P.E. Teachers From Across U.S. in Mississippi To Share Ideas

" What more fun would a high school student want than taking a phys ed class that teaches technology in phys ed?” A quote from one of dozens of P.E. teachers attending the national conference for health and P.E. in Ridgeland.

Mississippi leads the nation in obesity and other health related illnesses. But as MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports P.E. teachers are learning how to combat those diseases with physical exercise in schools.

At a National conference on health and physical education in Ridgeland, Moss Point High School Physical Education teacher, Linda Gray says being a kid is nothing like it was when she was growing up.

“You had chores to do and then after we get through working and doing our chores we still go out and get involved in exercise, walk, run, jog, kids don’t do that. So they have to be almost forced to do it even at age four and five. You know it’s too much technology for them to sit around and be cool and play games.”

Lack of exercise can cause all kinds of health problems. But how do you motivate a generation of children to get up off the sofa and into an exercise routine? Carolyn Masterson, a P.E. instructor at Montclair University in New Jersey, says you find ways to beat them at their own game.

“I bring in music, you hear the music going all the time. It’s been a proven fact that when you have music on that is appropriate for students they work harder. All your games, your Zavix and Wii and play Station and you know activity kinds of games. What more fun would a high school student want than taking a phys ed class that teaches technology in phys ed?”

The state department of education requires 150 hours of physical activities and 45 minutes of health instruction per week.

“A lot of states don’t even have that so we’re going in the right direction.”

Gary Wilson, with the Mississippi Association for Health, Phys Ed, Recreation and Dance believes more needs to be done.

“We just need to have more emphasis on the physical aspect of the total student as well as the mental.”

Research shows that students who are physically, mentally and emotionally healthy also perform better academically. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.