The effects of physical activity and exercise on primary school Essay

The effects of physical activity and exercise on primary school childrens academic performance - Essay Example Children in primary schools confront health problems and the present concern in the commonness of childhood obesity has turn out to be one of the most pressing concerns in the Western world today, particularly in the United States. The effects of physical activity and physical education as such on the body can stimulate different parts of the brain, have positive effects on academic performance, and direct children towards a lifestyle that it physically fit and healthy. This kind of education in a sense is balanced since all three dimensions, namely, cognitive, emotional and psychomotor are developed, and one dimension does not take primacy over another. In relation to this, there is a twofold objective to this paper. The first objective is to review related literature on the effect of physical activity or physical education in primary schools to children’s academic performance. And second objective is to present strategies and concepts that specialist in physical education can put into practice with classroom teachers to introduce short sessions of physical activity and exercise into the school day to enhance physical education. Even though several classroom teachers believe physical activity and physical education is not that important, dedicated professionals in physical education, in opposite to the myth, can be effective in helping them acknowledge the significant contribution of physical activity and exercise in achieving and maintaining good health and improving academic performance. Studies examining findings from roughly 50,000 students between the 1960s and 2006 have investigated the relationship between physical activity and academic performance. A number of those studies discovered that consistent participation in physical activity is related with enhanced academic performance. Eight health