A Synthesis Paper

This article discusses physical education as a course in a learning institution that focuses on improving athletic capacity and abilities to practice and enjoy daily physical activities such as swimming, basketball, and baseball. This course also helps students prepare for school by encouraging them to be physically and emotionally healthy. Since the elementary level is a school for students in their first years, where they receive their primary education before moving on to high school, the stage is critical; thus, teaching athletic practices during physical education has both positive and negative effects on the children as they go through their daily lives. During physical education classes, competitive events have some positive characteristics on the children. The teachers allow students to pick an event that best suits them, mostly team games such as hockey, football, and basketball. During the competition, the students get to learn to be creative and innovative, as each side strives to win the game, a skill that helps throughout their lifetime. They learn to work hard towards their goals just as they worked to succeed in their physical education class and it is from this course that other students discover their talents and capabilities that help them in their future. Competitive activities in physical education class contribute to each child's total development and growth in that the children remain active during class in other lessons, recess, and physical education class. Through the competitive activities, children are taught to work as a team as the students participate in competing teams and to win each team member has to work with the other to deliver, this skill helps the students throughout their lives as they become team players. Another positive aspect is that it provides physical and mental fitness including healthy bones and muscle, increase energy and coordination and reduce risks of getting diseases (Bailey, 397-401).

The article focuses on the limitations of teaching competitive activities to elementary students given that competitive activities in physical education have its positive aspects, it also has its negative issues that include; students paying more attention and time on the competitive activities rather than enjoying the games as a part of the class activities. In the long run, as the students try to outdo each other in the games, not concentrating more on their studies. The technology used in competitive events are expensive and may result in more school funds being allocated in acquiring and maintaining the equipment. The technology needed for the activities such as active gaming programs with an additional material includes Kinect XBOX, Kinect Dance Dance Revolution, and pedometers. The gaming activities have been assimilated into the school fitness centers making the schools spend more to have the technologies in the schools for students to have access to the equipment increasing the student's fitness levels through high-tech approaches.

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Competitive games during physical education classes may be challenging and not developmental for all the participating students unless the teachers teach it well. If not well explained the activities might lead to less co-operation and students demotivated since they will be unable to compete with other students who are better at the activities, this may make them feel like failures. Competitive events among the students in schools may encourage anti-social and aggressive behaviors among the competing students in the classroom, while other students may result to cheating to win the given competition during the physical education classes. (Allender, 826-835).

Whether it is losing or winning during the competitive activities, physical education can offer more experiences and lessons that also look at the young students' social, psychological, physical and technical aspects. To encourage the participation of all the students in the competitive activities, teachers should not let the young students' choose the teams, but they should match the student appropriately and fairly to competitors and the games according to their abilities. The point in this is that no boy or girl plays with peers who are much more developed physically resulting to fair competitions. Students should also be allowed to choose activities that best uniform them whether it is team building activities or individual exercises. Selecting activities prevents harmful actions like cheating and difficulties to getting along with each other among the students as they partake activities that they are comfortable.

Tailored approaches and current equipment should be introduced in schools physical education to teach the young students according to their needs and capabilities. Some students are more introverted and less to want to participate in competing activities that should not be the case letting the students shy off due to injuries, disappointments, rivalry and discrimination during the competitions. The young students and the activities taken in schools should be well taught on the games to encourage the elements of competition. The critical reason for competitive events is to promote motivation and increase coordination and energy, healthy bones and muscles in the growing students and increase physical and mental fitness through the team building activities and hard work during the competitions. Physical educations prepare the young students to be energetic and creative throughout their lives hence the subject should be well tailored.

Work Cited

Bailey, Richard. "Physical education and sport in schools: A review of benefits and outcomes." Journal of school health 76.8 (2006): 397-401.
Allender, Steven, Gill Cowburn, and Charlie Foster. "Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies." Health education research 21.6 (2006): 826-835.