Philosophy paper

Running Head: HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT 1
Health & Physical Education Personal Philosophy Statement
Aaron Banks
Gustavus Adolphus College
Michael Bullert

Abstract
It is very important in our society to incorporate physical and health education in our school
system. There are many reasons why this is important not only in short term of our daily lives,
but also in the long term. In this paper I will be discussing the difference between physical
education and health education and how there are many reason why it is important in our daily
lives. It is also important to learn the difference between health and physical literacy while deal
with health and physical education. From discussing these topics, I will also talk about my
primary goal as a future health and physical educator and how this can improve our students’
health.

Difference between Physical Education and Health Education
Physical education is a course taught in school that focuses on developing physical
fitness. Students are also gaining knowledge of movement and ability to help develop and refine
skills to participate in activities that involve physical fitness, such as baseball, swimming, and
basketball. There are many stages into physical education as this type of class prepares kids to
be physically and mentally active, be both physically and mentally fit, and healthy into your
adulthood. A physical education program should include lessons, trained P. E. teachers,
instructional periods, and student evaluation (Ricketts, 2015).
Health education is defined as a course by which individuals and groups of people learn
to behave in a manner conducive to the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health. This
class has big hopes for students and adults to motivate them with whatever interests they may
have in improving their living conditions. This is also included in the curriculum of most
schools. A health curriculum consists of planned learning experiences, learning of physical
fitness, health issues of alcohol, tobacco and drug use. Some health curriculums include the
social and economic aspects of community and ecological health. This can lead to learning and
choosing professional and medical health services or choice of health careers (Graham, 2001-
2008)
Based from health and physical education comes the literacy. So what is Health
Literacy? It is the person’s potential capacity to accomplish something. Health literacy skills are
used to realize their potential in health situations. You need health literacy to help communicate
other people’s needs and respond to information and services. Another example of using health
literacy skills is to decide which health services match their needs so people can help and act
right away (Health Literacy, 2015).
Physical literacy is when you master fundamental movement skills and sport skills that
permit a child to read their environment and make appropriate decisions, which can allow them
to move confidently and with control in a wide range of physical activities. There are four main
environments that are fundamental in both movement skills and sport skills. These four
environments are on the ground, in the water, on snow and ice, and in the air. These four
environments can help improve your person’s movement and sport skills when need be (What is
Physical Literacy?, 2015).
5 Reasons Why PE and HE are Important and Necessary in Today’s Schools
There are many reasons why Physical Education and Health Education are important in
today’s school’s curriculum. In this section of my philosophy paper I will be discussing 5
reasons of importance of physical education and health education. Reason number one of why
physical education and health education is important in our curriculum is that physical activity in

general helps prevent disease. Engaging in regular physical activity early in life can lead to
healthy activity habits later in life, which then leads to reducing the risk of disease and
improving your daily quality of life. It is important to imply physical education early in
children’s school curriculum so you can reduce the risk of disease at an early stage of their lives
(Masurier, 2006)
Reason number 2 of why we need PE and HE is that it can help fight obesity. It is very
well clear that our society has a problem with obesity, due to the lack of nutrition, exercise, and
time for any activity or knowledge for the reduction of obesity. Among the American Adult
population, 66 percent are overweight and 32 percent are obese. From these percentages, 19
percent of children are overweight and 37 percent of children are obese. There are many
problems based on these numbers that children can’t overcome when they are older. Some
examples of problems that children with obesity experience is psychosocial and psychiatric
problems, which lead to poorer physical quality of life compared to children who are physically
fit and are not obese. Without health or physical education, these percentages of children that are
obese will likely increase. Physical education alone guarantees that children have opportunities
to be active during the school day. Also, the quality of physical and health education can
promise most kids with more opportunities for different activities to stay healthy and physically
fit (Masurier, 2006).
Reason number 3 of why we need PE and HE is it relates to good health. Having
physical and health education can help promote lifelong physical fitness. Especially for the
youth and children, when physical education is performed correctly and almost every day, it can
help meet the minimum health standards. Also, when children have low fitness levels at a young
age, it is linked of having low fitness levels when they are adults. Physical and health education
can develop an enjoyable place of study so that children can receive more fitness activities and
knowledge so as they get older, they can have that same fitness level and same quality of
physical and health education (Masurier, 2006).
Reason number 4 of why we need PE and HE is it prepares children to be physically and
mentally active, fit and healthy for the rest of their lives. Some benefits children receive from
physical education is that skill and motor skills are developed, stress reduction, it can strengthen
peer relationships, and also improve academics in other areas like math, science, and reading.
There is a study done by the University of Illinois that getting kids to move can help strengthen
and stimulate their brains. How does physical activity and academics relate to each other? If
you stimulate your brain by exercising or even walking for 20 minutes, it can help improve your
academic lifestyle. It helps you think more clearly because there is more oxygen being rushed to
the brain, which can then lead to a healthy way of studying other academic areas (Physical
Education for Stronger Bodies, 2015).
The last reason of why we need PE and HE is it helps children have positive changes in
behavior that lower their risks around alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, injuries, mental health, bad

nutrition, and unprotected sexuality. For health education, it is all about motivation to be
successful in a positive way. If you have strong motivation in health, it is linked to many
positive behaviors that can generally improve and maintain your health (Why Health Education
is Important, 2015).
Primary Goal as a Future Health and Physical Educator
My Primary goal as a future health and physical educator is to serve as role models to
students and demonstrate knowledge of health, physical education, and wellness. Since physical
education classes will provide a variety of activities, it can help me motivate the students and
increase their participation. Some goals that are based off of my primary goal are to help
students develop and reinforce cooperative behavior. I will also help students establish lifelong
fitness and nutrition goals.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why physical and health education is important to our school
system. Obesity, diseases, and improvement in academics are just a few reasons that physical
and health education can be important for everyone, especially at a young age. From these key
reasons of having physical and health education, I can create my primary goal of being a role
model to these students that want to improve their physical and mental health. It is all about
motivation and me being a future health and physical educator, I can help serve and motivate
them to accomplish this task.

Works Cited
Graham, C. (2001-2008). Health Education. Retrieved from Self Growth:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/definition_health_education.html
Health Literacy. (2015). Retrieved from CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/learn/
Masurier, G. L. (2006). Top 10 Reasons for Quality Physical Education. JOPERD, 44-53.
Physical Education for Stronger Bodies. (2015). Retrieved from PHIT America:
http://www.phitamerica.org/benefits_of_p_e__in_school.htm
Ricketts, D. (2015). What is Physical Education? Retrieved from Study:
http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-physical-education-definition-overview.html
What is Physical Literacy? (2015). Retrieved from PISE: http://piseworld.com/physical-literacy/
Why Health Education is Important. (2015). Retrieved from Department of Education:
http://education.nh.gov/instruction/school_health/health_coord_education.htm

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