Did you dislike PE? Do your kids dislike PE?

[chris1987]

I'm studying to be a PE teacher and I'm curious to know what people's views are on how PE has changed over the years. Do your kids enjoy or dread it? Why? How could it be better?

Kazzy - that’s so untrue about many PE teachers these days.

I do think it's true that many PE teachers have little or no understanding of or sympathy with kids who aren't good st sport because that is not their experience.

That is certainly the case at my DD's school.

I remember having a conversation with my DCs primary school PE teacher and asking her what she thought the difference was between a professional sports coach for children, and a PE teacher.

She said (and lived this to be fair) that it was a coach’s job to get the very best performance out of the child, where she saw her job to develop a love of sport and physical activity with children.

she saw her job to develop a love of sport and physical activity with children

That's how it should be but in my experience, it's the exception rather than the norm.

I wasn't a fan of PE when I was at school, I wasn't particularly good at any sports. I run now and actually enjoy it after the first 2/3km.

My dd loves PE she has a physical disability and can't really run or jump well, she has weakness in all her muscles and below average lung function.

In dds school they have weekly lessons with a PE teacher from our local secondary they teach a wide range of skills from gymnastics, basketball, fitness, athletics. My daughter has never been mocked for her lack of ability if anything she has been praised and encouraged. The teachers have always looked at ways of adapting for her needs and ask her for input on how this should be done.

She also takes part in Active Schools clubs that are either after school or during lunch breaks. Over the years she has tried dance, basketball, hockey, athletics, water polo, Judu, karate and trampolining. As the lessons are subsidised by the council I expect them to be fully inclusive and have never been disappointed.

The PE provision at our local secondary looks good, the school is attached to a council run leisure centre giving pupils access to a pool, fully equipped gym, dance studios, trampolines, gymnastics studio with sprung floor, and plenty of outdoor space. PE kit is unisex black bottoms, white t-shirt as far as I can tell the style doesn't matter.

I am not worried about PE in secondary as it will be the same teachers she has now.

I hated it. I have mild cerebral palsy and was overweight. Picked last for everything. I managed to break my finger in several places trying to catch a netball with my weak hand - I was told to stop making a fuss and go back to class. One particularly awful teacher told the class afterwards that people only get hurt playing sports if they're not trying. No. I wish I hadn't tried to catch that bloody ball.

In terms of the obesity issue I think school PE is actually counterproductive - it left me with the impression that physical activity meant competitive sport, and was a horrible, embarrassing ordeal which my disability meant I'd never be any good at, and since the point was being good at it, why bother?

It's only in my 30s that I've discovered I enjoy Zumba and lifting weights, and that it doesn't matter if I'm the least co-ordinated person or the one lifting the lightest weights, because it actually makes me feel better and not worse about myself to do it. (And I don't have to wear a tiny skirt and big gym knickers - seriously, there's no excuse for PE kit not being comfortable and weather-appropriate.)

Kazzy that’s the age old falsehood of “those who can do and those who can’t teach”. It’s a load of bollocks.

I hated PE at school and so does DS.

I hated it for the team games where they got two kids to pick their team in turn. I wasn’t the popular kid so was always picked last and I hated it
Was shocked to find when DS started secondary school that PE teachers STILL do this. Like me DS is autistic and dyspraxic...neither of us will every be a natural sports person. So the kids picked us last because it was a case of the begrudging “ oh you’ll have to be on my team . I don’t really want you but you’re the only one lest”.

Please PE teachers,,,.if you are still doing this age old “let the kids pick their own teams” then STOP. It’s horribke being stood there knowing nobody wants you,

well the so-called PE student teacher never came back..
It was probably a government think tank person..

What were they expecting? Mumsnet is the last place to go of all you want to see arw answers you want nor those you need.

The OP is not doing much to repair the reputation of PE teachers here. Rude.

Mumsnet is the last place to go of all you want to see arw answers you want nor those you need.

Well, they've had several suggestions that it would be good to teach kids how to run, throw, catch etc instead of assuming they know how. Lots of us enjoying running after Couch to 5K and wishing we'd learned to do it at school. That's got to be useful, surely?

There is loads of good stuff here - it's more that whoever they are have rather misjudged the crowd here. It's pretty damning that those who like PE are in the minority here.

But having said that there is good practice out there - perhaps the OP can tell us how they intend to make good PE teaching into the rule not the exception.

OP could try NetMums. I wonder if that would be a different response.

Bizarrely OP started another thread on the same subject and has abandoned thatt one too.

I was such an active sporty child then secondary school just killed it for me and I hated it. Didn't do anything remotely sports related until well after I left school. Another thing that schools so often get sooo wrong.

Did she not get the answers she'd hoped for there eitheir TonTon?

Well Practice, most of the comments are very much along the same lines as on this thread, so all good sensible ideas. So I'm not really sure what OP is looking to learn.

Can someone explain to me about why school children seem to be exempt from Health and Safety at work whether it is enforcing the wearing of inadequate clothing to not doing risk assessments. Why on earth is doing contact rugby being taught to children in mixed weight and abilities who have never done it before? I am surprised there aren't more deaths and serious injury from this idiocy!

Mine avoided it as much as possible, perfected the art of skiving.
Was quite energetic though, swimming, cycling, walking.

I was intimidated at school by bullying games mistresses.

It's OK if you like it.

No, I didn't hate it. I wasn't always good at it but I always enjoyed it because I'm super competitive.
My children all enjoyed it because they are athletic and they got to swear their sports uniforms.

My son has dyspraxia - a greater understanding as to issues like this would be much appreciated.

Making sport fun - and being able to find your niche is key. Also - not being completely focused on the "A" team

I hated it. The teachers openly disliked the ones who were not sporty and idolised the ones who were.

DD hated it at primary as inevitably it ended up being a session of lads firing balls at groups of girls and not letting them get a look in. She therefore considered herself as being unsporty. All PE was taught in classes and mixed sex so 30 kids of vastly differing physical attributes and one teacher.

(Btw I do know that not ALL boys do that and not all girls stand at the sideline).

Now she's at a girls school and she's loving it. They seem to really encourage and include everyone and she's discovered that she's actually quite good. She's even joined a team.

Hated PE. The PE teachers when I was at school were bullies. Picked on the shy kids who weren’t good at it like me. They loved the kids who were good at it.

I disliked PE in secondary school for two reasons. First we were never taught anything, just told "OK, go play hockey" or "everyone is going to throw a shot today", nothing about rules or techniques or strategy, so it was all frustrating and disappointing. Secondly, the changing rooms were humiliating.
My DD started secondary school hating PE, but they were put in sets for PE from y9 and she was (in her words) put in the crap set. So all the sporty girls went off with uber-competitive PE teacher, leaving my DD to be taught by an older, part time teacher who has given DD and her friends a chance to learn about fitness and exercise without feeling like failures. She has discovered that she likes exercise, loves feeling fit and capable and I am very grateful to her PE teacher.