Gym Class: More than Fun & Games

The New York Times recently highlighted the growing trend of school districts pushing physical education teachers to move beyond soccer, kickball, and tennis to include more academics into traditional physical education time.  NYT education reporter Motoko Rich cited an intensifying focus on student test scores in math and English as one factor driving this trend but it's really just the latest example of schools being asked to do more with a resource they don't have enough of: time. The story does an excellent job outlining the pros and cons of this trend but it’s no surprise that more and more schools are coming to the conclusion that they simply need an expanded schedule to meet their students' needs.