Understand Children and Physical Activity
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Understand Children and Physical Activity
With the rise in competition in all aspects of life, children have not been spared by the competitive forces. Physical activity (PA) plays a significant role in schools and homes among children. However, the educational objectives like improvement of test scores do not provide more time that ought to be spent in PA. Moreover, if children are given the ability to select the PA that is offered in physical education programs they will participate wholly in it. Given the rise in technology features like gaming activities, children will more likely to engage in this kind of lifestyle actions as opposed to
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However, the multi-process action control (M-PAC) framework is the most common model used by researchers. The design comprises of intentions and their subsequent behaviors. There are non-intenders and successful intenders, disinclined actors and unsuccessful intenders. The parents should have a plan to promote the PA behavior among their children (Rhodes et al., 2016). Furthermore, family-based intervention initiatives look at various activities and behaviors of parents and children. Planning provides the efficient mechanisms in ensuring that there are order and flow of PA in children. Parent ascertains that their plan provides for opportunities for engagement with the child. Children prefer engaging in the PA with their parent since they provide motivation and encouragement options to them (Rhodes et al., 2016).
The PA among children may also be promoted through the use of rewards, goal setting, and feedback. In this case, the parent and school-based initiatives have a role in ensuring that there is a success in the PA. Schools should establish programs that are PA inclusive in nature. Children go to school to study. Apart from the classroom study, the administration must create time in the curriculum for PA among children. Moreover, there should be a follow-up be the specific departments regarding the participation of children in the activities (Ek, Miltenberger & Valbuena, 2016). Children
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People are likely to participate in activities that are more reinforcing according to them.
The understanding of children and PA is a complex process that needs one to delve into the contribution of the various stakeholders like parents, schools and the society. Children, parents, and school administration, should be encouraged on the importance of PA in their lives. Once people are knowledgeable it is easy to promote the behavior and attitudes towards the participation in the PA (Epstein et al., 1999).
References
Ek, K. E., Miltenberger, R. G., & Valbuena, D. (2016). Promoting physical activity among school-age children using feedback, goal setting, and rewards. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice, 16(1), 41.
Epstein, L. H., Kilanowski, C. K., Consalvi, A. R., & Paluch, R. A. (1999). Reinforcing value of physical activity as a determinant of child activity level.Health Psychology, 18(6), 599.
Rhodes, R. E., Spence, J. C., Berry, T., Deshpande, S., Faulkner, G., Latimer-Cheung, A. E., ... & Tremblay, M. S. (2016). Understanding action control of parental support behavior for child physical activity. Health Psychology, 35(2),
1. Marcoux, M.F., Sallis, J. F., McKenzie, T. L., Marshall, S., Armstrong, C. A., & Goggin, K. (1999). Process evaluation of a physical activity self-management program for children: SPARK. Psychology and Health, 14, 659-677.
Volunteering at a children’s crisis treatment facility, volunteering with Special Olympics, coaching children’s sports teams for 10 years and working as a substitute education assistant has increased my understanding of childhood development. Grandmound Elementary School provides me with opportunities to strengthen my leadership and collaboration skills, through teaching art (as a volunteer) to the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade and serving as PTA president. I was able to implement many enriching opportunities for students in areas of art, science, and reading. I learned to work as a team, set targets, achieve goals, give and receive guidance. Participating in these activities has confirmed that working with families and particularly children are my purpose.
"Physical Education." NASBE Center for Safe and Healthy Schools. National Association of State Boards of Education, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
... physical education (J. Sproule, Ed.). Retrieved February 25, 2014, from Sage Journal website: http://epe.sagepub.com/content/11/3/257.short#cited-by
Adams, J. and White, M. (2005). Why don't stage-based activity promotion interventions work? Health Education Research, 20(2), 237-243.
Sluijs, E. M. F. v., McMinn, A. M., & Griffin., S. J. (2006). Effectiveness of interventions topromote physical activity in children and adolescents: systematic review of controlled trials. doi:10.1136/bmj.39320.843947.BE
Lastly, the textbook states that “A high-quality physical-education program parallels whole-child education. While the main focus is on physical development (psychomotor), it also addresses the knowledge (cognitive) and social (affective) aspects of the child”
Physical activity enhances children’s quantitative development within middle childhood, supporting growth toward healthy strong people, physically and psychology. Middle childhood is documented as being between the ages of six to ten years old. A lack of physical activity affects children across all areas of development; it is not restricted within the domain of physical development. Discussed within are the expectations of motor development within middle childhood, the benefits of physical activity and the consequences of prolonged inactivity. Along with how a student’s physical development facilitates or restricts development in other areas and how the learning environment can accommodate and support the physical needs of students.
Over the past decades our culture has changes dramatically. To which our nation was once a physically active nation. Yet now it seems that society discourages physical activity. The human race has been dependent on automobiles, discouraging people to walk or bike, increasing the chance of a poor life-style. Yet there are many factors that affect the achievement and maintenance of a healthy life. Young people are growing into a diverse society, which is characterized by rapid change, inactive work and leisure practices that influence unhealthy behaviors. By incorporating physical activity into peoples daily routine will increase their chances of being healthier, reducing certain diseases and learning how to avoid injuries. Physical education helps students improve their knowledge about health issues and practices that will lead to a more enjoyable life. Students playing and working in a team together develop social skills, teamwork, achieving goals, and development of self-esteem. Overall physical education provides the potential for a better life style.
In our society today one of the most difficult problems we are facing is the large numbers of obesity in our children. One of the major factors in that is this; our children have become less physically active. At an early age children start watching TV, learn how to operate a computer, and play video games. Having technological skills is now a necessity in all of our lives because everything has turned “computerized,” but the fact is that our children are relying on these types of entertainment rather than getting up and physically exercising to entertain them selves. This directly affects the large number of obese children in our country today because of the lack of physical exercise. It is not that we want our kids to look a certain way or to be better at sports than everyone else, but it is that we want our kids to be physically fit and to develop a healthy lifestyle. Physical exercise is not only for adults, it is for children as well, so we must understand the importance of our children exercising and the benefits from it. By doing that it will make an impact on that child for the rest of his/her life.
Physical education must be mandatory for students all over the world. It provides many conveniences for children later in life. Sports in school encourage kids to play more outside of school and from there, their health increases. Unquestionably, physical education improves kids’
Parent involvement is one of the most influential aspects of student motivation. The parents are the initial teachers of the child before the child goes to school and encounters education through a teacher. If a parent is completely engaged in the learning process with a child, there can be growth between the child and the parent simultaneously. The parents set an example for the child, so that the child understands that help is in the classroom and at home. Alma Wright, a first and second grade teacher, believes that parents in the classroom are a good way to stimulate children. She says, “Their active participation is a positive influence. The school is open for parents to share their talents and motivate their children” (Drew, Olds, and Olds, 1974, p. 71).
To conclude, my research shows a clear link between parental involvement and children performing better in school. Children who's parents are involved in their education are showing better performance and are achieving higher grades. They also show better behaviour, more enthusiasm, ambition and higher levels of engagement. compared with children who's parent are not involved in their education. My research also shows that parental involvement has great benefits for both children and parents in many ways, so much so that the most effective schools are those who encouraged parents to be involved.
Some activity clubs we provide include, dancing, running, jump roping, basketball and soccer clubs, just to name a few. These clubs encourage kids to stay active. Our PE program also sends out monthly newsletters to the parents that give them ways to help their child live a healthy lifestyle. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education states, “Regular physical activity improves functional status and limits disability during the middle and later adult years. Physical activity contributes to quality of life, psychological health, and the ability to meet physical work demands. Physical education can serve as a vehicle for helping students to develop the knowledge, attitudes, motor skills, behavioral skills, and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles. The outcomes of a quality physical education program include the development of students’ physical competence, health-related fitness, self-esteem, and overall enjoyment of physical activity. These outcomes enable students to make informed decisions and choices about leading a physically active lifestyle. In early years children derive pleasure from movement sensations and experience challenge and joy as they sense a growing competence in their movement ability. Evidence suggests that the level of participation, the degree of skill, and the number of activities mastered as a child directly influences the extent to which children will continue to participate in physical activity as an
“Children who exercise regularly have higher levels of self-esteem.” (Brown, W.J. & Brown P.R., 1996, p19). Teaching Physical Education can have immediate health benefits as it helps normalise body weight and body composition. Physical activity also promotes positive mental health. Both immediate outcomes may be useful in motivating physical activity practices so that they have long term benefits. One of the main benefits of physical activity is that “it keeps children involved and that it invariably makes you feel good.” (Brown, W.J. & Brown P.R., 1996, p19). Getting the correct amount of Physical activity in school hours will decrease the rates of obesity and will reduce the risk of diabetes, asthma, heart disease and other health related illness’. Regular exercise for children also helps their cardiovascular health and bone development. There is also evidence that Physical Activity has a positive effect on mental health in children, including reducing anxiety and depression and improving their mood. However, there is some evidence that for children who don’t enjoy Physical Education it can have a negative impact on their self-esteem and