PE Uniform

I was milling about online and came across this old thread! Whilst I certainly don't want to reopen some of the debate, I wonder if rachyrob could tell us what progress has been made in the half term just gone? Has your daughter adjusted to wearing nothing on her feet, or are there still problems?

You can't generalise marriedinwhite about all PE teachers.
It is unfortunate that you and your dd both have not had good experiences, but to say all PE teachers are like that is like saying they are all lesbians.

PE in school is limited, mainly due to budgets, but dd at her girls state school does hockey, netball, rounders, cricket, football, gym, dance, volleyball.
She was crap at PE at primary but is taking GCSE PE as a result of a fantastic PE dept who encourage and make it fun.
Let's face it, there are always girls desperate to skive off PE as it is not seen as a cool subject by some. I had the most erratic menstrual cycle going

I thought Laura's responses were good humoured and as a parent I would not take offence at them.

Slightly off topic - apologies if it is -

Why should PE be mandatory (and I always hated it by the way!) - because there are sadly people in the current young generation who are slothlike and very possibly the ONLY exercise they get is PE at school? You can't spend your life, and in MHO will do no good for children either, not supporting schools in their rules and regs and pandering to every whim children have.

Before I get completely shouted down - no, of course schools should not have cart blanche to make stupid and unreasonable demands upon children - appeal to the governors, appeal to the head, whatever you like if there is something damaging to your child. My daughter is quite a sensitive soul and has plenty of pre teen and teen hang ups - don't they all in the main. On the rare occasion something has stirred me enough to actually be worth complaining to the school about I have done it quietly without my girlies knowledge as I want to be seen to be backing up the authority the school has so she knows I will not just jump and complain about every little thing she doesn't like. I won't, however, complain to the school about things she just 'doesn't like' or doesn't want to do.

Life (and indeed school) just isn't like that and sometimes kids just have to get over things and do stuff they don't feel happy about.

I think the OPs response to her DD is sensible.

If the lesson in question was swimming rather than gym, it'd be a nobrainer, of course you do it barefoot, with veruccas being dealt with on a case by case basis if they arise (they aren't exactly the end of the world anyhow).

Hopefully she'll 'go with the flow' and stop being shy about her feet and then be able to enjoy all sorts of things more.

Quite right, marriedinwhite. If she is being bullied it is unacceptable and must be dealt with without delay and I wish you every success in your fight. What I do object to though is your generalisation of PE teachers; there are bad ones, but the vast majority are very good. Just as there are bad shop assistants, jornalists, lawyers, nurses and binmen.

Laura Clin regrettably my daughter has been treated in exactly the same way as I was treated 40 years ago. I do not have a hatred of PE - in fact our son plays rugby and cricket for significant clubs and has been encouraged and has had no problems. My issue is the attitude towards those who cannot do the activity and the rough and uncaring manner in which PE mistresses chose to treat them. I could give you many examples but am not going to out myself. I actually feel desperately sorry for my DD because she is going through what I went through and I thought times had moved on. However, my mother allowed me to be bullied but it will not happen to dd because I shall not let it.

I meant to add, is your daughter ok wih her PE kit more generally? What does she wear indoors? Often it is seen that when girls hit 13-14, they go through a phase of hating wearing shorts, gym knckers, leotards etc.

It is an issue with some girls. I'm not sure I understand why this is though. The girls I teach are used to doing PE with bare feet, as they do all indoor lessons like that. I find that some 1st years dislike it, but then the problem tends to reappera in NC year 9 or 10.

rachyrob, did you establish is she is upset about bare feet, or bare feet and PE kit? it may be that she dislikes shorts, leotards or whatever she wears, and bare feet are simply the final straw, so to speak. Is she ok wearing uniform in drama?

Marriedinwhite, I really don't think will convince you of the validity of the subject, or of how most of my colleagues conduct their lessons, especially in light of your comments on another thread. You clearly had a problem with PE, and it would seem this hatred is shared by your daughter. I am pleased that others here do see the merit of PE though.

If you understand the problems LauraClin I am stymied by your comments above:

" But it clearly is an issue for your daughter; perhaps talk to her about it being very common, and the fact that her classmates will all be busy doing their exercises and will not be looking at her feet!

"there are far worse things that can happen than having to take off your shoes and tights for an hour!"

Not very empathetic or understanding are they? Not sure where there is a recognition of the fact that the issue may be very important for a teenage girl even if it is blown out of proportion. That girl may be spending nights awake worrying about it. I know I did when I felt I was the only girl who had nothing to put in a bra and the "humiliation" of a changing room was as bad as the humiliation in the lessons.

At 16 I got a scholarship to a boys public school and accepted it on the basis that I would never ever have to participate in another PE or games lesson. My engagement with education and enjoyment of school increased a hundred fold for that very reason. The other "hobby" subjects such as art, music, D&T, are not mandatory after Y9. Why should PE be mandatory after that point?

PE certainly presents a unique set of challenges. Ability levels are clearly highlighted and can cause uncertaibty and worry; changing rooms and showers worry some children, and having to wear relatively skimpy clothing, and pehaps have bare feet, all create fears and worry.

It seems to me that the problem is a poor PE teacher rather than PE per se, or bare feet, or PE kits. I had a very poor art teacher, who wa sinterested only in the talented artists; that does not make art an invalid subject though. Teachers should encourage and work with all their pupils; I hope I do that.

PE lessons are fraught with difficulties in meeting the needs of all children. Clearly for some talented sporty-types they are almost completely unchallenging, but for others are clearly a huge challenge for whatever reason.

At my friends school, the children are streamed for PE (first time I have heard of this) and her non-sporty son loves the lessons, whilst her sporty son also loves his lessons. Could this be the way forward?

My daughter does do gym in bare feet. It isn't so much an issue for her as it was for me because she doesn't have the same level of sensitivity in the soles of her feet. The similarity is that neither of us can do PE, both are un co-ordinated (can't hit a ball) and neither of us are flexible or can run fast; we can't dance well either. That is in spite of being slim and active and very fit and able to ride and sail and cycle and walk long distances. The fact is PE in schools is exceptionally limited and run by people who can do all of those things and do not understand that others can't and seem to think they can be very demeaning towards those who can't because to them it is a mystery as to why otherwise fit and active people cannot do gym, ball games and the things on offer in schools.

My school days would have been much happier without mandatory PE and so would dd's. We have both suffered the incessant giggling from others and the name calling by adult PE teachers frankly does not help.

That is clearly wrong and indefensible. I encourage and coach all my girls and help yhem do their best, whether they are county gymnasts or simply able to do a forward roll. Whether they have anything on their feet is not related to this though.

And it doesn't cause emotional issues to be called names by PE teachers when you can't do PE then: I was called a "div", dd (this year) has been called a "muppet". PE moved on - moved on my backside. Just imagine what would happen if a maths teacher did that to a child with discalculia or an English teacher to a child with dyslexia.

Bare feet actually make gymnastics and dance easier though! There are no drawing pins etc in my gym - if there is a risk in other school gyms then of course shoes should be worn.

Can I ask whether your daughter does gym in bare feet?

So it's safer and more hygienic then to pick up verrucas, step on a pin, etc. I can see why the really talented girls should do it barefoot; for the other 90% it seems a no brainer to me. Just another way of roughty toughty PE types making everyone try to do things their bodies frankly don't do. Can you imagine what the average PE teacher would say if a child or young teenager told her their feet were very sensitive - I wouldn't have dared and neither would dd. I can hear the response right now.

I think if there are geneuine medical or emotional issues with doing PE in bare feet, then of course these should be taken account of. From the OP's information though it would appear not th=o be the case here.

In terms of why schools require bare feet, it is principally for safety. When doing gymnastics and using apparatus, having nothing on the feet allows increases precision and "feel" for the apparatus; slipping is reduced; and on landing, weight is not thrown forward as tends to happen with trainers and plimsolls.

My dd has got foot thongs for her dance classes, and she wears them in the gym at school, they are flesh coloured and can hardly be seen.

OP should have said, I really feel for your daughter over this and if it will prevent her from doing her best in mandatory PE lessons then I think she should be allowed to wear plimsoles; rather like a dyslexic child is allowed to have adjustments to help them achieve.

I am generally quite robust in my attitude to compliance with teachers but looking back on my experiences of PE and the people who teach it (and dd has one similar right now) it needs to move on a lot further than it has to cater for the non sporty and gung ho brigade.