Kimberly Lloren Abulag

BSBM- Irreg

Brief History of Physical Education

The brief history of physical education would start in just about 1820 when schools
focused on gymnastics, hygiene training and care and development of the human body.
By the year 1950, over 400 institutes had introduced majors in physical education. The
Young Men's Christian Association launched its very first chapter in 1851 and focused
on physical activities. Colleges were encouraged to focus on intramural sports
particularly track, field and football.

But physical education became a formal requirement following the civil war when many
states opted to pass laws that required schools to incorporate a substantial physical
education component into their curriculums. But it was not till 1970 that an amendment
was made to the Federal Education Act that allowed women from high school and
college to compete in athletic competitions. Sex-based discrimination was completely
outlawed from government funded programs at this point.

College athletics received a major stimulus when a National Collegiate Athletic

Association was created in the early twentieth centuries. There was a rise in popularity
of sports within colleges and universities and funding greatly increased. Colleges took
great pride in their athletic programs and sports scholarship became a norm. There was
also a surge in people who enrolled in sports education programs to meet the growing
demand for professionals in the field.

But this is not meant to imply that the history of physical education has been all rosy.
Late in the twentieth century there was certainly a decline in the commitment to physical
education. The growing offering of extra subjects and electives in schools means that
the shift was focusing away from physical education and towards academics. The
country also faced a recession around 1970 and 1980 and the dearth of government
funding means that physical education programs were often the first to be cut from
schools and universities.
But recent awareness of the need for balanced curriculums particularly given the
national concern over the state of obesity and children's attention towards non-physical
activities like video games has brought physical education back in the spotlight. The
government has re-signaled its commitment to physical education by making it
mandatory in public schools in early classes. But it remains an elective at the high
school level. One of the most interesting developments in the history of physical
education has been how the definition of physical education has evolved. While it only
encompassed traditional sports in the beginning, it now includes several less physical
activities such as yoga and meditation which are considered critical to helping students
develop a sense of control in such a stressful age.

What is Physical Education?

Physical Education (PE) develops the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes needed
for establishing and enjoying an active and healthy lifestyle, as well as building student
confidence and competence in facing challenges as individuals and in groups or teams,
through a wide range of learning activities.

PE is offered as an elective examination subject at senior secondary education level.

It emphasises the connection between theory and practical skills and is designed to
develop
the interest and potential of students in the areas of PE and sports. It will help students
gain
a deeper understanding of theories and applications in the fields of human movement
and
health, and it will promote the well-being of individuals and society.

Physical education is the training in physical fitness and in skills that engages
psychomotor learning promoting such fitness. It is the education through physical
activity for the total development of the body and mind of a person. It was once
excluded in most societies, giving more importance to literacy. But once literacy was
spread, it was included in school programs because of the awareness that fitness
helped the mind. In the West, people developed a teaching system for physical
education. And as more public schools used these teaching systems, physical
education joined baccalaureate curricula, becoming a major in Columbia University in
1901 and elsewhere later.

Concepts of physical education?

The concepts of physical education include improvement of physical fitness, self-

discipline, strengthened peer relationship, and improvement of self-esteem and
confidence of a person. Physical education teaches people the value of physical activity
in their lives so that they can avoid sedentary lifestyles. People who are active in team
sports develop good interaction skills to achieve a common goal, thus strengthening
peer relationships and building up confidence.

what are the legal basis of physical education?

The legal basis of physical education in the Philippines can be found in the Philippine
Constitution of 1987, Article 14, Section 19. It states that:

1)The State shall promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league
competitions and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to
foster self-discipline, teamwork, and excellence for the development of a healthy and
alert citizenry.

2)All educational institutions shall undertake regular sports activities throughout the
country in cooperation with athletic clubs and other sectors.