Why Teaching Personal Development, Health and Physical Education in

Primary School is SO Important...

Johanna Withers17042925

Complete Well-being PDHPE arms kids with the knowledge and skills to lead a healthy Lifestyle Leading a healthy lifestyle increases the chances of having social, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being When kids are informed about well-being and how their thoughts and behaviours affect their health, they feel more in control and confident to make decisions which will improve their lives, relationships, and can reduce or prevent illness

Informed Decision Making PDHPE teaches how to make informed decisions, and why they are important for choosing which actions will be most effective and responsible in relation to the well-being of themselves and others.

Awareness of decision making processes are taught so kids know about options available to them when making decisions. It also allows kids to predict likely consequences.

Decision making skills are rehearsed over time, and in simulated situations that are as close as possible to real-life situations which children might find themselves in when needing to make difficult decisions.

Kids are more likely to use rehearsed strategies that have been developed and rehearsed over time, and are backed by information supplied by a trusted source such as school.

Understand and Value Self and Others

PDHPE teaches kids to understand and value themselves as individuals, and also as part of a group. This helps them to feel in control of their lives, their feelings, and ability to respond to situations positively.

PDHPE also helps kids to value and understand other people in the same way.

When people understand and value themselves and others they are better able to cope with change and overcome negativity. They are also, very importantly, more likely to ask for help if they need it.

Enhances the self

PDHPE increases knowledge, understanding and ability in the physical, social, emotional domains of an individual

This increases self-confidence , self-acceptance, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. It pushes them to be the best self they can be.

Knowledge and skills learned in PDHPE empower kids to recognise safe and unsafe situations, and be confident to know what to do if they feel they, or someone else, is unsafe.

Positive RelationshipsUnderstanding and valuing self and others, helps to build positive relationships, feel a sense of belonging and security, and deal effectively with changes in relationships

PDHPE teaches how to develop and maintain positive relationships and work effectively in teams through o tolerance, conflict resolution and negotiationo identifying roles, responsibilities, and expectations in relationships and groups o effective communication in relationships and groupso working co-operatively with a positive attitudeo caring for others, and valuing difference

Physical Activity Enhances o cardiovascular efficiency and decreases risk of heart diseaseo bone developmento likelihood of being within ones healthy weight range o psychological healtho immune functiono academic performanceo ability to engage in leisure or work activities that require physical fitness, strength, agility, or fundamental movement skillso quality of life, as it can be an enjoyable, creative, and social outlet. It increases self-esteem, confidence and performance

PDHPE promotes physical activity. It encourages 1hr a day, so in later life if activity levels drops off, people still get the required ½ hr of moderate exercise per day, and additional 20 mins intense exercise 3x per week.

Healthy habits formed in childhood are often present for a lifetime. Knowledge, skills and

abilities learned in primary school will be with kids for life. Life long well-being is pretty

important. That is why PDHPE is SO

important in primary school.

ReferencesBoard of studies (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6: Syllabus. Sydney: Board of Studies NSW. Hardy, L., Barnett, L., Espinel, P., & Okley, A. D. (2013). Thirteen-year trends in child and adolescent fundamental movement skills: 1997-2010. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 45(10), 1965- 1970. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318295a9fc

Hollar, D., Messiah, S., Lopez-Mitnik, G., Hollar, T. L., Almon, M., & Agatston, A. S., (2010). Effect of a two-year obesity prevention intervention on percentile changes in body mass index and academic performance in low-income elementary school children. American Journal of Public Health, 100(4), 646-53. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.165746

Kantomaa, M. T., Stamatakis, E., Kankaanpää, A., Kaakinen, M., Rodriguez, A., Taanila, A., Ahonen, T., Järvelin, M., & Tammelin, T. (2013). Physical activity and obesity mediate the association between childhood motor function and adolescents’ academic achievement. Neuroscience, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, 110(5), 1917-1922. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1214574110

Simpkins, S. D., Fredricks, J. A., Davis-Kean, P. E., & Eccles, J. S. (2006). Healthy mind, healthy habits: The influence of activity involvement in middle childhood. In A. Huston & M. Ripke (Eds.), Development Contexts in Middle Childhood: Bridges to Adolescence and Adulthood. Cambridge Studies in Social and Emotional Development (pp. 283-302). Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://www.myilibrary.com?ID=95574