Knowledge
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds: The Vital Role of Physical Education in Education
The positive aftermath of playing games and physical activities shows in their academic performance
The word Physical Education, in general, gives the first limiting thought only to fitness or at a maximum to maintaining good health, proper exercise, and a healthy lifestyle as its benefits. But is physical education only restricted to fitness or does it go beyond that? Physical education helps to build a good personality, which includes (character, habits, behavior, values, integrity, trustworthiness, discipline, etc.) and may also help to augment the mind with our body. Physical education inculcates a sense of group responsibility by keeping them away from modern electronic devices, which is highly appreciated by the parental community.
I think physical education plays a vital role in improving academic performance, supports development (Apart from physical, social, emotional, and moral) at a particular age, and reduces problems related to behavior and other health-related issues in school-going students. It also assists in building your self-confidence thereby leading to good leadership qualities, decision-making attitudes, and a well-disciplined life to be a team player with a positive approach.
As a professional in the field of physical education, I would like to highlight a few points by which youngsters can develop and benefit through physical education.
IN ACADEMICS – The positive aftermath of playing games and physical activities shows in their academic performance. Exercising gives a response in a short time to the body. You feel and look fresh, your mood is refreshed, and you have an improved memory and concentration, which helps in problem-solving skills. This mixed bag of psychological benefits helps the person in excelling in academics, by achieving better grades. It has also been seen that the youngsters who actively participate in sports have an upper hand in getting good and desired positions in their career and also are effective in the society they live and move around in.
STRESS-FREE AND HEALTHY MOODS – Participating in physical activities and sports with fun, leads to happiness and relaxes the body. Your emotions are properly controlled when you play games and participate in competitions because a lot of bonding is experienced in team sports which also satisfies your challenges. By playing sports, one is kept away from negative thoughts and distractions in our day-to-day life. Exercise also minimizes anxiety and makes you feel happier. Physical activities minimize the stress of the mind and lessen depression. A majority of sports persons enjoy peace of mind and are mostly in a cheerful mood.
VALUES – All team sports need patience, practice, persistence, and cooperation which are also key life lessons. Team sports also boost an individual to think like a team and teach the person to take ownership of their mistakes. Accepting our failures is an important lesson to learn which leads to success in the long run. Sports teaches the value of this critical concept amongst youngsters.
STRIVE TO ACHIEVE – Physical education is an easy and good mode to teach students the age-old maxim that only hard work pays off. The important factors to build a bright future in sports is proper training and strong dedication with the fullest devotion. The quality of hard work, leadership skills, and a disciplined routine helps the students to achieve their goals in a much easier manner when compared to all the youngsters/students who have kept themselves away from sports and physical activities. It has been witnessed that most of the Professionals and individuals at high posts were good sportspersons in their yesteryears.
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT – A positive approach towards attaining your goals is very important. This can be possible with cooperation, leadership qualities, and socialization. Physical education builds the quality of keeping your interests aside and working as a team, to scale greater heights. Playing games also encourages and creates a deeper bonding in the peer group with passion.
It is said that physical education and academics are two sides of a coin that helps in shaping childhood development. Physical education focusses on the overall development of growing buds and a healthy lifestyle more or less depends on sports. In general, it is the driving force to achieve your desired goals by participating in competitions where friendship with your teammates leads to better understanding.
Apart from enriching the social life of an individual it also improves and increases confidence, communication skills, social skills, time management (regularity and punctuality), innovation, resilience & thinking ability. Physical education, not only brings happiness and joy into one’s life but also magnifies the quality of one’s life. It also helps to build character and teaches and develops analytical thinking, strategic thinking, leadership skills, goal setting, and risk-taking abilities.
Author – Ishwar Deshmukh, HOD-PE, Indian School Salalah, Oman
