Middle school PE: Florida is doing the right thing
When I think about the hours my kids spend texting, doing homework and playing games on the computer, I am thankful for the new middle school physical education requirement.
I'm responding to my colleague Gretchen Day-Bryant's post yesterday about what she sees as the uselessness of this requirement. At our middle school, PE has been a positive experience, giving my kids skills and knowledge they can use the rest of their lives.
They actually get tests! These have included the parts of the body used in athletics (sacrum, fibula, tibia) and the rules of various team sports, including soccer, basketball and football. As for actual exercise, activities have included running around the track and setting goals for how fast they will go.
When you consider the American childhood obesity rate (32 percent!), it's clear that societal changes have forced kids into the house after school and their parents aren't doing anything to get them moving (not to mention our terrible dietary habits). Although they may have to give up some other fun subjects like fine arts, I say Florida is doing the right thing in this aspect of our kids' education.
Gretchen Day-Bryant has a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. She’s lived to tell about the struggles of juggling little kids and work.
Joy Oglesby has a preschooler...
Cindy Kent Fort Lauderdale mother of three. Her kids span in ages from teenager to 20s.
Rafael Olmeda and his wife welcomed their first son in Feb. 2009, and he's helping raise two teenage stepdaughters.
Lois Solomon lives in Boca Raton with her husband and three daughters.
Georgia East is the parent of a five-year-old girl, who came into the world weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces.
Brittany Wallman is the mother of Creed, 15, and Lily, 7, and is married to a journalist, Bob Norman. She covers Broward County government, which is filled with almost as much drama as the Norman household. Almost.
Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator and the father of a 7-year-old girl, and two boys ages 4 and 3.
Kyara Lomer Camarena has a 2-year-old son, Copelan, and a brand new baby. 
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