the founder of PE100 SYSTEM™, has been teaching different types of PE curriculum to different types of learners. Using international policies and practices in PE has many advantages; however, specific learners’ needs are disregarded. Additionally, activities that show cultural identity of Southeast Asia are lacking, if not missing. There is a need for localization of Physical Education programs and curriculum in the region to create a much better learning experience for the ASEAN learners. The aim of PhysicalEducasean™ is to unite ASEAN as its slogan—one vision, one identity, one community—through physical activities learned in schools.

The vision of PhysicalEducasean™ is for schools across Southeast Asia to have one purpose as its slogan in delivering PE programs that are unique, flexible and customizable. We encourage schools to emphasize recreational and fun aspects of PE (not only the competitive aspects) and to lead students to a more active lifestyle not only in the present, but also for a lifetime. We advocate for the inclusion of all types of learners, equity in curricular program opportunities, and that no country, no school, and no child is overlooked. Our mission is to mobilize Southeast Asia by increasing the number of schools requiring PE on a daily basis, requiring all students to take PE, and increasing activity duration in PE. We help schools to focus on education and behavior change leading to physical activity outside of class by linking curricular PE programs to extra-curricular activities and activity opportunities outside school within the community. We associate with schools to create community centers that promote lifestyle physical activities. 

WHY PHYSICALEDUCASEAN™?

PhysicalEducasean™ offers curricular programs that localize international practices in PE specific for Southeast Asia schools. It has established five different programs that cater to the specific needs of different types of learners namely, Integrated PE, Athletic PE, Movement PE, Adapted PE, and Leadership PE. It contains recommended sets of activities that involve physical fitness, martial arts, athletics, recreation, dance, and accessible community activities. These sets of activities are not mandatory as we advocate inclusiveness of all students to participate. Schools have choices about programs to implement and which activities to offer as mandatory lessons in the same way as students have the freedom to select which program to undertake and decide which activities to do. In other words, while PE is completely compulsory, students are motivated because of their freedom to choose activities that best fit their preferences.

We have listened to students’, parents’ and teachers’ perceived reasons why PE programs should not be mandatory in schools around Southeast Asia. But not having PE as part of the integral curriculum, will not solve these points. Gomez has developed PhysicalEducasean™ purposely to address these issues.

The two main issues PhysicalEducasean™ address are lack of choice and “one size fits all” programming. Schools see students as an integrated body that is capable of learning almost anything. In PE, rigid learning outcomes (standards and benchmarks) are imposed for students to achieve. However, activity preference of students is not taken into consideration. Every student is special, with unique combinations of abilities and needs that affect learning (UNICEF, 2001). With this in mind, students, when forced to participate in a certain type of activity outside their preference, are more likely to experience drudgery and may actually make themselves less likely to participate activity outside the school setting. The absence of choice in PE may have the opposite effect than the one the school intended (eHow, 2016).

Children are unique. They are individuals and no two children are alike; physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually, each child is a unique individual. Because children are unique, even if there are common needs and characteristics that children of a particular age or stage of development share, they must be understood by their parents and teachers in their uniqueness, and their individuality must be respected (UNICEF, 2001). With this understanding of the uniqueness of each learner, schools should offer choices in Physical Education to cater to each of their needs. What choices are available to students?



References:

CDC, “Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity Among Young People”. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00046823.htm, March 5, 2016

Corbin C., 2002, “Physical Activity for Everyone: What Every Physical Educator Should Know, http://journals.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/ Documents/DocumentItem/4223.pdf, March 6, 2016

Dudson, M., Cummings, G., & Fraser, C. An investigation into the sport needs and preferences of youth aged 13-18 years in a semi-rural community.

Healthy People 2020, https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/physical-activity/objectives, March 5, 2016

Michigan Fitness Foundation, “Position Statements and Research Advocating Quality Physical Education”, http://www.jschmal.com/nmhu/pages/HU/350/advoexample.pdf, March 5, 2016

Starin M. “Disadvantages of Physical Education in the Schools”, http://www.ehow.com/info_8431377_disadvantages-physical-education-schools.html, March 5, 2016

UNESCO, “World-wide Survey of School Physical Education”, http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002293/229335e.pdf, March 5, 2016

UNICEF, “Many Pathways of Learning”, http://www.unicef.org/teachers/learner/paths.htm, March 6, 2016


*About the ASEAN one community photo used in this article, I do not own the copyright of the graphic material. Please email oliver@pe100.asia if you are the owner of the photo. Removal of the material will be made upon request. Thank you. 

The Main Problem in PE is Not Achieving Its Main Purpose

Watch it again. This video that I created using PowToon explains some of the main barriers why learners don't appreciate Physical Education that much. Did you know that PE100 SYSTEM™ has been developed to respond to the global issues and challenges of inactivity among school children?

In my experience, I found out that learners themselves have a positive attitude towards physical activities and they want to do things because they mainly want to enjoy, have fun, and make friends. Children are naturally enthusiastic about doing stuff.

Where or what is the problem then?

'The way things are' is the problem. The system is the problem. These children want to do things that they enjoy but instead, schools provide them with physical activities that are perceived as 'necessary in learning PE'.

How do educators brand an activity as something necessary to learn? I mean, learning how to swim is essentially necessary for water survival but let's say for example Basketball and dancing. Is it the popularity of the sport? What's with these activities that make them 'necessary in PE?

The definition of Physical Education in as far as my long-term memory is concerned: PE is an integral part of curriculum that aims to develop the whole child physically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, and morally, through properly selected physical activities and exercises. In other words, there is no such thing as 'necessary in PE'. But there is a thing called 'properly selected physical activities and exercises'. Proper selection of physical activities and exercises to be included in the curriculum is what schools should be working on. Questions such as - is the activity/exercise safe? What are its benefits to the learners? Is it fun and enjoyable? Does it develop the whole child? And so on...

See? PE's definition is about proper selection of physical activities. Now the next question is this: Who gets to select what physical activities and exercises to include in the curriculum? Apparently, schools think they should do the choosing process. Of course! I am not against that idea. Schools essentially should because they know what's best for their learners! But do they? Do they know what is best for their learners?

Let's jump to the purpose why PE exists in schools in the first place. A number of position statements and research from different organizations in the US advocating for quality physical education have been supporting the establishment and expansion of Physical Education in schools with great emphasis placed on preparing learners for a lifetime of physical activity (EPEC, 2005). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends to implement physical education curricula and instruction that emphasize enjoyable participation in physical activity and that help students develop the knowledge, attitudes, motor skills, behavioral skills, and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles (CDC, 1997). One of the topics and objectives of the Healthy People 2020, the source of science-based 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans, is to increase the proportion of the Nation’s public and private schools that require daily physical education for all students.

These organizations in the US are telling us the same thing—a more active populace is what we should strive for. There should be a paradigm shift for schools to lead physical education in a new direction: to equip people with physical literacy and help them become active for the rest of their lives. In other words, the main purpose for having PE as an academic discipline is to guide students in the process of becoming physically active throughout their lifetimes by letting them acquire knowledge, skills, values and enthusiasm to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

Everyone knows this is not only true in the US. It's a global concern for all schools and all countries. Nowadays, the main problem in PE is not achieving its main purpose. Our educational system has evolved drastically from the "need to survive" to the "need to be perfect" education. Many educators have become idealistic. Some may still be realistic. But, are there still existentialistic educators out there?  

Yes, I am an existentialist educator. PE100 SYSTEM™ is built on existentialism philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom, and choice. It is the only existing system in the world that will allow students, teachers and schools to equally choose from many safe and high-quality activities. It ensures that students are learning and enjoying the process.

I long for the day when learners have the freedom to choose their activities in PE. I long for the day when students participate in the process of properly selecting physical activities and exercises in PE. And finally, I long for the day when students choose to be active for the rest of their lives not because they were forced in PE, but because they chose to be.

Because Your Preference Matters… A Teacher’s Twisting Realization

A few months ago, I gave a task for my former middle school students in Bangkok and asked them the following questions:

1. Create your own world of Physical Education.
2. In your PE utopia, what are the elements in PE that you would like to eliminate from the real world?
3. What would you like to keep?
4. What new elements are you going to welcome as part of your world?

These were my indirect approach to better understand what was going on in the minds of these young learners. I have to understand and see things from their perspective. Their views, their frustrations, their complaints, their opinions, and their attitudes toward PE matters a lot for me to identify the problem. Why can’t I motivate them like the way I did with my former students in Burma?

I thought there was something wrong with me - my approach, method, and strategy in teaching perhaps. I though the main problem was about me as the teacher. I once got blamed for demotivating students because of my approach in teaching. It maybe true and I felt bad for that. But if you try to see things from a different angle, there might be more reasons other than that. 

My Mandalay (Myanmar) experience was awesome! I introduced the activity that I love the most - Capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts, dance, and game. I was the one who developed their curriculum too. I introduced activities that were exciting, innovative and challenging like cheerleading, foreign folk dances from all over the world, hip hop, aerobics, yoga, dance improvisations, traditional games, lots of other games, more games and some sports. 

When I moved to Bangkok, I though I’d be happy because the school had already prepared and outlined the curriculum. I thought I was the luckiest PE teacher in the world. My job was only to follow what had been set before me. I could tweak the units and the lessons just a little bit. But I couldn’t change the whole thing. I had to follow the curriculum map. I even had to teach activities that don’t fit my preference. 

Yes I can teach sports like basketball, volleyball, swimming, football, badminton, athletics - you name it - because I have a degree and experience. Even if these sports activities are not my forte, I am happy I could teach them to my students. This throws be back to the time of my first interview when I was asked what martial arts can I proficiently teach. If I did not tell them that I was good in teaching Arnis, the Filipino martial arts of stick fighting, I would have not had the job. But did I enjoy it? Did I enjoy teaching activities that I can teach but not really part of my preference? Here in Bangkok, did I enjoy teaching teaching the curriculum that I did not create myself? Apparently, the answer is not.

I am a firm believer that students best learn in a set of activities they are interested in. PE100 SYSTEM is very student-friendly because it advocates that students’ preference in physical activities matter. I realised that I’m missing something here. How about the teacher? Is there also a thing called “teacher’s preference”?

At first, I was only looking at the two end points of the line - the school and the learners. I was thinking that the teacher’s preference represents the school’s choices. My experience proved me wrong. Teachers don’t always get to choose the topics or units they teach. Teachers who are teaching activities outside their preference, whether they do good at it or not, are less likely to enjoy teaching in the same way as students learning activities outside their preference are less likely to enjoy learning. I could be wrong about my theory.

Students are complaining about activities in PE. They want to be active but they can’t because of the many perceived barriers. There are not much choices available. The grading system is unfair. Assessment differs from one school to another school or from one program to another. Fitness testing has no use at all. And many others…

On the other hand, teachers don’t get to teach what they are passionate about. Teachers are required to follow the curriculum. They are required to follow period. If they don’t, you know what will happen next. 

I am not against international policies in education. I don’t discredit standards and benchmarks in education either. I believe they are necessary as well. Also, I am not criticising schools for having this type of system where both the learners and the teachers have no freedom to select the activities as if they are not going to be successful or to live long enough if they don’t do the required activities. 

There you go... there's the problem I have been searching for.

Students' preference in physical activities matters! 

And now, I realized that teacher's preference does too! 

PE100 ASIA's Position Statement in Physical Education

Character Simulation - the Idea Behind PE100 SYSTEM™ Programs

“We know we can’t teach every student to play every instrument in the band. Why do we think we can teach every child to play every sport?” (Corbin, 2002).

Let's face the truth... not all students wish to be athletic or are born to be athletes. That's why Gomez has developed curricular program options for schools in order to meet the needs of each student taking up regular school PE. These options keep in mind factors such as students’ kinesthetic ability, learning styles, activity or sports preferences, disabilities or limitations, and personal goals. Students perform best and are intrinsically motivated when they are given the opportunity to choose the program that best fits them. What then are the programs available?

To come up with programs  that include all students in PE, so that no single learner is left behind, Gomez has developed an original model – the Character Simulation in a Sport Event - to classify the types of learners we usually encounter in PE class.

The Crowd	Characteristics: They are the type of students who have little or no passion to participate in sports competitions They enjoy watching matches and cheer for their favorite team They have a high possibility to be idle or sedentary They are passive, easy going, and “come-what-may” type of students They are mainly interested in various activities that are fun and enjoyable
The Athletes	Characteristics: They are the type of students who are passionate about sports training and competitions Their enjoyment comes from active involvement in sports activities and competitions They are less likely to be idle or sedentary. A ball is enough to keep them moving They are active and goal-oriented types of students They are mainly motivated by success and achievements

The Injured Athletes	Characteristics: They are the type of students who have short-term or long-term injury or disability Their participation and the types of activities they are allowed to do are limited They are more likely to be idle or sedentary because of their limitation They need special considerations as much as they need to be active They are interested in activities that they can do
The Cheerleaders	Characteristics: They are the type of students who are not into sports training or competition, but are definitely creative and artistic They integrate creativity into their movements They are less likely to be idle or sedentary. A rhythm is enough to keep them moving They love to perform on stage. They love dancing, acrobatics, and stunts  They are interested mainly in rhythmic activities
The Organizers/Officials	Characteristics: They are the type of students who are less passionate about sports training They are incredibly passionate in sports competitions They are less likely to be idle or sedentary They have potential leadership qualities that need cultivation They are interested in activities and leadership roles

One of the key factors to encourage student participation, Siedentop says, is to allow students themselves to be “legitimate peripheral participants” simulating the functions and roles of athletes or players, coach, referee, equipment officer, sports journalist, statistician—among others (Kirk, 2006). With these character simulations, students will reflect on themselves—which program best Hit them. Students will have the freedom to undertake their preferred program pathway towards lifetime participation in physical activities. 

To learn more about the PE Programs I have developed, please contact me in person. I'd be happy to share them with you. 




Works Cited:

Corbin C., 2002, “Physical Activity for Everyone: What Every Physical Educator Should Know, http://journals.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/ Documents/DocumentItem/4223.pdf, March 6, 2016

Kirk, D. (2006). Sport Education, Critical Pedagogy, and Learning Theory: Toward an Intrinsic Justification for PhysicalEducation and Youth Sport. Quest, 58 (2) 255-264.