Physical Education
The Physical Education department at Cesar Chavez Middle School is committed to helping all students gain an appreciation of the lifetime benefits of a healthy lifestyle through physical activity, wellness, and social interaction. We strive to maintain a non-threatening environment where all students are free to challenge themselves to do their personal best.
Students will be involved in developing various skills in a wide variety of activities. Physical fitness, movement skills, body awareness, self-image, personal growth, and social development are areas of focus within our curriculum.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, regular physical activity is one of the most important ways to maintain and improve one’s physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. A student who participates in physical education is more likely to become a healthy adult who is motivated to remain healthy and physically active throughout his or her life.
The physical education model content standards represent the essential skills and knowledge that all students need to maintain a physically active, healthy lifestyle. California law clearly establishes the priority of physical education instruction. Education Code Section 51210 requires 200 minutes of physical education every ten school days for students in grades one through six. Education Code Section 51222 provides for 400 minutes of physical education every ten school days for students in grades seven through twelve.
The model content standards provide guidance for developing physical education programs by identifying what each student in California should know and be able to do at each grade level. With adequate instruction and sustained effort, students in every school should be able to achieve the standards. Some students with special needs may require appropriate accommodations, adaptations, and modifications to meet the standards. Decisions about how best to teach the standards are left to teachers, schools, and local educational agencies.
The forthcoming revision of the Physical Education Framework for California Public Schools will be based on and incorporate the model content standards. The framework will provide guidance for instruction, program development, and support for the teacher. Used together, the standards and framework will serve as a resource for all school stakeholders in developing a quality physical education program.
An Essential Discipline
Physical education is an integral part of the education program for all students. It teaches students how their bodies move and how to perform a variety of physical activities. Students learn the health-related benefits of regular physical activity and the skills to adopt a physically active, healthy lifestyle. The discipline also provides learning experiences that meet the developmental needs of students. With high quality physical education instruction, students become confident, independent, self-controlled, and resilient; develop positive social skills; set and strive for personal, achievable goals; learn to assume leadership; cooperate with others; accept responsibility for their own behavior; and, ultimately, improve their academic performance.
The model content standards provide opportunities for teachers to reinforce student learning in all areas of the curriculum. The standards link the content in physical education with content in English–language arts, science, mathematics, and history–social science, thereby establishing and emphasizing the many connections between the subjects.