Should Fat Kids Get A's In PhysEd?

[Stijl Council]

Originally Posted by LaoTzuMindFu

A fat kid getting an "A" in physical education is the same as giving a kid who doesnt know how to add an "A" in algebra.

That's not a great comparison. You don't put the kids who aren't college-bound in honors algebra or AP calculus and expect them to meet the same standards as the kids who are graduating with a couple years of AP credit under their belt. (Plus, if you suck at algebra for non-organic reasons -- no dyscalculia or anything like that -- you could always get a tutor.) Nor do you expect the kids who are capable of doing honors/AP work to follow the schedule and standards of the lower-level classes.

Yet the argument seems to be that if every kid in the class can't meet the exact same physical standards as the best athletes, they should be penalized.

(For the record I'm not overweight but do have fairly severe exercise-induced asthma, so I would've been awful at any phys ed program that graded on performance. Neither my high school nor my college did -- just active participation.)

[MustangEater82]

Originally Posted by DewDropInn

You don't believe the big kid can be athletic?

I guess you've never seen defensive lineman drills.

Exactly I was fat, along with others. We were also state champions in football and I won districts in track (shotput and discuss)

Why do we stop at being fat. What about all those scrawny cross country runners who can't bench 100 lbs? Aren't we developing well rounded students.

At the same time I KNEW average and skinny people that probably could not make are warm up routine.


BTW, not sure what your schools were like but most of my health/people class was pretty much a health class, in classroom in books, nutrtion, some sex ed, heart rate, being healthy, workout, form reps, rest of weight lifting and why you do it, how sugar/insulin levels are affected by eating and working out, first aid, and brief overview of cor(no cert).

Had at least a 2 in thick hardback book. We didn't dress and run laps and climb ropes in gym like you guys did in Tue 70s and 80s.

We did once a week go do sports, 4 days opt class, 1 day of dressing and most of that was almost like tryouts for the sports teams. How do you know if you are a pole vaulter? They would give you a rundown of technique, then we tried it.

That was how I got into shotput and discus. Honestly, I think it was great. I learned a lot and it was one of the lessons I took through life. Because dealing with my body is a life long thing.

Sent from my autocorrect butchering device.

[MustangEater82]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

Says a person who has obviously not spent a second in any way shape or form involved in high school track & field. The runners are always glad to see the throwers do well because a win in the shot put gives their team the same number of points as a win in the two mile run does. And the shot putters, as a general rule, are not a group that looks like they miss very many meals.

Some of the early season relay meets still have 'fat man' relays where the participants must also be entered in throwing events. And it often takes a fairly quick time to win those races because shot put, discus, and javelin require a surprising amount of explosiveness for success.

1/4 of my practice we used to train with sprinters before we threw. I joined track to work quickness and explosive drills in football off season.

Sent from my autocorrect butchering device.

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by Stijl Council

That's not a great comparison. You don't put the kids who aren't college-bound in honors algebra or AP calculus and expect them to meet the same standards as the kids who are graduating with a couple years of AP credit under their belt. (Plus, if you suck at algebra for non-organic reasons -- no dyscalculia or anything like that -- you could always get a tutor.) Nor do you expect the kids who are capable of doing honors/AP work to follow the schedule and standards of the lower-level classes.

Yet the argument seems to be that if every kid in the class can't meet the exact same physical standards as the best athletes, they should be penalized.

(For the record I'm not overweight but do have fairly severe exercise-induced asthma, so I would've been awful at any phys ed program that graded on performance. Neither my high school nor my college did -- just active participation.)

Well, even when graded on performance it doesn't expect athlete level performance. An 8 minute mile was an A in my high school, I ran a 5:12 mile which was respectable but by no means top athlete.

[Cav Scout wife]

Originally Posted by HansProof

First, there is no such thing as junk food, only oversized portions.

We need to stop the watering down of grades. Fat kid getting an A in gym just watered down the grade of every track athlete in the school. A complete slap in the face to every athlete who has spilt blood and tears for athletic excellence. Maybe every jock should get an A in every advanced math and language course. You know, to be "fair." Why even study...everyone gets an A.

Ok, well I'll take the word of Professionals on that, instead of a self professed Algebra disabled internet poster.

Gym class has NO bering on extra-curricular activities. You are NOT graded on playing sports for the school team.

Originally Posted by beachmouse

Shows how far you really are from being a real athlete yourself. I do triathlons, (short stuff. Longest I've ever done was a half Ironman distance) and in most of the races out there the pros and average joes are in the same races. Hugely common to see an Ironman world champion and the rest of the pros finishing in the paycheck spots to finish their races, do a shower and massage, and then go back to the finish line and spend hours cheering on the 'average' joes trying to complete their Ironman distance race (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) before the time cutoff for official finishers.

That's awesome to hear, that competition and this "it's all about me" crap isn't prevalant everywhere.

Originally Posted by LaoTzuMindFu

A fat kid getting an "A" in physical education is the same as giving a kid who doesnt know how to add an "A" in algebra.

Not true. If you can play BB, but can't dunk, or have a 75% in field goals doesn't mean you shouldn't get in A in the class for knowing and understanding the game, being able to dribble the ball w/o traveling, and hitting an average amount of shots.

If you can't figure out x+y-4=2, then you don't deserve the A that some one else that can't do the work does.

[greenvillebuckeye]

Originally Posted by HansProof

First, there is no such thing as junk food, only oversized portions. And second, I'm just saying the bar should be held even. If gym is going to be graded on effort, so should everything else, right? You can deny it barely has anything to do with life, but in the end, it has everything to do with it.

Hard work doesn't get rewarded, only results. That is the real world.

And that the rope test wouldn't be fair? My whole point is that it isn't fair...the way it should be.

We need to stop the watering down of grades. Fat kid getting an A in gym just watered down the grade of every track athlete in the school. A complete slap in the face to every athlete who has spilt blood and tears for athletic excellence. Maybe every jock should get an A in every advanced math and language course. You know, to be "fair." Why even study...everyone gets an A.

Most of the shot and disc throwers I coach probably if polled would care less if an overweight person got an A in PE just as they did. In fact most probably don't pay much attention to PE grades.