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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:
Original poster
Veuvelily · 24/05/2021 10:47

Oh and the girls don’t have to run round the field at all

OP posts:
Original poster
Veuvelily · 24/05/2021 10:48

No, I didn’t see the run
It’s not a one off, he says he has to do it every time

OP posts:
babbaloushka · 24/05/2021 10:48

Not fair, speak to teacher.

toocold54 · 24/05/2021 10:49

And this is why so many people grow up unfit and unhealthy because they associate it with bad memories from school!

The only other POV is when they think the person is slacking and not trying their hardest so it’s an incentive to push themselves.
I think it’s terrible and I would be having words and saying that he used to enjoy pe days but now hates them.
My DDs teacher is great. They can run or walk and they say to her it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you go as doing it is the most important thing. The teacher and TA also does it with them and often walks with the slower ones at the back to support them.

MedusasBadHairDay · 24/05/2021 10:49

@KnottedFern

My teacher used to make me do this 20 years ago. She was a bulky as well. It not about being unfit either. I was a lot smaller than the other children. If it's your child I'd complain about this, how humiliating for the poor child.
Same here, I was the shortest in the class by quite a lot, so just couldn't take as long strides (it also turns out I had an undiagnosed joint problem). I was always going to be at the back in a race, and frequently got punished for it.

Unsurprisingly I started skiving PE as soon as I figured out a way of getting away with it. So it hardly inspired me to get fit.

BuffyFanForever · 24/05/2021 10:49

Completely agree with this!
It’s really important to praise the effort not punish the child for not doing it “as well or quickly” as his peers. I was this kid at school and broke when they gave me a B for effort on a report, I confronted the (absolutely horrible) PE teacher and demanded it was changed to an A as I’d literally done twice the work of everyone else.
Don’t even get me started on the unfairness of “bleep tests” shudder

DumplingsAndStew · 24/05/2021 10:50

I guess it really depends whether he's coming last because of ability or lack of effort. I can see the logic of making someone repeat an exercise if they didn't put in sufficient effort last time.

BuffyFanForever · 24/05/2021 10:50

Whoops tried to quote someone there...

NewMatress · 24/05/2021 10:50

Of course you have a finite capacity for exercise. If you ran badly once, you're not going to do better second time without an appropriate rest. Even finely tuned athletes do less in the days before a race to give them the best chance to do well.

KurtWilde · 24/05/2021 10:51

Yeah I was that kid. Early 80s. Can't believe this is still a thing!

SoupDragon · 24/05/2021 10:52

So someone with a processing disorder doesn't have a finite capacity for solving maths problems

Not in the same way as physical exercise, no. They won't be quick.

My DD has a processing disorder. She gets extra time.

Triffid1 · 24/05/2021 10:52

@Veuvelily

He’s always come last in running He enjoys football, rugby, pe and always comes out hot and sweaty. I was sports captain but could never run long distance He says he gets a stitch and can actually taste blood in his mouth. He hates it. He is overweight, he is very self conscious But he has an exercise bike and punching bag that he spends an hour a night on. He’s 13, constantly hungry and 5ft 9
DS is younger but was also overweight and self conscious. He's also a very big child - tallest in his class, large boned etc. And what we realised is that he needs a lot of food, but we need to choose it carefully. But also, he needs a lot of exercise, and a mix of low and high impact. He also hates having to run extra and even now, he's lost loads of weight and is very fit, but he has zero interest in doing any meaningful running.

So an hour a day on the bike and punching bag is a great first step for your DS. If i was his coach, I'd be far less concerned about how fast he's running and far more interested in whether he is able to run for the same amount of time as the other children. Not everyone is particularly fast - I am doing c25k and I can tell you, I'm super proud of myself, but I will not be breaking any records.

Sn0tnose · 24/05/2021 10:52

there is definitely logic in making an unfit child run more to get fitter No there isn’t. Do you think that child felt inspired to go for a jog after school? Or do you think he felt humiliated and exhausted, hating every second and probably determined to avoid PE again wherever possible?

Lovelanguedoc · 24/05/2021 10:53

Physical fitness and ability to do maths have nothing in common.
If 30 children run round a field then it's self evident that one of them will come last. Coming last should not lead to a punishment. Like adults, some children are fitter than others.
Getting fitter involves weeks/ months of training, it can't be done just by running another lap of a field, and it isn't good practice to keep making the same child run again.

Tiktokersmiracle · 24/05/2021 10:54

No that's disgusting, it's bullying.

I would be so angry, DS has health issues that mean he would always come last and not through any fault of his own. I don't think I could stop myself emailing that teacher and telling them what a scumbag they are.

However, I would be straight onto school, headteacher, ask to speak to inclusion lead too.

KurtWilde · 24/05/2021 10:55

When someone is unfit they build up to more and more exercise as they become fitter, they're not forced to do more of something they're struggling with. It's a totally humiliating experience.

Sh05 · 24/05/2021 10:56

@GirlCrush
I was thinking similar. If it was a popular and confident member of the class he'd have everyone cheering him on but for someone who's very self consciously overweight it's just humiliating

megletthesecond · 24/05/2021 10:56

Off the scale level of awful if it still happens now. I'd be calming down then emailing school.

At DS's secondary the class is split so the speedy kids run a much longer route and they all come in around the same time. There aren't any stragglers that way.

halcyondays · 24/05/2021 10:57

That’s terrible.

LolaSmiles · 24/05/2021 10:59

I don't agree with using exercise as a form of punishment or to humiliate. Making the last student run again is deliberately humiliating and should be reported.

The only situation I can think of where it would be appropriate to tell students to redo the lap would be if they were messing around, or walking and talking the first time. In that situation the lap is more like being told to do part of your classwork properly.

Definitely speak to the Head of Department or Head of Year if it is happening regularly.

applesandpears33 · 24/05/2021 10:59

What is the aim of PE at school? If it is to try and foster a lifelong interest in health and fitness then bullying behaviour such as this could just put a child off for life, particularly if it makes someone think they are just no good at it. I'm in favour of keeping competitive sport for those who want it and making PE lessons for everyone else fun and informative, not opportunities for bullying.

1starwars2 · 24/05/2021 11:00

It can only be that the teacher thinks he isn't trying. Perhaps you (or he) could politely tell the teacher that he is putting in maximum effort.
Do they stream them for P. E.?

NotSoLongGoodbye · 24/05/2021 11:00

Deep breath OP - time for a considered email to the Head to say that this is counterproductive and could be perceived as bullying. Talk about the school having a duty of care to your child, including a duty to look after their mental health, and point out this behaviour from the PE teacher is detrimental to your DC health and needs to stop now. you want written confirmation this will not happen again and a detailed plan about how school will support your DC with his own fitness goals in a positive and constructive manner. If action is not taken, copy straight to LEA.

Librariesmakeshhhhappen · 24/05/2021 11:00

Is he actually overweight or is he just a slow runner?
If he's just a slow runner, but healthy and active then making him run more for coming last is pointless. There are more sports than just plain running.

If he is overweight and unfit, then he does need to be worked harder but singling him out infront of his peers isnt the right way. It should be a discussion the teacher has with you about getting more physical activity for him, maybe join an after school sports group or something.

WTFisNext · 24/05/2021 11:01

This was a common tactic in basic training for the army (20 years ago), but then even the slowest (including me) were still capable of not always being last so this wasn't penalising an individual repeatedly...it worked as an incentive to give it that extra little bit so you weren't the one lapping the field while everyone else grabbed a cuppa. If you know you'll always be last there's little point in making the extra effort and you may as well conserve energy for the extra laps.

I thought it was on shaky ground as a motivational technique in a job that demands physical fitness and obedience as a basic requirement. To be used on children in PE is bullying, crap teaching and utterly without merit.