Making the unfit kid who comes last run round the field again?

[Veuvelily]

Can anyone tell me the logic here.
What is the games teacher trying to achieve?

The child has tried his best and feels like he’s being punished unfairly
Plus he’s then used up all his energy, so is tired for the actual games lesson

Shockingly cruel.

If I were the parent I would be in having words , that is bullying .

Sounds like something from the 1970s. No wonder some kids are put of exercise for life.

Yeah, that's shite

Surely not in this day and age?! That's awful.

Sounds like something from Enid blyton. Who actually does that anymore?

They used to do that 25 years ago and it was pointless then too. It's a teacher on a power trip trying to humiliate a child.

OMG, please tell me you're referring to something from your own schools days and they don't still do this!

I’m trying to be calm and considered and see if there’s any possible other point of view

Completely unacceptable. It's the kind of behaviour that puts kids off exercise for life.

There's no other explanation, the teacher is a bully.

The only possible reasonable explanation would be they don’t think they’re trying at all, deliberately not putting in the effort in a defiant way.

Otherwise it’s appalling.

Erm this might sound really harsh but the only way you stop being unfit is by exercising more, so running around the field again is actually beneficial to the child's fitness. Obviously has to be done in the right way with the right explanations etc and not done to humiliate the child.

I would be complaining asap. It's a power trip for the teacher and humiliating for the poor child.

Horrid. Do be calm when you raise it (is it your DC?) but be raging inside, I would be. I was that child, couldn’t run, still can’t. Several physios have told me I am genuinely not built for it (super bendy, injure myself all the time). DC should be encouraged to find other physical things they are good at, but nothing everyone is built for athletics. If a child struggled with sums, would they make them do an extra page whilst everyone else looks on?? (Bloody well hope not!)

If the child is being made to run alone this draws unwanted attention from others. Some children can be very mean and this could lead to bullying.

so running around the field again is actually beneficial to the child's fitness

It really isn't.

Not on.

And this is why I have an absolute hatred of any formal exercise.

It achieves nothing but ridicule and shame for the child in question.

If a child struggled with sums, would they make them do an extra page whilst everyone else looks on??

Its a strange way of thinking that if a child struggles in PE they should just get to continue struggling and not try to improve but if a child struggles in maths they get set extra work. My son is very athletic but absolutely shit at maths, he has to do extra maths work and stay behind at breaks/after school to do more. Yes he isnt being stared at by his peers but they all know why he isnt around at breaks. Do we know the child has to run an extra lap while everyone stands and stares?

This is why traditional PE should be optional for those that like it and are good at it. The same as choir/chess/cooking/whatever are. The rest should be taught about health, why a good diet and exercise are important etc but not humiliated on a field 1950's style. I bet uptake would be better if the lessons were things like yoga, dance, fun games where no one cares who wins and the kids could wear whatever comfy clothes they choose rather than a horrible PE kit. It comes down to whether the aim actually is promoting health and fitness or forcing conformity. I suspect it's still the latter in many cases.

nope, no other POV here.

My DC's sports teacher times them, and rather than shame them, simply gives them a goal of beating their own best time the next time, so the only person they're competing against is themselves.

I agree with Hellocatshome, there is definitely logic in making an unfit child run more to get fitter, though it isn't the kindest way. Why is the child unfit?

DS used to be the unfit child. At his school, they all have to run for a certain amount of time. the key is to aim to keep running the entire time. And then, every time DS would manage to run a bit further than the time before, he was praised.

Making unfit kid do an extra lap as punishment is bullying and unhelpful. and does nothing to encourage fitness and health.

A confident, assertive (unfit) kid in these circs could turn it around and say ‘ look at you lazy lot I did it twice!’

But I’m guessing that wasn’t the scenario