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Original poster

Stick it to your PE teacher

33 replies

sniffle12 · 30/04/2017 09:58

Anybody with a truly dreadful experience of PE who is now loving exercise care to share their stories?

I have asthma and our PE warm up was to sprint round the field. All the asthmatics were already struggling 3 minutes in, and the teachers never asked how they could help, they just decided we were rubbish. Cross-country again was just 'start running, keep running till we say stop'. No mention of key things like breathing techniques or pacing (you know, actual teaching). I decided at about 11 that I was just unfit and rubbish despite being a slim, energetic girl who had loved PE at primary school.

In the final two years if you hadn't picked PE GCSE, you just played hockey every week, no exceptions. We were taught in a group of 45.

Fast forward and now I'm just finishing Couch 2 5K, I run three times a week and now I've taught myself pacing and breathing I can run even with asthma. I regularly play badminton with DH, do YouTube yoga, and go trampolining. I'm absolutely loving being active and finally being in tune with my body and feeling that it's working with me not against me Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
sniffle12 · 30/04/2017 10:20

Indeed pieceofpurplesky, I have left the profession now but 5 years ago I still had asthmatic children coming to my classes after PE unable to breathe, puffing away on inhalers.

I'm surprised that in this day and age, PE teachers still don't sit down with asthmatic children and say 'how can we make this easier?' Of course I can only talk from my experience in that school, there may be great inclusive PE teachers out there elsewhere.

OP posts:
ToffeeCaramel · 30/04/2017 10:17

At primary most were nice apart from reception and year 5

ToffeeCaramel · 30/04/2017 10:15

Dd isn't at all talented at PE and has inherited my lack of ability at any ball games. She still enjoys PE though as her PE teachers are encouraging and recognise effort. I wanted to put in a good word for PE teachers. None of mine were horrible in the 80s despite me being a bit useless. Most of my teachers were nice apart from one RE teacher and one English teacher.

pieceofpurplesky · 30/04/2017 10:09

I am a teacher OP and totally agree with you. PE at school did nothing to help my mental health issues as my PE teacher liked to call out those of us who were not sporty or skinny. She once called me chunky in front of a class of sporty girls. I went home and cut myself. Years later I am obese and still scared to exercise as I think everyone is laughing at me - I am still that mortified 13 year old hating herself.
Whilst things are much better I still think some PE teachers approach pupils the same way ....

Original poster
sniffle12 · 30/04/2017 10:04

Bertrand having been a teacher I would a) never bash teachers and b) know that today's PE curriculum and delivery is a world away from what it was a few decades ago. But I think the vast majority of people agree that in your typical school a few decades ago, PE teachers did not particularly encourage those who didn't take naturally to everything.

OP posts:
WorknameJimEllis · 30/04/2017 10:03

Yup

I am a slow runner. I'm short and scrawny and cannot sprint. I detested school sport. Come sports day I was always last, behind the overweight kid and the one with asthma. Always got shouted at for being shit.

Turns out I'm built for distance. I'm still not very fast but I'm doing it.

2 half marathons last year and in training for the full marathon...

Fuck you Mrs W.

BertrandRussell · 30/04/2017 10:00

Well done on your achievement ..

Shame you had to bash teachers in the process.

ImAllShookUp · 30/04/2017 09:59

Watching with interest, it is one of my greatest regrets that my PE teachers were sadists and made me dislike any form of exercise with a passion. I truly hope things are different for this generation.

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