The Pica Perspective

A Webinar & a Film Clip

On September 23rd, I presented a webinar for Head Start Body Start, called "Movement Across the Curriculum." It's the first in a series of four, and it looks at the connection between moving and learning, between mind and body. (And there are plenty!) If you'd like to see it or the PowerPoint slides, go to the HSBS website.

Coming in November: "Movement Across the Curriculum: Literacy," to be followed in later months by "Movement Across the Curriculum: Math," and "Movement Across the Curriculum: Science."

Also, although not specifically relevant to early childhood education, I highly recommend that you stop reading this blog and spend the time watching the clip from the documentary The 4th Purpose. It's a powerful indictment of the U.S. system of education that absolutely gave me chills.

Take It Outside! Week

The week of October 19-23 has been designated as the inaugural Take It Outside! Week.

To increase outdoor play while celebrating the environment, child care centers are invited to join Head Start Centers across the country in participating in the Inaugural Take It Outside! Week, October 19 – 23, 2009.  Presented by Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play (HSBS), the national initiative is sponsored by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation (AAPAR). Its purpose is to get children outside, connect with the natural world, and increase physical activity.

According to Center Director Karin Spencer, Ed.D., “Outdoor play is associated with greater amounts of physical activity in children, and research has shown that opportunities for whole body exercise has a long lasting influence as preschool physical activity tracks throughout childhood."

"Unfortunately children today spend less time playing outdoors than any previous generation," added Spencer. "We want to help Head Start and all early childhood education and care staff to discover the benefits of outdoor play across developmental domains and learn about the features of high quality outdoor play spaces that promote movement opportunities for children of all ability levels. When adults model and teach the importance of physical activity, young children are more likely to adopt a lifetime of healthful practices and behaviors."

HSBS will provide programs with everything they need to celebrate Take It Outside! Week including activity ideas, tips for facilitating play, and suggestions for enhancing the environment.  From Books That Move You to 15 Simple Ways to Get Moving, the activities are designed to increase physical activity for young children and promote family involvement. For a wonderful array of free resources about Take It Outside! Week, visit www.headstartbodystart.org. 

 

 

Head Start Body Start

Last week I attended a meeting of master trainers for the new Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play. The center was created with a $12 million grant from the Office of Head Start, with the intention of increasing the levels of physical activity among children in Head Start programs. HSBS will provide grants of up to $5,000 to Head Start centers nationwide to improve their outdoor play space. Grants recipients will also receive targeted training and technical assistance from HSBS, including on-site consultation from a physical activity expert and access to on-line training. (The Play Space Grant RFP was released on May 15th. To access the RFP visit  the HSBS website.)

I have to admit I had mixed feelings about heading to Reston VA and HSBS headquarters. Although I'd agreed, when the grant was being written, to act as a master trainer should the grant be received, that was many months ago. Since then I've been busy, busy, busy; and BAM! has keep me pretty involved. I really didn't want to leave all my other work behind even for a few days.

Then our meetings began. Involved were four other master trainers and four HSBS staff members. And it was incredible. The energy in that conference room was amazing.

First of all, because I work mostly alone, it was a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by a room full of people who are passionate about early childhood physical activity. There are maybe only a couple of dozen of us in the country, so it's astonishing to even find a room full of people passionate about such a subject. And because everyone in that room felt so strongly about the contribution we could make to Head Start children -- and possibly children everywhere -- I renewed my dedication to the field I've been involved in for almost 30 years.

One of the most powerful moments came during a presentation by Nilda Cosco, an HSBS advisory board member and Education Specialist for the Natural Learning Initiative. Nilda showed us slides of outdoor settings and children's experiences in them (many of which were in Europe, unfortunately). In one (which did take place in Europe), a little girl sat on a hot day with her bare feet cooling in a stream. Nilda told us that she'd watched the little girl for about 15 minutes, during which the child gazed into the water and quietly sang to herself.

It was the kind of experience every child should have -- and so few do. And as my eyes filled with tears, I gazed around the room and saw I wasn't the only one who was moved.

So, yes. I have most definitely renewed my commitment to the work I've been doing for three decades. To children's active play -- and to as much of it as possible taking place outdoors!

May Is the Month to Get Moving!

This May is the 26th anniversary of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, with May 1-7 designated as National Physical Education and Sport Week. These events are sponsored by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, NASPE is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 16,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, sport management professionals, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare physical activity professionals. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs through research, development of standards, and dissemination of information. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD).

NASPE recommends that schools and families incorporate at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity into each child’s daily routine. The challenge isn’t finding enough time in the day for a child to exercise, rather, it is helping each child identify a sport or activity that he or she enjoys as much as watching television or playing computer games.

“For many young kids (those under the age of eight), the problem isn’t inactivity, it is trying to slow them down. However, children between the ages of eight and 10 seem to choose one of two routes: the athletic way or the non-athletic way. Those who choose the athletic route play on teams, participate in dance clubs or martial arts, for example."

“As youngsters enter middle school, however, organized physical activities become limited. Thus the challenge for parents is to assist their children in finding physical activities that they enjoy doing with their friends, and that does not require a coach or instructor. Kids need to discover what else is out there for them: riding a bike, in-line skating, dancing, golf, tennis, martial arts or maybe going to the gym. It is important to allow them to explore these different opportunities and determine what activities they truly enjoy.”   

NASPE also suggests that parents limit the amount of time their children spend in front of the television or computer to less than two hours a day, and that they see their parents having fun participating in physical activities of their own choosing. Children learn by example. If you enjoy and participate in physical activity, so will your children.

Each day during kickoff week has a different theme: Adventure Day, Dance Day, Sport Day, Recreation Day, and Personal Fitness Day. For activity ideas, click here!

Federal Legislation re: Education

This week I'm attending -- and presenting at -- the annual conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. So I'm "borrowing" information sent to me by Amy Lux of the Coalition for Children's Health for this post.

Here's some federal legislation that's been introduced recently and that is relevant to our cause here. If there's something here you feel strongly about and your senator or representative isn't listed as a sponsor, contact him or her and ask for their support. You can find contact information at www.congress.org.

S 651 PLAY Every Day Act 2/15/07

 To help promote the national recommendation of physical activity to kids, families, and communities across the United States. The Secretary of Education, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall provide grants to State health departments to enable the State health departments to work in partnership with eligible community-based coalitions to plan and implement model communities of play. They shall use grant funds in partnership with community coalitions to carry out a community action plan and promote a model community of play, by enabling the maximum use of, or the creation of, spaces and places for physical activity for children, families, and communities before, during, and after school or work. This may include increasing the number of schools serving the community that provide recess, physical education, and physical activity for children and youth.

Sponsors: Harken, Clinton

Co-sponsors: Bingaman, Hagel, Landrieu, Mikulski, Sanders, Boxer, Durbin, Inouye, Menendez, Nelson

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

HR 2045 PLAY Every Day Act 4/27/07

House version.

 Sponsors: Udall, Granger, Boswell, McIntyre, Cummings

 Co-sponsors: Abercrombie, Allen, Blumenauer, Alexander, Bishop, Bordallo, Boucher, Brady, Braley, Capps, Carson, Castor, Chandler, Christensen, Cohen, Delahunt, Doyle, Duncan, English, Etheridge, Filner, Fortuno, Frank, Gerlach, Gillibrand, Gonzalez, Gordon, Green, Hastings, Hinchey, Hinojosa, Israel, Jefferson, Kind, LaHood, Lewis, Maloney, Markey, Marshall, McGovern, McNulty, Miller, Moran, Musgrave, Myrick, Napolitano, Norton, Olver, Pastor, Payne, Price, Ramstad, Renzi, Rothman, Salazar, Schakowsky, Snyder, Souder, Towns, Weiner

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

HR 3257 Fitness Integrated with Teaching Act (Fit Kids Act) 7/31/07

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education, asking states to show demonstrated progress toward meeting the national goal for required physical education, which is 150 minutes per week for all students in elementary schools and 225 minutes per week for all students in middle and high schools.

 Sponsors: Kind, Wamp, Inslee

 Co-sponsors: Sanford, Carson, Braley, Clay, Costa, Filner, Gordon, Hare, Johnson, Kagen, Lipinski, Lofgren, Maloney, McIntyre, McNerney, Moran, Norton, Ryan, Sarbanes, Smith

 
Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

 

S 2173 Fitness Integrated with Teaching Act (Fit Kids Act) 10/17/07

Senate version

Sponsor: Harkin

Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

HR 1224 'Strengthening Physical Education Act of 2007' 2/28/07

 
To amend section 1111 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding challenging academic content standards for physical education. The Secretary of Education may award grants on a competitive basis to State education agencies to establish and revise state standards for physical education. Grants may be used to develop, revise, or improve physical education curriculum to meet minimum content and performance standards established by the Secretary, to purchase content materials and equipment to implement physical education curriculum, to assist in the implementation of physical education model programs; and provide for staff and teacher training and education.

Sponsors: Wamp, Kind, Inslee

Co-sponsors: Abercrombie, Bishop, Filner, Fortuno, Gordon, Hare, Holden, Jackson-Lee, Lofgren, Moran, Norton, Payne, Rahall, Rothman, Ryan, Shays, Walsh, Wicker

Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce

 

S 2066 'Back to School: Improving Standards for Nutrition and Physical Education in Schools Act of 2007' 9/18/07

To establish nutrition and physical education standards for schools.

Sponsor: Obama

Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

HR 3606 Access to Complete Education Act 9/19/07

 
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants for core curriculum development. Support systemic, comprehensive education reform by strengthening the instruction of music and arts, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, history, geography, and physical education and health as an integral part of the elementary and secondary school curriculum.

 Sponsors: Woolsey, Hare, Loebsack, Sarbanes,

Jefferson

 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

HR 3642 Expanded Learning Time Demonstration Act 9/24/07

 Amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide support through competitive grants to local education agencies and State education agencies to to expand learning time in the form of longer school days.

 Sponsor: Payne

 Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education

HR 1702 Common Sense Budget Act of 2007 3/26/07

 
To reallocate funds toward sensible priorities such as improved children's education, increased children's access to health care, expanded job training, and increased energy efficiency and conservation through a reduction of wasteful defense spending, and for other purposes. $10,000,000,000 shall be made available to carry out the modernization of school facilities under section 8007(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965

Sponsors: Woolsey, Lee, Kucinich, Jackson-Lee, Kilpatrick, Schakowsky, Grijalva, Serrano, Stark, Becerra, Carson, Christensen, Ellison, Filner, Gutierrez, Hinchey, Honda, Kaptur, McDermott, McGovern, Rush, Solis, Watson

Co-sponsors: Clarke, Clay, Cleaver, Cohen, Conyers, Cummings, Farr, Fattah, Hare, Jackson, Jones, Lewis, McDermott, McGovern, Meeks, Moore, Norton, Olver, Payne, Thompson, Velazquez, Watt, Welch, Wynn

Referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, and Veterans' Affairs

Oops, We've Done It Again

In an article titled "Americans Are Losing the War on Obesity," author Michael Torchia informs us that the Children's Fitness Academy (CFA) is concerned about an "anti-anti-obesity" backlash. (Yes, you read that right.)

According to the piece, our politicians' harsh policies and extreme measures designed to reduce obesity are creating a negative sentiment among the American public as they grow weary of more intrusive policies. Of particular concern to the CFA -- and the reason I'm writing this -- is "a proliferation of unfortunate school-based anti-obesity policies throughout America. These include fitness testing, lunch box inspections by teachers, mandatory weighing of students, banning of particular kinds of food at school celebrations and remedial physical activity for students who do not meet prescribed fitness or weight standards."

The article goes on to say that "CFA's main concern is that the intensity of talk about childhood obesity and the zeal of some physical activity advocates mean that many children will experience physical activity as, at best, medicine and, at worst, punishment. Children's Fitness Academy has discovered growing evidence in developed countries that the focus on obesity has sidelined good-quality PE lessons, with teachers instead putting children through overly strenuous 'huff and puff' fitness classes."

If this is indeed the case, then let me add my name to the list of those who are concerned. As anyone familiar with developmentally appropriate physical education can tell you, the goal of PE is to promote fitness for life. And the only way that's going to happen is if we ensure children never lose their initial, natural love of movement -- so they'll always want to stay physically active! If physical activity becomes drudgery rather than fun, children are going to stop moving as soon as the choice is theirs to make!

Why is it we can never seem to do anything in moderation? To find the balance between extremes? The CFA urges a more "holistic approach" to combating the obesity epidemic. I couldn't agree more.