The grading system in physical education should be based on effort, not athletic ability, amirite?

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

(Y.A.): Couldn't f***ing disagree more. See, the way I think, it's a class. The goal is to help you improve in the subject they're teaching, and most PE classes don't do that because you DON'T have to try. If you get graded on "effort"--which we know in our school system usually translates to "easy A"--then most people won't improve. How about instead of running laps and playing low impact sports, we actually teach the students how to most effectively use their bodies, how to lose weight/gain muscle, and how to use gym equipment?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's how they grade it in my school...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

(Y.A.): What's that? Speak up, son! I can't quite hear you!

by Anonymous 12 years ago

One year, I got a B in gym, while getting As in everything else, because I can't fucking run and did badly on the mile. Fucking bullshit.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's exactly what happened to me a few years back. Like 10 percent of our grade was participation (as in actually showing up and dressing out) and about 40 percent was performance, and he was such a harsh grader.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It's pathetic when they make you run miles and they're fat as hell and obviously couldn't manage half of what you're doing.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

You shouldn't have to try in gym class. It's fucking gym.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

we're graded by a combination of effort, results and improvement over the years, being graded only on effort sorta misses the point.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Umm, you might be, but I don't remember ever being graded on effort... I had friends who worked out like crazy and couldn't get their speed up, while I breezed through it and got an A. I'm not complaining, but.... Oh an A on like physical fitness, not when we played sports like basketball or football or volleyball. I hated those sports, I mean I play tennis, ping pong, and soccer and if we were ever tested on those, I'd rape, but as a foreigner living in America it really pisses me off when people thought I sucked at sports, just because I wasn't good at those things

by Anonymous 12 years ago

couldn't f***ing agree more. Ignorant PE teachers...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah. In order to get an A, you had to run 10 laps in 20 minutes (which is about 2.5 miles). 9 laps = B. 8 laps = C. And so on... :/ I hated it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

6 laps get you D and 5 gets you E

by Anonymous 12 years ago

at my school all you have to do is show up

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Now that's pushing it....

by Anonymous 12 years ago

In my school, we get graded on preparation, skill, knowledge, and effort.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Knowledge? "Does anyone know what this is?" *Raises hand* "Oooh ooh, I know, I know!" "What is it, little Timmy?" "That's a basketball!" "No... YOU FAIL, it was a bat!"

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We once had to take a quiz in my gym class about the rules and general history of volleyball...it was weird.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah I think we had to do that too... as if anyone would be impressed when you're like, "Did you know volleyball was invented in 1895, by William Morgan?" Nobody is going to be like, "You don't say? Fascinating! Tell me more! Instead of actually playing volleyball, I want a lecture"

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Our gym class test was: Put 3 sports we played, how many hits can you have in volleyball, ect. And if you missed something she just told you the answer and you fixed it. A+.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

by Anonymous 12 years ago

lolwut?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's irritating, I understand most people will probably never use the knowledge they gain from gym, but... that's TOO easy.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah. But that was middle school. I took summer gym so I'm not sure about high school.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Oh, I guess that's slightly better then haha. Not much though!

by Anonymous 12 years ago

lol yeah

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think she meant in general.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I mean core classes and stuff.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Forget it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I was wondering how long I could do that, before you got pissed off and left... now back to the main point. What do you mean in general?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Like in regular classes, like math or something.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Ah okay

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It's more like, if you know the rules of the sport, and if you're in fitness (we get to pick the gym class we want to be in, but they all have a fitness section), then you need to know what muscles you're working and stuff like that. Some gym teachers even give you written tests on it, but most just watch you playing the sport/ask you what muscle group you're working.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Wish I was a pe teacher... that is if the students were my age... I'd just be checking out the girls like, "Yeah girl, what muscle do you think you're working now?" That's awesome though, I mean knowing what muscles you're working out when comes in really handy, when you like to work out by yourself. Well that and you won't sound like an idiot when you're at the doctor and s/he asks you which muscle is soar/hurt.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Hahaha, yea... Student teachers tend to do that a lot. And it is, but even after three years of doing that, I seem to only remember muscle groups when I'm in class. And if you're in yoga, the teacher usually asks you again, the muscles you're working, and what the pose is for (breathing, stretching, strengthening, etc).

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's kinda creepy (student teachers are usually seniors in college?)... I'd prolly do the same though. "Today's exercise, bending over." Yoga's pretty tough... I tried to get into it, but it's hard. I mean I did kinda jump into the advanced section, because I was like, "I stretch... I stretch all the time. Yeah!" and I was goofing off to my friends with awkward poses. And the fact the only people there were girls and gay guys (including the instructor) did NOT help. They were all shaking their head at me with disapproval, I walked out not even half way through.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Hahaha, yea they're usually seniors in college. And that's like me and my best friends whenever we're in yoga - we goof off all the time and all the other girls just look at us like we have 28 heads each, and the straight guys (who take it to meet girls) just don't seem to mind it... But the teacher doesn't mind because both my friends and me are pretty good at yoga, so it's alright, hahah.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I wouldn't take yoga to meet girls... I would wait outside a yoga class to meet girls and be like, "Wow, what a workout, right?" as they're coming out, whoever responds is gonna be like Diddy and coming home. Well no duh they didn't mind, if I realized so many girls were into yoga when I was 14, I'd be a freaking snake by now.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Hahaha, that's a good plan. And hey, at least you'd be flexible...

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think I'm flexible enough... Like I prefer red heads, but I'll pick up a brunette from time to time.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Totally understandable.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

My PE grade was mainly participation, so I just had to show up to class.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

In my gym class, it's not that hard to get an A. All you have to do is bring your gym uniform everyday and actually wear it, and actually participate (you'd be surprised at how many people in my gym class don't participate in the activities. They just stand around looking stupid). It doesn't matter whether you're athletic or not, just whether you work.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It's physical education, so I think it should be based on how healthy and fit you are, not just on effort or physical ability...Yeah, the guy who looks like he's about to pass out after running one lap gave effort, but he's not fit and obviously didn't learn how to take care of his body. It would be unfair to people to have bad genetics, but with enough time they could do it. Plus, the acceptance of morbid obese-ness has got to go.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

At my school, we have to show up, dress out. And when we get finished with a sport we have to take a test over it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Part of our grade was based on the Pacer test, so I only got a B. And speaking of the Pacer, what kind of cruel shit is that? You run, and then you run faster, and then you run FASTER, and then you run EVEN FUCKING FASTER, and then you collapse on the floor with tears streaming down your face gasping for breath while the teacher makes unpleasant comments.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Reminds me of the soccer tryouts at my school. You have to run a mile in 5 minutes (at most, if you can't do that, you can't even finish trying out), then a half mile in 3 minutes, then a quarter of a mile in a minute, then they have sprints. I say "they" because I never tried out for soccer.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

At my school, it's all effort and tests on the history/rules of the sports and the body/ways to take care of yourself.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

We basically get graded for effort, but with the gym teachers that we have, theres really nothing to put an effort into. Every gym class since the first day consisted of 3 things: You walk all period, you play basketball all period, or you go to the weight room all period. For the whole year.. How boring.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It should be a combination of both.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

In every class you are graded on a combination between natural ability and effort/work. In most subjects this natural ability is intelligence and people don't seem to have an issue with it, so why is it such an issue here? Unfit/uncoordinated people will have a hard time getting an A in gym just as unintelligent will have a hard time getting an A in every other subject. These can be overcome to some degree by training/exercise or studying.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That is true, but there re advanced as well as lower level classes. Are there lower level gym classes? No, at least not in my school. I understand your point and I do think you are right about that. But at the same time, you don't have a stupid math teacher teaching you math. So why do we have fat PE teachers teaching us PE. and just because i'm uncoordinating, doesn't mean I'm not TRYING. I can't get a tutor in volleyball. There isn't extra credit for running. There's no advanced basket ball class and lower level classes. It's my fault if i choose to be dumb, for the most part. But some people are just really out of shape and one year of gym won't change that. Plus, I have asthma. Do they make kids with learning disabilies participate in normal classes and grade them on how well they do? No, so why should I fail gym because I physically cannot run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes. That doesn't seem fair. And also gym =/= normal classes so

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I know a few people with learning disabilities, and while they get some help (e.g. a writer for exams) for the most part they do normal classes and get graded to the same standard as everyone else. I don't see the lack of graded classes or the existence of fat PE teachers as relevant. Maths teachers need to do the math in order to teach it to you, but PE teachers don't need to run a mile in order to tell you to. I'm not saying that it should be 100% performance graded, or that the current system is a good one. I'm just saying that its pretty stupid to complain about get a lower grade than someone else because they are naturally gifted with fitness or coordination when that sort of thing happens in every other subject. I knew one kid who tried really hard at school and got mostly Cs with a few Bs, while many others got mostly As without trying. That's life, unfortunately.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

And I fo agree with your statement completely. Some people are gifted in math, writing, gym etc. and not other subjects. I just think the fact that in MY school personally, if you can't run amazingly speedy you get points off and although I know its like this in other classes, gym really should be a bit more based on the skills you can live up to rather than everyone be graded based on being able to do something they can't possibly do, and unlike in gym, other classes allow you to learn while gym you just have to do. I don't think it should be graded only on improvement but that should play a part in it.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

fatties gonna fat.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

It depends on the what's being graded. I don't think a mile that kids only have one chance to take should be graded. You don't give a kid a test without teaching them the material first and expect them to pass. So you can't tell a kid who's never ran a mile before to do it under 5 minutes and expect them to succeed. Now, if the gym teacher had the class running the mile for a few weeks and then tested them - yeah, I'd say grade it. Based on how much they improved from their worst to best score. If they put in effort they should have improved over time.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Also, unless it brought down your GPA significantly, I doubt prospective colleges are going to deny you because you got a B in gym. Gym, Art and Music class really don't matter after high school unless it's your major.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

its how its down in highschool, all by skill. but think of it like this; someone is in a class, and tries really hard on homework or an essay, but answers the wrong question. they get a zero. it should be the same in gym. hell, it should be more than in class due to the extreme downfall our society has gone into in terms of athletic abilities/laziness in the average person

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I agree to a certain extent, however if they did that for pe, they'd have to do it for all subjects. It just wouldn't work.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

They graded my high school PE class according to effort/participation. People still failed.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

it always ended up being the fat people and emos who didn't try lolo

by Anonymous 12 years ago

No way, your grade should be based on how much the teacher likes you, just like it is in English class.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Illinois is the only state in the Union that mandates daily Physical EDUCATION classes for K-12. Unfortunately schools get around this with waivers for classes like Band or just ignore the law and do not have daily PE. Anyone that believes the PE isn't vital or is a "joke" needs to step into the shoes of a physical education student. I am a PE major and am taking the same biology classes as pre-med and nursing students. Not only do I have to pass these classes but I am held to the same standards as a math or science teacher. We have to pass the exact same basic skills test to receive our certificates. Also, anyone that thinks PE is just "rolling the ball out" everyday either is ignorant or had an instructor that wasn't taught or lost sight of our goal as Physical EDUCATORS. I don't mean to offend or attack anyone for their beliefs, I just want to give a Physical EDUCATOR'S point of view. There are good PE teachers, there are bad ones. I'm sorry if you had a bad experience in PE but please don't generalize the entire field based on that. While there are also bad math and science teachers, that class will never be cut from the curriculum while Physical EDUCATION is.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Well thank you for that insight. Unfortunately most of the time physical "education" is just running around a track for an hour and trying not to throw up. First semester this year I did get the opportunity to take a climbing course at my school which was pretty cool. But I find that most of the time in PE we aren't really being "educated" by learning about our bodies or how to eat healthy or anything, we're just told to do something and are expected to do it even if we physically can't. This makes PE very difficult for those who are not "in shape." Regardless, this post was not meant to attack PE in general, because I honestly don't mind it in theory, however the way it is orchestrated if often very flawed.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

quit complaining and run fatties, ovbiously you need it. FUCK.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

LOL. no.

by Anonymous 12 years ago