The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students

The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students EDU 715: Organizational Theory and Strategic Planning University of New England Justin Roy August 20, 2013 Thomas Trey Wynn

The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students At the beginning of the school year, we as teachers were required to come up with a Student Learning Target or SLT for our students. The object of this is to come up with some type of target or goal that each teacher wants to set for their students to accomplish. Obviously, not every student in his/her class will accomplish the goal, but the point is that a certain percentage accomplishes the goal. For example, in my Physical Education class, I set a goal that 75% of my class should be able to run at least 60 pacer laps by the end of the year. A Pacer lap is a lap from the baseline of the basketball floor to the opposite free throw line. Our P. E. department has a music CD that goes with this program. The CD plays a sound for them to start running and they have to make it to the opposite line before they hear the sound again. If they dont make it two times in a row, they are out. This is not a game; it is an assessment on stamina and their ability to run/jog for fitness. Typically, a well in-shape athlete can run a range of 60-120 pacer laps. The problem this past school year was that only 55% of my students accomplished this goal. So, I see fitness as a major problem with my students for the 20122013 year. Within this year, I noticed a number of overweight students and an overall lack of effort with many of my students that were overweight. As a result, I tried to offer my classes more chances to improve on their overall fitness scores and not just for the pacer test. The thought is that if 45% of my students are not accomplishing a reasonable goal such as running at least 60 pacer laps, there could be a potentially major problem with youth fitness on the middle school level. On a side note, I was able to survey a few of my colleagues in my district to see where they stood on the Pacer Test as well and they responded with very similar percentages such as 65%, 58%, and 70%. The question that we all raised was, Are our goals
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The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students set too high? We all firmly believe that they are not set too high and the school district coordinator and state coordinator for P. E. do not believe these goals are set too high. The three disciplines that I believe will most affect the accomplishment of these P. E. goals are Mental Models, Personal Mastery, and Team Learning. The first discipline that should be addressed is Mental Models. Mental Models suggests to a student that whatever they believe about something is true or factual. This particular way of thinking is called the Ladder of Inference (Senge, 2012). These are self-generating beliefs that whatever we believe about whatever it is we are dealing with is true and it will not be changed. The P.E. teachers have been instructed that 75% of all of my students should be able to run/jog at least 60 pacer laps. Where did this number or figure come from? As was stated earlier, most of my colleagues and my coordinators believe this is a fair number to achieve, but nobody in the district was able to achieve it from my own personal survey. Does this mean we as a district have fallen into the ladder of inference? The problem is we have data to suggest that maybe our goals are set too high yet, nothing has been done to possibly change these numbers or percentages of pass/fail. Personal Mastery is another discipline that will be looked at with the issue of the Pacer Test. Students at this level within P.E. need so much motivation to do this type of assessment for P.E. If I were to think of all the times I heard a student ask me why they have to run laps or jog around the football field or run the Pacer Test, I would lose count. Students should be more self-aware which is how much we know about ourselves and the impact our behavior has on others ("Learning solutions for," 2013). How the students perceive themselves, which has something to do with the Mental Modeling, but also can show each of them their self worth. If

The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students each student can begin to believe in themselves a little more, the thinking within the P.E. circles is that type of positive behavior will reflect off of each of them on each other. Students need to set a goal or a choice of a goal (Senge, 2012, p. 85). They should choose to set 3 different goals within the year to accomplish their overall goal. If a student were to make the goal set for 20 by October, 40 by February and 60 by May, then they could be reaching that goal by the process of choice. Set a personal mastery to make a choice and stand by it. Personal Mastery could be the most important of the disciplines covered within the Pacer Test. Finally, there is Team Learning. Team Learning happens when teams start thinking together sharing their experience, insights, knowledge and skills with each other about how to do things better ("Learning solutions for," 2013). When it comes to running the Pacer Test, there is not much of a surprise on how to accomplish this goal, but there is something to be said for a student who can run the Pacer Test well, run a mile in under 10 minutes, or run a 40 yard dash in under 5 seconds. Other students should be sharing or peer tutoring each other with their experiences and helping each of them accomplish their goals. In my P.E. classes, I put students together in small groups called Teams and I also pair each student up with a partner called a Swim Buddy. Team work and Team mate is promoted to the ninth degree in my classes so this particular section of discipline is nothing new to me. This upcoming year, my classes will take a different look with Team to the Pacer Test and to running the Mile. I will assign the team and have them work together to build up their stamina, time, and agility to work towards a positive outcome with the Pacer Test and the Mile run. Team Learning will help motivate the students to help each other and to make sure no one falls behind or gets left behind.
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The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students

SWOT Analysis Fitness Strengths Weaknesses

P.E. curriculum shows opportunities to improve overall health and fitness of students. Principal and other administrators as well as district leaders give full support of the measures needed to accomplish overall health improvement of our students. Most of the community as well as the parents of the students is on board with our goal of being more physically fit. A long and healthy life expectancy. Superior cardio vascular system. Less likely to die of heart disease and/or stroke related illnesses. More likely to get married and have children. Students would be able to check heart rate and health information would be informative.
Opportunities

Not everyone is eager to participate Some students are overly out of shape and/or obese, which takes more than just fitness to address the issue. More room needed in the gym to accomplish our goals. Class size is too large. Additional equipment needed to accomplish goals. The accomplishment of goals is a long process and takes total commitment from the students and parents. Eating correctly and having the means to do so. Needing to have personal fitness equipment at home to help the process. Would need financial assistance to accomplish goals and meet the needs of the students.
Threats

A Pacer Club would be created to help the students who want extra work an opportunity to workout more. Heart rate monitoring system would educate the students and allow for a more thorough idea of each ones health and fitness levels. Be able to see how much they are actually running in distance with the institution of pedometers. Opportunity for the community to get involved with the health blog that we will create as part of our accountability system. The opportunity to lose weight and/or get fit by exercise.

Changing the way we assess our Physical Education programs on fitness. Not having the funds necessary to implement the proper equipment needed. Not having the full support of the Physical Education department of our district. Lack of support from the parents and/or administration of our school. Legislative requirements for programs other than the Pacer Test program. Not enough professional development for this program.

The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students SMART Goals Putting in the goals set forth by my school district, our students will be able to attain the goals set by themselves as well as achieve a higher standard of fitness than in years past. The uses of SMART goals are an important part of the future of our school district. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators all have a stake in the improvement of our schools and district with subjects like Math, English, and Science. These goals will put Physical Education on the map as an important part of daily routine and the necessity of staying healthy and fit along with the other core subjects. These goals will ensure that the students and faculty have a chance to be successful with Physical Education.
By the end of the 2013-2014 school year, my school district will have Physical Education classes that achieve the 75% passing rate for all students that run the Pacer Test at 60 Pacer laps. Students will be given the option to join a swim club and/or aerobic and/or fitness gym for extra training on the side. Students will be able set aside time in class on Fridays to run the Pacer Test so that they can make adjustments to their goals. Students will be given a fitness plan by PE instructor and/or fitness trainer to work on that will show each students objectives for every day regarding their fitness training. By the end of the 2014-2015 school year, my school district will have been able to acquire the necessary products to be able to use during class time that will ensure the goals set forth for the students every school year. PE teachers will be allowed to purchase heart rate monitoring systems

The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students

PE teachers will be allowed to purchase pedometers to be able to track the amount of jogging/walking that is achieved by the students/faculty. PE teachers will have completed at least 8 hours of professional development on implementing the necessary training to the students. Students will also be trained on how to work all equipment used for fitness. Each middle and high school within the district will be given the opportunity to purchase video licenses such as P90X and INSANITY to be used in PE classes on a semiannual basis during the school year. By the end of the 2018-2019 school year, a local agency will be created by the school district to promote and handling of the health and fitness community outreach within the city and area. A fitness gym (similar to YMCA) will be established to give all school employees and their families the opportunity to have an affordable place to go to workout daily. Students who attend middle school and high school will be able to go to this gym free of charge while attending our school district. Their parents/guardians will have a discounted rate. The local residents will also have a discounted rate as long as they live within the district lines. All others will still have a cut-rate over most gyms. Literature and seminars will be sponsored by the school district to educate the students and the citizens on health and fitness. 5Ks, 10Ks, and Marathons will be instituted and sponsored by the school district to promote fitness annually and semi-annually.

These SMART Goals are to be implemented at the Bossier Parish School district for Middle and High Schools. Additional funding will be needed from the school board, tax payers, and/or grants. The next table lists the costs and expenditures needed to ensure the proper implementation of these SMART Goals.
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The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students

SMART Goal By the end of the 2013-2014 school year, my school district will have Physical Education classes that achieve
aside time in class on Fridays low cost to the student/district employees. District will supplement any cost overages. Monthly PE meetings with heads of department to discuss fitness plans and results. fund of each schools budget. Estimated at $27,000 per year estimations based on 50% of school population. School/District will be accepting donations. No extra charge for PE meetings.

Initiative
Students will be given the option to join a swim club and/or aerobic and/or fitness gym for extra training on the side. Students will be able set

Item/Resources/Expendi ture
Local swim facility allows district students opportunity to swim at no charge. Anytime Fitness, Inc. has a program for students of the district at a

Estimated Cost
$15/month per employee. Employees pay themselves. $10/month per student. Student funds will be taken out of the general

the 75% passing rate for all students that run the Pacer Test at 60 Pacer laps.

to run the Pacer Test so that they can make adjustments to their goals. Students will be given a fitness plan by PE instructor and/or fitness trainer to work on that will show each students objectives for every day regarding their fitness training.

The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students

By the end of the 20142015 school year, my school district will have been able to acquire the necessary products to be able to use during class time that will ensure the goals set forth for the students every school year. PE teachers will be allowed to purchase heart rate monitoring systems. PE teachers will be allowed to purchase pedometers to be able to track the amount of jogging/walking that is achieved by the students/faculty. PE teachers will have completed at least 8 hours of professional development on implementing the necessary training to the students. Students will also be trained on how to work all equipment used for fitness. Each middle and high school within the district will be given the opportunity to purchase video licenses such as P90X and INSANITY to be used in PE classes on a semiannual basis during the school year. Heart Rate monitors data will be evaluated on a weekly basis by the PE teacher(s) of each school. Pedometers will be issued everyday to students to track activity data collected weekly by PE teacher(s) of each school. Training for equipment will be done at beginning of each year to teachers who need it. Video licenses will be purchased. Mio Alpha Strapless Heart monitoring system - $8000 per school (5 high schools, 6 middle schools). Pedusa PE-771 Tri-Axis MultiFunction Pocket Pedometer - $320 per school (5 high schools, 6 middle schools). P90x and INSANITY videos $240 total per school (5 high schools, 6 middle schools). Professional development doesnt cost anything to the district current PE teachers will teach the in-services.

The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students

By the end of the 20182019 school year, a local agency will be created by the school district to promote and handling of the health and fitness community outreach within the city and area. A fitness gym (similar to YMCA) will be established to give all school employees and their families the opportunity to have an affordable place to go to workout daily. Students who attend middle school and high school will be able to go to this gym free of charge while attending our school district. Their parents/guardians will have a discounted rate. The local residents will also have a discounted rate as long as they live within the district lines. All others will still have a cut-rate over most gyms. Literature and seminars will be sponsored by the school district to educate the students and the citizens on health and fitness. 5Ks, 10Ks, and Marathons will be instituted and Fitness gym will be voted on by the district as part of a local tax bond (if bond is not passed, students/faculty will still have the option of using Anytime Fitness. Gym will be supported by tax payers of the district. Results from 5Ks, 10Ks, and Marathons will be used to reinforce the fitness initiative. Students will be encouraged to run and bring families. Estimated $3,000,000 for construction of gym which will be provided by tax bond. $500 (mostly volunteers) for 5K. $500 (mostly volunteers) for 10K. $1500 (mostly volunteers) for Marathon run.

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The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students

sponsored by the school district to promote fitness annually and semi-annually.

References Anytime fitness. (2013, August 16). Retrieved from http://www.anytimefitness.com/franchiseopportunities/low-investment Heart rate monitors usa. (2013, August 16). Retrieved from http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/heart-rate-monitors-strapless.html Insanity. (2013, August 16). Retrieved from http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/insanity.do?code=SEMB_MSN_ SAN Learning solutions for leadership and change. (2013, July 14). Retrieved from http://www.thechangeforum.com/Learning_Disciplines.htm P90x. (2013, August 16). Retrieved from http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/p90x.do?code=SEMB_MSN_P9 0X

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The Lack of Fitness with Our Middle School Students Pedometers usa. (2013, August 16). Retrieved from http://www.pedometersusa.com/view-allpedometers.html Reed construction data. (2013, August 16). Retrieved from http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/building-types/fitness-centers/all/ Senge, P. (2012). Schools that learn: fifth discipline field book for educators, parents, and everyone who cares about education. Boston: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

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