It’s good for the noodle

By Cathy Spaulding
Phoenix Staff Writer

May 04, 2008 03:02 pm

— There is a whole lot of shaking going on during third-grade physical education class at Tony Goetz Elementary School — as well as a whole lot of jumping, stretching, bending and push-ups.
“My philosophy is that you start getting them active at a young age,” P.E. teacher Michelle Sweney said. “Then as they get mature, they live a more healthy life.”
Sweney’s students, along with elementary kids across Oklahoma, could soon be doing twice as much physical activity at school. Last week, the Oklahoma State Senate passed a bill doubling the amount of class time devoted to physical activity and nutrition programs for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
State Sen. Mary Easley, a Tulsa Democrat who authored the bill, said Gov. Brad Henry is expected to sign it today.
The bill would increase the amount of physical activity and nutrition education from 60 to 120 minutes a week.
“That’s great, I’ll take it,” Sweney said. She said some classes have P.E. class once a week. “I’d like to have it every day.”
Sweney’s third-graders spent a recent P.E. class jumping rope, stretching and bobbing to music. They also played a game that got them doing push-ups, jumping jacks and other strenuous activities.
Third-graders Keondre Davis and Alexis Morse agreed the push-ups were a lot easier than the leg lifts.
“Leg lifts are when you do this,” Alexis said as she laid on the floor and lifted her legs together, using her thigh muscles to hold them off the ground.
Easley, whose district includes Wagoner and Okay, said the bill does not limit activity to P.E. class. She said the minutes could include exercise programs, fitness breaks, wellness and nutrition education, even recess.
The senator said her legislation was motivated by what she said is a growing epidemic of childhood obesity.
Tony Goetz Principal Gary Smallwood said many teachers at the school incorporate physical activity in their classrooms.
“A lot of them, after the Pledge of Allegiance, have their students stretch and start their blood flowing,” he said.
Fort Gibson Intermediate Elementary School P.E. teacher Carol Scott said physical activity at that school already tops the proposed new standard.
“We do 90 minutes of P.E. a week and 50 minutes for swimming for third and fourth grade. Fifth grade has a block schedule, said Scott, who had taught fifth grade for 14 years before switching to physical education.
All this time on physical activity has not hurt school performance; it has helped it, she said.
“The more active they are, the better they are in the classroom,” she said. “They need exercise. They need to get up and move around. They need it physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Such activity hasn’t hurt Intermediate Elementary test scores, which are consistently among the highest in the area. In 2007, 95 percent of Fort Gibson fifth-graders passed the state math and science tests, and 91 percent passed reading; 93 percent of the fourth-graders passed the math test, and 98 percent passed reading.
Tony Goetz students also score well, with 94 percent of fourth-graders passing the reading test, and 91 percent of sixth-graders passing math.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.

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