A Philosophy On Fitness Essay Research Paper

A Philosophy On Fitness Essay, Research Paper

Webster’s Dictionary defines physical as “concerned or preoccupied with the body and its’ needs” and defines activity as “the state or quality of producing or involving movement.” I agree with Mr. Webster’s definitions. I see physical activity as doing some kind of movement in order to assist in improving or maintaining a body’s level of health. By maintaining or improving that level of health, physical activity also plays a big role in a person’s “quality of life”. How happy or complete a person feels many times depends upon, how their body looks, how they are feeling inside, or how fit they feel. This is where I see the physical educator stepping into the picture. As a physical education teacher, you need to be able to instill the meaning and importance of being physically active. In her book, Lumpkin defines physical education as “a process through which an individual obtains optimal physical, mental, and social skills and fitness through physical activity”. Not only do teachers need to impress upon the students the effects activity can have on their lives physically, but also mentally, and socially.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been physically active in some way, shape, or form. When I was five I was enrolled in dance classes, both ballet, tap and eventually jazz/modern dance. It grew to be something I loved to do. I was also beginning to develop a love for softball, which I played competitively until I graduated from high school. At the age of ten, I became captivated with basketball. I played on the school teams until the ninth grade, but I still enjoy playing for fun. Field hockey became the greatest sport known to me when I reached ninth grade, and I still think it is the best sport to this day. All these sporting activities, plus the walks and bike rides in the woods I love to take when I am at home, helped to develop my love and passion for physical education. Without realizing it, physical education had become the biggest part of my life. I think the positive experiences that I had in the past are the biggest reason I am pursuing a career in physical education.

When I began thinking about starting college and choosing a career, I wanted to find a field that uses the abilities that I possess. At first I thought mainly about the classes I got the best grades in during high school. I had myself convinced that I would love to enter the chemistry field since I was one of the few in my class who were able to understand what was being taught. After my first semester here, I realized I had made a big mistake and I began doing a lot of soul searching. I dropped my chemistry major because I did not find it enjoyable. I tried to think of something that I had a passion for and had the ability to do. Then someone asked if I had ever considered being a teacher. That is when it clicked. I loved to teach! I had the most fun teaching my brother and sister how to play basketball and field hockey, so why not make a career out of it. I feel that I have enough skill to teach others, and the athletic ability may not be on a grand scale, but it is enough to be a good physical education teacher. Physical education doesn’t just involve the activities and sports, but it also involves the science of movement and the makeup of the human body. I remember my high school health class always being one of my favorite and most interesting, so I know that teaching could be just the same.

Another reason I choose the physical education field was because of the role models I have been surrounded by in my life. My father, for one, had an amazing love for sports and he passed his love down to me. We would spend many nights watching baseball games or football games on the television together. He was always willing to answer the endless number of questions I had. He also encouraged me in every way to participate in the sports and activities that I loved, as long as they were fun for me. As I got older, and the competition became more serious for me in field hockey, he became my number one fan. Before every game he would say these words to me, “Good luck, play hard, and have fun”. With just that simple phrase, I knew that he and my mother were my supporters, my encouragers, and my biggest fans. My elementary and high school gym teachers, Mrs. Cline and Mr. Cutchall, were amazing individuals who, when I look back now, lived for teaching their students the importance of physical activity and how to push themselves to be their best. Their examples and the impressions they made on me as my teachers, definitely had an influence on my decision to study physical education. Even now the professors I have make it obvious to me that their main goal is to make their students better people; physically, mentally, and socially. Seeing their work makes me crave to be able to do the same for my students.

I also chose a career in physical education because it is easy to see the benefits and outcomes of what you teach your students. As a teacher, not only can you see the results of your work through what the students do while they are playing, but also in their actions elsewhere. Children learn so much just from playing a simple game of softball. Lumpkin discusses these benefits or outcomes in her book, where she calls them objectives. She looks at three main objectives: Affective, Cognitive, and Psychomotor. I will also discuss a ph