Essentials of a Quality Elementary School Physical Education Program.

Overview & Synopsis

Physical education teachers needed to reach a consensus among themselves as to the direction and scope of elementary school physical education, and they needed to work with other groups to produce a document that could be used as a resource to educate others about the importance of elementary school physical education. "Essentials of a Quality Elementary School Physical Education Program" (1970) and "A Statement of Basic Beliefs" (1976) are two booklets which report on the needs of elementary school physical education programs. In 1979, the executive committee of the Council of Physical Education for Children undertook the task of rewriting the essentials, for the purpose of adding strength and conviction to some of the beliefs. The book's topics now include: (1) the child--the person most affected by the profession's beliefs about physical education; (2) learning experiences which permit the child to function as a unique individual within the class; (3) the teacher--the most important factor in a successful physical education program; (4) teacher preparation and staff development; (5) comprehensive physical education programs; and (6) evaluation of teachers and instructional programs. (CJ)