The rationale behind PDHPE:

Why its important for your child

Why teach PDHPE?

A common misconception surrounding PDHPE as an area of learning in school is that its just about physical activity. However, participation in active education (PE) benefits children in multiple ways. Children who actively engage and build their physical skills at the same time develop their cognitive, social, and emotional skills (Sanders, 1992). The benefits go far beyond just physical betterment.

But wait! Theres more!

The benefits discussed are those that come from just the PE portion of the lesson. The PDH part covers topics such as preventive measures and road safety, and builds decision-making skills that are necessary to living a healthy lifestyle. These contribute to enabling the student to become enlightened at a young age. An educated student is far more likely to wear a helmet or wear sunscreen if they are made aware of the consequences for not doing so.

What happens if my child does not engage in PE?

The end result of children who have not acquired the physical skills necessary to engage in PE (and, indeed, games with their peers during breaks) is that these children are more likely to experience issues in the area of peer relationships and as a result suffer from low selfesteem. This tends to result in having fewer friends than their physically educated peers, and eventually leads to health problems in later life because of their choice to avoid physical activity, whether it be to avoid embarrassment or otherwise (Poest, Williams, Witt, and Attwood, 1990, as cited in Sanders, 1992).

 Ultimately, what is necessary for your child to succeed is for students, teachers, and parents to contribute to the development of PDHPE in schools. Quite clearly, PDHPE is one of, if not the most, important Key Learning Area in the NSW school system. Yet most do not think this way. It is imperative to the futures of the children that PDHPE is widely recognized with the level of prominence it deserves.

References
Sanders, S. (1992). Designing preschool movement programs. Kingswood, S.A: Human Kinetics Publishers.