Elementary Physical Education and Math Skill Development

Overview & Synopsis

Physical education programs are essential to holistic development of children, because learning occurs within several domains. In addition to addressing the psychomotor objectives related to physical development, many physical education curriculums include learning objectives geared toward facilitating the cognitive development of children. One approach to accomplishing this is through collaborative lesson planning between classroom and physical education teachers. Unfortunately, collaborative interactions between physical education and classroom teachers are typically limited. Creating meaningful and stimulating learning environments remains a challenge to many teachers, especially those who teach mathematics. Young students learn more effectively by doing and moving, but in math classes, teachers typically use structured organizational formats to maintain appropriate student behaviors. Movement activities that require children to make use of age-appropriate cognitive processes serve to strengthen their understanding of academic content. At the same time, math specialists have encouraged others in their field to employ strategies that make math "physical." By utilizing movements and games to teach and reinforce concepts, math can be taught to young students in an enjoyable manner. But how can the link between physical education and math be cultivated? The strategies described in this article offer ways to address this question. The strategies result from a collaborative effort between a physical education teacher and two math teachers from an urban, public elementary school. (Contains 1 table.)