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Original poster

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

525 replies

Veuvelily · 24/05/2021 10:18

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

OP posts:
ginandbearit · 25/05/2021 19:15

God there are some stupid old ex PE teachers on this thread...

Anitarest · 25/05/2021 19:17

No excuse whatsoever. I’d report it as bullying. More likely to make the child avoid PE lessons where possible than to improve things.
One of my children likes to swim, the other does trampolining to try and stay fit. We all jog round the block (about 1/2 mile) once a day. It seems to do them more good than me!!
What should parents be doing to help their children stay fit?

pam290358 · 25/05/2021 19:26

I have a disability which, with the exception of swimming, precluded me from doing PE at school. I vividly remember in the first few weeks at secondary school, the PE teacher made me walk around the sports track for the whole of the PE lesson saying the exercise was good for me. Except that she knew nothing of my disability and was actually aggravating a hip condition, leaving me in a lot of pain each time. It was only stopped when my parents found out what was happening and complained. The PE teacher then ‘arranged’ for me to have an extra maths lesson instead of PE !! Nothing to do with the OP’s problem, just brought back memories of a not terribly nice PE mistress !!

Eaumyword · 25/05/2021 19:29

I shudder to think of my childhood PE.
I tried to break my arm so I didn't have swimming for 6wks as the woman was terrifying. We were so scared of her. I feel quite angry actually, I was a really good swimmer but it put me off for life. Mostly shouting, pushing kids on until they vomited and bullying them. She once humiliated my friend by pointing out her armpit hair in front of the boys (it was the early 80's, aged 11 and we hadn't realised you could shave it.)
Naked showers at secondary with the teacher staring. Total public humiliation if you couldn't do something in the lesson.
This was a very expensive private education that was otherwise excellent and happy.
You just didn't complain in those days. We thankfully don't accept that for our children now so hopefully OP can get this stopped. Hope your boy is ok.
As an aside, don't worry too much about being hungry and a little overweight. My DS kept chubbing a bit then having a growth spurt and levelling out. He is very lean now as he does weights. If he can find some exercise he enjoys, he'll be fine x

3scape · 25/05/2021 19:29

How immensely stupid. You won't suddenly get fitter by doing acsecond lap. And last me And slowest, not necessarily least fit. Ffs some PE teachers clearly didn't pay attention in their own lessons

Wonderfulstuff · 25/05/2021 19:32

Disgusting, humiliating behaviour that I had hoped was left in the past. Definitely raise your concerns at the school. If the teacher is bullying your child then they are probably doing it to others who may not be able to tell their parents/carers.

Oh and to all those saying that this is OK if the child is overweight - you are displaying classic victim shaming.

Adifferentstory2 · 25/05/2021 19:35

So sad to read this - just the thing to put the poor kid off for life. And utterly unnecessary.

One of my friends is an IronWomen. Yet she paces herself - she isn’t fast at all and I would beat her around a field easily. Yet she keeps going for HOURS and is a bloody force of physical and mental strength. It doesn’t mean the child is unfit or not good at sport just because they come last. Jesus who are these fucking people - they’re supposed to be PE teachers and know something about such matters.

The teacher needs an education in the development of an inclusive, team-focused mentality where children help each other to get better / get around the course rather than just beating each other. Outrageous.

Thisisjaaam · 25/05/2021 19:35

Awful! I’d be livid

pollymere · 25/05/2021 19:39

Sorry, for me it would depend on the size of the lap and context. If a teacher said that the person who came last would have to do another lap, it would make the kids who don't try have a go to not be last. If you've an obvious unfit trier then you wouldn't use it. It only works if the student varies for each session. If it went badly the first time, I would jokingly add that it got them moving and then not follow through on it.

Eaumyword · 25/05/2021 19:46

I understand what you're saying, but can you imagine being observed in an English lesson where a student is last to finish reading, so has to read out loud, or read an extra page either with the other students moving on to something else or watching and waiting?
Young people feel safe as part of a team, a tribe. When you separate a child from peers publicly and individually for poor performance in anything, believe me, it causes permanent damage to self esteem.

mathanxiety · 25/05/2021 19:50

...

pantherrose · 25/05/2021 19:51

How to put a child off fitness for life. Poor kid.

LongCow · 25/05/2021 19:56

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pam290358 · 25/05/2021 19:56

Haven’t RTFT but did anyone else experience the horrendous PE knickers we had to wear in first year of secondary school ? No skirt, just these massive knickers !! Ours were navy blue, a thick serge like material and wearing them was humiliating. We weren’t allowed to wear a PE skirt until second year - when we had sewn one in needlework class !! Doubt it would be allowed now, thankfully.

CorianderBee · 25/05/2021 19:56

@Hellocatshome

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.
Not in front of everyone though.
Galdos · 25/05/2021 20:07

Ok ... evident (from all the comments alone) that this isn't acceptable/is borderline psychopathic ... BUT: this happened to me loads at school as I was a lazy fecker and useless at sports (and in those days being good at sports was what it was all about, so if you weren't, you were down there with the worms). I didn't enjoy it one bit, but it instilled in me the notion that sport - exercise - was a good thing. Which it is. Just never ask me to be in a race (even for charity) or a running group, or exercise with anyone else. I'll get fit on my own, thank you, with noone else about to shame me. BUT the years of enforced sport did drill in that exercise is good for you. Which it really is. Genes may play a part of course, but in my 7th decade I can walk 20 miles, no problem (apart from the knees, sometimes).

So a bit brutal maybe, and nowadays selling the message wrongly, but the message remains true.

PuffinBadger · 25/05/2021 20:11

Did they reply Veuvelily?

Tam20779 · 25/05/2021 20:11

My son is the same. He’s not a fast runner and would come in at the back of the pack behind everyone else. He’s 10 and tall for his age but just isn’t sporty.

Dutchesss · 25/05/2021 20:15

Young people feel safe as part of a team, a tribe. When you separate a child from peers publicly and individually for poor performance in anything, believe me, it causes permanent damage to self esteem.
^This. How anyone thinks it's a good idea is beyond me.

LoveFall · 25/05/2021 20:15

I got go on an on about how hard it was for me in PE. I am sure it scared me for life.

You really need to protect that poor kid.

Lahlahlah · 25/05/2021 20:18

To echo many other replies on this thread...I'm absolutely amazed that this happens I'm this day and age. I remember sadistic PE teachers doing this to kids when I was at secondary school in the early/mid-nineties but thought times had changed.

My nephew (sounds similar to your son and the same age) struggles with PE and is allowed to do the minimum as it's not his thing. He doesn't always the to join in with the main activity if it's too stressful for him and certainly doesn't have to do extra. I figured this would be the same at most schools nowadays...I'm actually really shocked by your post.

exaltedwombat · 25/05/2021 20:30

I think this depends on the spirit it's being done in, and the degree of consensus within the group. 'Last one does an extra lap' might be seen as no more or less than a good-natured incentive.
Of course, if it's always the SAME kid that comes last, the teacher might take a different tack.

Iwantanap · 25/05/2021 20:45

It knocks confidence and puts the child off. It does nothing to encourage them or get them to engage. This kind of singling our for a less able child would not be tolerated in any other school subject yet it is in P.E.
I hated P.E. and was terrible because of this kind of treatment. It only benefits the sporty ones as it isn't differentiated for the rest of us.
I'm ok at sports now and have taught myself despite the terrible P.E. lessons

Plunger · 25/05/2021 21:04

And some people wonder why children hate sport!
Achieved nothing but putting the child off PE possibly for ever.

Dentistlakes · 25/05/2021 21:10

It’s a horrible and humiliating thing to do and would kill off any love of sport in a child.