Students have 30 minutes of Physical Education or PE everyday, that is 150 minutes a week of organized activities.
We create lessons that teach children physical games and gross motor skills in a supportive environment. We also introduce and help them master a variety of team sports such as baseball, football, basketball and volleyball.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 10 million children ages 6-19 are overweight. They recommend that elementary students receive 150 minutes a week of physical education. Willow does just that as part of providing education for and addressing childhood obesity.
Additionally, in the January, 2009 Journal of School Health, researchers
from Harvard University reported a correlation between passing physical fitness tests and better results on academic tests. The study which involved 1,800 middle school students found that children could benefit academically from physical activity both in an organized class as well as during recess.
As part of our childhood obesity educational program, we acknowledge the importance of physical exercise by devoting daily time for it. We do this through our interpretation of PE which is: “Playing Enthusiastically.”
Studies show that adults are most likely to pursue exercise if they have positive associations and memories about it. Therefore, our goal is to have children experience physical exercise as a positive activity- where they:
- have fun
- learn team work
- get fit
All of this is part of Willow's childhood obesity educational program.