Does your ES ever have outdoor PE?

[Anonymous]

No, almost never over eight years between my two kids. Very disappointing as sunshine is an important component to health, mental and physical.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they do.

[Anonymous]

It is harder to control the kids when they are spread out. Some gym teachers would rather not deal with unruly students outdoors. Also, when they only have 30-40 minutes, maybe they don't want to waste 10 minutes going outside.

[Anonymous]

two recesses
But we are in Frederick, MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:two recesses
But we are in Frederick, MD.

Do people not know the difference between PE and recess?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, they do. All the time when weather permits.

Can you post your school please? Ours does not either and it is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Our school doesn't go outside for PE either. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is harder to control the kids when they are spread out. Some gym teachers would rather not deal with unruly students outdoors. Also, when they only have 30-40 minutes, maybe they don't want to waste 10 minutes going outside.

I am guessing #1 is the cause.
It really wouldn’t take any more time to have teachers bring classes out to the blacktop than down to the gym.

[Anonymous]

Our gym is inside the building and the fields are a good 8 minute walk from the building. Not surprising that teachers don't want to waste time getting the kids to and from the fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is harder to control the kids when they are spread out. Some gym teachers would rather not deal with unruly students outdoors. Also, when they only have 30-40 minutes, maybe they don't want to waste 10 minutes going outside.

At our ES, PEs were 2 regular classes combined. Thus, a single PE class was around 50 kids. I can only imagine the additional challenges in lining up 50 kids for outdoor PE as well as dealing with a few strong personalities.

This thread has convinced me that PE should be inside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is harder to control the kids when they are spread out. Some gym teachers would rather not deal with unruly students outdoors. Also, when they only have 30-40 minutes, maybe they don't want to waste 10 minutes going outside.

As a former para, I am guessing that this is the reason for most PE classes being inside. When the kids are outside, what if a child really needs to go to the bathroom? What if a child is being truly unruly and needs to be sent to the office? (The PE teacher could communicate with the adminstration via walkie-talkie, but then this is one more piece of equipment to worry about). When the students are inside, it is easy to give them water breaks at the water fountain. The school can not make sure that every child remembers a personal water bottle.

I have met truly amazing MCPS PE teachers. They teach far more skill development than I ever learned as a child playing kickball. They incorporate students with autism, physical disabilities, hearing disabilities, emotional disabilities, and more into their classes. They're doing a fantastic job.

I believe that more PE classes are held outside at the Middle School and High School level. Those students are old enough that they can be trusted to walk into the building by themselves to see the nurse or go to the bathroom. They're also old enough to hold it!

[Anonymous]

PP here - Also, students will not be able to walk back into the building without a key. Do you want for a door to the school to be open all day long without any security system? Or, do you want the PE teacher to be supervising 30 kids AND keeping his eyes on a propped door that is hundreds of feet away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is harder to control the kids when they are spread out. Some gym teachers would rather not deal with unruly students outdoors. Also, when they only have 30-40 minutes, maybe they don't want to waste 10 minutes going outside.

At our ES, PEs were 2 regular classes combined. Thus, a single PE class was around 50 kids. I can only imagine the additional challenges in lining up 50 kids for outdoor PE as well as dealing with a few strong personalities.

This thread has convinced me that PE should be inside.

+1. Our school does PE inside except in rare cases and I think this is the reason...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:two recesses
But we are in Frederick, MD.

Do people not know the difference between PE and recess?

Apparently not since people keep posting about recess rather than PE. Psst-there are schools in MoCo with two recesses too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids and my youngest is in 4th and none of them have ever had one day outside for PE. With all of this talk of fresh air, vitamin D, more exercise, mental health - why are they stuck in stuffy gyms with no AC when it is beautiful outside. No running, no kickball, no baseball, no full field soccer. It just seems like a terrible idea. Is this a county-wide rule?

Who cares.

MCPS has the bare minimum in the country for Phys Ed in ES: 30 minutes a week.

Pathetic.