On April 27, 2011 a series of tornadoes tore through the southeast United States. Sixty-four percent of the counties in the state of Alabama were directly affected by these storms. After a natural disaster, children who are directly or indirectly affected show numerous intense emotional reactions. Recovery programs can be set up to enable them to…

Active gaming is growing in popularity and the idea of increasing children's physical activity by using technology is largely accepted by physical educators. Teachers nationwide have been providing active gaming equipment such as virtual bikes, rhythmic dance machines, virtual sporting games, martial arts simulators, balance boards, and other…

This article presents the opinions of professionals who were asked: "What does the AAHPERD Convention mean for you, the physical educator? How does it help in your profession?" The professionals discuss the significance of attending the AAHPERD National Convention and its impact to physical educators and students.

As physical education programs are required to be more accountable in demonstrating the positive benefits they provide for their students, it becomes more important for physical educators to be able to provide evidence that their students are changing in positive ways. Assessment is an integral part of the teaching/learning cycle. Teaching is…

Many physical education teachers experience frustration about student assessment because of issues such as overcrowded classes, scheduling conflicts, extensive record keeping, lack of planning time, or deciding what areas to assess. For these reasons, teachers may base the majority of students' grades simply on participation and behavior. Very…

The assessment of fundamental motor skills in early learners is critical to the overall well-being and physical development of the students within the physical education setting. Olrich (2002) has suggested that any physical education program must be designed to assess both measures of physical fitness and fundamental motor skills in all students.…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, research indicates that today's children are not getting enough physical activity. One solution to this problem is to integrate other subjects into physical education. This article describes a successful physical education program for Pre-K children implemented at the Sheboygan Area…

For the first time ever, Citizen Through Sports Alliance (CTSA) convened a panel of youth sports experts from across the country to evaluate youth sports in the United States and articulate its successes and failures. The panel evaluated only community-based youth sports programs, focusing on those that serve children ages 6 to 14. The panel is…

Experiential education is a teaching methodology employed to facilitate learning. All forms of experiential education require students to "learn by doing" as they participate in activities outside the classroom. Common forms of experiential education utilized by sport and physical educators include field and laboratory activities, service learning…