Health

I

CALLED

MOM FOR LUNCH ON TUESDAY, BUT

Physical Education
Must Be Fun

SHE WAS GOING TO A BOOK REVIEW

IN THE LIBRARY. • I DROPPED BY ON

THURSDAY, BUT SHE COULDN'T COME

BECAUSE SHE WAS BUSY IN THE ACTIVITIES

ROOM WORKING ON HER NEW EXERCISE

PLAN. I INVITED MYSELF TO LUNCH WITH

HER ON FRIDAY, AND THE FOOD WAS

TERRIFIC. I TOLD MOM TO CALL MY

BROTHER AND LET HIM KNOW HOW

SHE LIKES HER NEW HOME AT

THE HEATHERWOOD. I HOPE SHE CAN

FIND TIME TO CALL.

the

ATHERWOOD

_Retirement Living for
cMclive Senior

For information call
Kathy Ostrowski
(810) 350-1777

the

7p,

22800 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE
SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN

EOUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNRY

Experience

ZYZYX!

now olweif

arts, crafts, and jewelry

Or 14 E.044.444

6885 Orchard Lake Road
248-539-3309

ALISON ASHTON

Special to The Jewish News

A

report released by the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention notes an
alarming decline in physical
education in our schools. Daily enroll-
ment in high school physical educa-
tion classes dropped from 42 percent
of students in 1991 to 25 percent in
1995. This decline in physical educa-
tion is due to two factors: Exemptions
are freely granted to students, and
schools have sharply reduced or even
eliminated P.E.
But experts at Purdue University
say daily physical education classes
should be mandatory for all students.
Not only are students not as active as
they can and should be - almost half
of young people 12 to 21 are not vig-
orously active on a regular basis - but
they're missing the opportunity to
learn healthy, lifelong habits.
The key to a successful P.E. class is
making it fun, says Purdue's Marlene
Tappe, the lead author of the center's
report. "We need to make physical
activity fun and focus on what we can
do for kids to see that they stay active
throughout their lives," she says,
adding that activities like walking,
swimming and dance should be on the
curriculum.
This emphasis on activity, rather
than competition, will attract more
kids. "Teachers should never use run-
ning or doing push-ups as forms of
punishment," she adds. "And grades
for physical education classes should
not be too tied to students' athletic
ability."
Former elementary school P.E.
teacher Michael Savage, who now
teaches health, kinesiology and leisure
studies at Purdue, says it's hard to con-
vince parents of the importance of reg-
ular physical education. Many adults
have lingering memories of the bad
old days of tormenting P.E. classes
taught by mean coaches.
Savage says modern P.E. classes
should include at least 20 minutes of
basic activity to get students' heart
rates up, along with teaching motor
and behavioral skills that stress partici-
pation and enjoying physical activity.

FOLIC ACID FORTIFICATION
We've all seen those television com-
mercials touting orange juice as a good
source of folic acid, which helps pre-

Alison Ashton writes for Copley News
Service.

11/21
1997

130