The Great Debate

In Monday's class (2/26/12) we had a debate in class about which type of curriculum we should use-  Sticks in Sports, Lifetime Activities, or Skills Theme Advocates. There was a mock school board and a mock media crew on top of the three advocating groups. The group I was in was the Skills Theme group. I am a big fan of lifetime activities and stick sports, but I believe that at the elementary and middle school levels of PE the curriculum should be skills theme based. Children need to learn these fundamental skills to be more diverse with their bodies. Having these fundamental skills helps with the other two groups- which I would incorporate into the later levels of education (late elementary, middle and high school). Our group's statement was that we are the basis to all sports (the other two groups).

Having a Skills based curriculum is easier for younger learners. It doesn't focus on a couple of specific skills, it focuses on a bunch of locomotor skills that create more opportunities to try different sports/activities if the child chooses. By learning these skills at a young age it helps with performing more difficult skills later in life and helps a child be more coordinated.