What is Physical Education?

In a nutshell, quality physical education means:

REAL teachers who, to the utmost of their power use practices that help students develop the skills, knowledge and desire they need in order to be physically active now and for the rest of their lives.

Standards and guidelines show the way:

In the United States many organizations concerned with public health have stated the importance of providing physical education that helps children and youth develop the skills, knowledge and desire they need to be physically active for the rest of their lives.

Here are a few examples:

• The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) has developed the national standards for physical education (2004).
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published the Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity Among Young People (1997).
• The Council on Physical Education for Children and The Middle and Secondary School Physical Education for Children committee developed pamphlets that describe appropriate and inappropriate practices in physical education. They are available through this link on the NASPE web site.
• The American Heart Association (AHA) has published specific guidelines to school physical education on their web site.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics has published a statement about Physical Fitness and the Schools (1987).

All of CASPER’s advocacy efforts are based on these standards and guidelines. To learn more you can click on the links above or check out some of our other sections

Learn more about quality p.e.

Check out the REAL teachers’ DOs and DON’Ts section to understand more about what quality physical education means. Read CASPER's criteria for REAL Teacher or Babysitter? for additional information on Quality P.E.

Would you like to evaluate a P.E. program? To find out how go the to Evaluate a P.E. Program section. Several of the other main sections at this site will also help you get an idea about what is quality P.E.