Province kicks up school gym time
Students in New Brunswick will soon have more time in gym class with specialists who know how to keep them moving.
Education Minister Kelly Lamrock announced Wednesday that 111 elementary teaching positions will be assigned to physical education, art and music in September.
That means almost every elementary school in the anglophone system will have openings for teachers specializing in those areas.
"The priority will go to physical education teachers to help reach the new goal of 120 minutes of physical education time per week for all students," Lamrock said.
"Once those positions are full, the remaining spots will go to teachers with training or a strong background in music or art."
Cathy Bourque can't wait for the changes.
She's been sharing her time as a physical education teacher between two schools.
Now, she said, she'll get a full-time position and be able to focus on one school.
"It's just fantastic because I've felt like I've not been able to give my students 100 per cent," Bourque said.
"Not only will I be able to focus on helping my school get 120 minutes of physical education time per week, but I'll also be able to fill the gym with activities for students on recesses and lunches."
Elementary students now receive an average of 91 minutes of physical education per week.
Lamrock said the goal is to increase the minimum amount of gym time to 150 minutes per week within the next three years.
LeRoy Washburn is thrilled to see a renewed focus on physical education in New Brunswick.
He taught gym classes for 45 years.
"We're starting to come full circle," Washburn said. "Students used to get a lot of gym time in the old days, but it was cut out of schools.
"It was a big blow to kids' health. Now we're getting back to it. It's beautiful."
At least one out of every three New Brunswick children is overweight or obese, according to a Canadian Community Health Survey released by Statistics Canada.
And New Brunswick youth reportedly have the lowest activity levels in the country.
Diane Hoyt-Nealis of the New Brunswick Physical Education Society said the province's new approach to physical education in schools couldn't have come at a better time.
"The health of the next generation is depending on this," she said. "We need to expose children to physical activity at a young age and teach them it's fun, so they are encouraged to lead active and healthy lifestyles."
Riley Hartnett said she doesn't think about childhood obesity.
The Hubbard Avenue Elementary student is only 10 years old, so it's not something that's on her mind.
But she said she still plans to celebrate Lamrock's announcement.
"Oh, I just love gym class and think it'll be awesome to have more time with a teacher who does sports for a living," Hartnett said.
"Right now gym classes usually end just as it's getting fun, so this way maybe more kids will want to participate because they have lots of time to get really into it."
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Having gym class doesn't take away that responsibility off my hands as a parent to ensure my kids respect their health and live a healthy active lifestyle.
I am happy for this change but part of me feels as though some people think the obesity problem will solved. At best it will be delayed a few years.
2010!!
There would be nothing wrong with increasing daily physical activity if you weren't doing it at the expense of other programs and contradicting yourself in the process.
We've been told that EFI had to go because, as a result of a lack of resources, it leads to a streaming problem.
In the last two weeks we been given a "School Wide Enrichment" program for gifted students--in order to know they're gifted we're going to have to do some streaming(a potentially dangerous type) and a Phys Ed program that, because of a lack of trained Elementary Phys. Ed. Specialists, we don't have adequate resources to provide.
It could also be argued that, if EFI favours the "Brightest" kids, this new Phys Ed program will favour those with an aptitude for sports
Leaving a lot of less coordinated students feeling humiliated.