With one PE class a day, the bigger challenge is to get students to fall in love with the sports med

Mondo Education Updated on 2024-01-28

In strengthening school physical education, Shenzhen has displayed the vigor of reform.

Recently, Shenzhen issued the implementation opinions on strengthening and improving school physical education, requiring that from January 1, 2024, schools in the compulsory education stage will open one physical education class per day. This practice is not common in large cities in China.

In the impression of the post-80s, post-90s and even earlier generational groups, physical education classes inevitably bear the label of so-called "secondary courses". In terms of class scheduling, two physical education classes per week for primary and junior high school students may be considered too much, and physical education classes may disappear from the class schedule when the high school entrance examination is approaching. In the actual experience of many people, physical education teachers who are obviously physically fit often "call in sick", and physical education classes are occupied by other classes for various reasons.

However, for primary and secondary education, which is now paying more and more attention to the physical education curriculum in schools, the requirement of one physical education class per day is a big step, but it is not presumptuous. According to the requirements of the Ministry of Education, physical education is 4 hours per week for primary 1 to 2 grades, and 3 hours per week for 3 to 6 grades of primary school and junior high school. Shenzhen has added 1-2 class hours per week on this basis. "CCTV News" commented on this: "The changes are indeed obvious, but they are not as drastic as everyone thinks. ”

So, is one more PE class a day?Most of the comments were unanimous: not much.

The surging news editorial believes that the physical health indicators of children and adolescents have declined for many years, and cites data that less than 30% of students in China currently exercise for one hour a dayThe "Guangming Network Commentator" article clarified from the perspective of improving the physical health level of students: "Even if the slogan of attaching importance to students' physical health is shouted loudly, there is not enough physical education class time guarantee, and it cannot really change the situation that physical education class is crowded out at any time, which is an empty word." The Beijing News also commented that this move sent a serious signal to the society: physical education classes are very important, and there can be no room for ambiguity, so that children can say "goodbye" to physical education classes that do not pant and sweat.

Opening up physical education classes is a key step to strengthen campus sports and improve the physical fitness of young people. However, the bigger challenge of one physical education class a day is to improve the quality of physical education classes and enrich the form of physical education classes, so that students can fall in love with sports and develop sports Xi.

Ideal education cannot be based on the accumulation of courses alone. The increase in physical education hours has created pressure to motivate students to participate in sports, but this pressure, if only translated into a burden, may defeat the purpose of strengthening school sports. The "Guangming Network Commentator" article pointed out the social doubts about "whether sports will also become a kind of exam-oriented education". In the group of teenagers, some people have strong innate athletic ability and like sports, and some people have a weak sports foundation and are "scared" of physical education classes.

In the impression of many people, the content of physical education classes in primary and secondary schools is nothing more than running, long jump, sit-ups and other sets. After the increase in the number of physical education classes, if students are still repeatedly engaged in simple exercises, the attractiveness of physical education classes may not be guaranteed. In fact, in some schools and regions that have increased the number of PE hours on a "first-in-the-first basis", it is only by diversifying the curriculum that the PE class can be more enriching.

In 2021, "Qianjiang Evening News" reported that a primary school in Hangzhou piloted a physical education class every day, and professional projects such as football, badminton, aerobics, and table tennis were loved by students. In 2022, the Three Gorges Business Daily reported that after a primary school in Yichang, Hubei Province, implemented a physical education class every day, traditional sports such as hoop rolling, spinning top, rubber band jumping, hopscotch, sandbag throwing, and shuttlecock kicking were added, which were quite popular with students.

One PE class per day means that PE classes require a proportional increase in the number of teachers and venues. Li Pei, a professor at the School of Sports Science at South China Normal University, said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency: "After the introduction of this system, there may be a shortage of physical education teachers, so how to solve the problem of sufficient physical education teachers is very important." On November 23, a report released by Xinhua News Agency also analyzed that the shortage of professional teachers, insufficient venues and insufficient sports equipment are restricting rural schools from carrying out physical education better and more stably, and some schools can only run on the village roads with teachers and students.

Guangming Network Commentator" The article also reminded: "Today, when attaching importance to physical education has become a new trend of correction, it is indeed necessary to be vigilant against thinking from one extreme to another. The article argues that the intensification of physical education should not be understood as a weakening of other classes, but as a return to its proper position.

As a representative city of developed regions in China, Shenzhen has a strong ability to build and guarantee campus sports facilities, and also has the ability to attract high-level physical education teachers. At the same time, the outside world also expects that Shenzhen can form a typical case that can be promoted in the exploration, and provide "Shenzhen experience" for strengthening campus sports.

*: China Youth Daily client.

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