NEW GYM GRADES CREATE GPA
TUG-OF-WAR
A generation ago in some high school physical
education classes, a teacher would throw a bunch of basketballs on the gym
floor and tell the students to go play.
It was mostly for fun, and the class grade wasn't
counted as part of the student's academic average.
But now rigorous fitness, wellness and nutrition
programs are the core of most high school physical education courses. And more
schools are including physical education grades in grade point averages, though
it may mar the straight "A" records of some students.
Du Page High School District 88, which includes
Willow brook High School in Villa Park and Addison Trail High School in
Addison, is set to join others in the state who give physical education the
same grade status as English, science, mathematics and other subjects.
The board is scheduled to vote Dec. 8 on whether
students will get a full credit for each semester of gym they complete.
"Some schools have been doing this all
along," “said William Fierke, assistant director of admissions at the
University of Illinois.
Whether physical education is counted in grade point
averages makes no difference for admission to the University of Illinois and
many other public universities. These schools accept students on just two
criteria--class rank and American College Test scores.
But despite the seeming indifference of colleges and
universities to the practice, high-school students and educators in Illinois
can't agree on whether physical education grades should be recorded.
"I'm for it," said Gene Windsor, a Willow
brook senior, who prefers his weightlifting class "instead of running
around and kicking a soccer ball." He said, "Fitness programs are set
to what you can do."
But Jeremy Kowalski, another Willow brook senior,
opposes including physical education in grade point averages. He said highly
athletic students have the advantage over others in skill levels.
Educators aren't exactly on the same page either on
this issue. Jim Brusveen, athletic department chairman at Willow brook High
School, said about 50 percent of Chicago area high schools count physical
education courses in grade point average.
A 26-year veteran at Willow brook, Brusveen recalled
his early days, when gym classes often consisted of tossing out basketballs or
initiating some other game.
But "for the last 11 years, we have had a
fitness and wellness program," he said.
Students are graded on participation and improvement
in fitness classes and on written exams in wellness.
"Including the grades tells parents that
physical education is not just a recreational program, but is about fitness and
wellness," said Jim Mortier, Addison Trail principal.
At Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, the grade
point average has included physical education since 1985.
But at the four schools in Glen bard High School
District 87, physical education does not count. "It has never come
up," said Marguerite Cox, assistant superintendent for curriculum and
instruction.
District 88 School Supt. Robert Lopatka wants his
school board to adopt a task-force proposal to include physical education in
grade point averages and to grant full academic credit instead of one-half
credit.
If approved, the change would be effective beginning
with the class of 2002, which will enter the two schools in August.
The physical education proposal comes at the tail
end of a two-year debate about graduation requirements. The school board voted
last May to mandate two years of science instead of one, but reduced the
requirement for physical education, health and driver's education from four to
three years.
It named a 12-member task force of teachers,
administrators and parents to study whether to count physical education grades
as part of the grade point average and whether to include it for full academic
credit.
What has emerged is a proposal Lopatka called a
"compromise" in the debate about graduation requirements.
"The public perception appears to be that
physical education focuses on sports, and in order to get a good grade, a
student must be a skilled athlete," the task force said.
"The reality is that our physical education
program focuses on wellness and individual improvement regarding specific
health-related measures. The focus is on cardiovascular endurance, muscle
endurance, flexibility, strength, body composition and stress management.
"Students are expected to know how to plan a
personal wellness program, design such a program, monitor progress and
continually improve or maintain their personal plan. Grades are determined by
participation, knowledge of key concepts and information and continuous
improvement/maintenance on individual wellness plans."
In urging that physical education grades count in
grade point averages and full academic credit be given for the subject, the
task force said students would be challenged to do better and have a heightened
awareness of the importance of physical fitness as health and lifetime
concerns.
The task force study found that if physical
education grades had counted in grade point averages with 1997 graduating
classes at the two high schools, they would have been .03 lower for the top 10
percent of students and .03 higher for the bottom 10 percent, with similar or
smaller variances for the others.
But the task force report also showed that many of
the top 25 students in the 1997 graduating class at the two schools got B's in
physical education. At Willow brook, the scorecard was 17 A's and 8 B's. At
Addison Trail, it was 12 A's and 11 B's.
They did much better in the health course, with 24
A's and 1 B at Willow brook, and 21 A's and 4 B's at Addison Trail.
"This is a big bone of contention for some
parents," Mortier said.
But by including physical education as part of the
grade point, he said, "this may be that little bit of push to motivate
students to know it is a meaningful program, and they'll do better."
In high school, to many students, grade point
average is a very important thing. Some students are extremely
competitive and rush to the guidance counsellors every semester to check on
their class rank. The grades that students receive mostly come from
classes where they study out of books, take tests, and do homework. At
Western Dubuque High School, the students receive a grade in Physical
Education, and this grade effects the student’s G.P.A. Physical Education
should not have an effect on a student’s grade point average.
First of all, it is true that physical education is a good way to get students out of the traditional classroom setting during the day. There are some students who say P.E. is their most enjoyable class. P.E. allows students to stay in shape and participate in team sports.
However, how can you put a grade on a student’s physical abilities? At Western Dubuque, it is mandatory that the students run a timed mile each semester. Each student’s grade for that day is based on his or her time in the mile. For example, if a male runs the mile in less than seven minutes, he gets an “A,” if he runs it in less than eight minutes, he gets a “B” and so on. Should a student’s G.P.A. be affected by how fast he can run the mile?
Also, Physical Education is a required class at Western Dubuque High School. Students have to take the class every year. Some students who really care about their G.P.A. have to worry about a grade that they can’t study for to improve, but have to run faster, lift heavier weights, or do more sit-ups in order to improve. Is that what a G.P.A. is for? Should students be forced to worry about a grade that is almost impossible to improve?
Putting a grade on Physical Education is inconceivable. Gym teachers should not be able to say what kind of physical performance is worth an “A” or a “C.” There are many factors that influence a student’s abilities in gym class such as experience. For example, if one boy has never played basketball, and another boy has been playing basketball for five years, it is unfair to grade them on the same scale. Another factor is heredity. Some people are just not born as physically able to run as fast as other people. Clearly, students should not be graded on running a mile. Furthermore, the grades that students do receive in P.E. should definitely not affect their G.P.A.’s, as students very well may not be physically able to perform any better.
Next, G.P.A.’s are used to determine who receives certain academic scholarships. If a student’s G.P.A. is lower because of a Physical Education grade, he is disadvantaged when it comes to being selected for a scholarship. The G.P.A. is taken into account because that is one way the student’s academic achievements can be measured. If there are two candidates who have the same grades in all subjects except P.E., the student with more physical ability and a higher P.E. grade will be awarded the scholarship because he will have the higher G.P.A. This is extremely unfair to the less athletic student.
First of all, it is true that physical education is a good way to get students out of the traditional classroom setting during the day. There are some students who say P.E. is their most enjoyable class. P.E. allows students to stay in shape and participate in team sports.
However, how can you put a grade on a student’s physical abilities? At Western Dubuque, it is mandatory that the students run a timed mile each semester. Each student’s grade for that day is based on his or her time in the mile. For example, if a male runs the mile in less than seven minutes, he gets an “A,” if he runs it in less than eight minutes, he gets a “B” and so on. Should a student’s G.P.A. be affected by how fast he can run the mile?
Also, Physical Education is a required class at Western Dubuque High School. Students have to take the class every year. Some students who really care about their G.P.A. have to worry about a grade that they can’t study for to improve, but have to run faster, lift heavier weights, or do more sit-ups in order to improve. Is that what a G.P.A. is for? Should students be forced to worry about a grade that is almost impossible to improve?
Putting a grade on Physical Education is inconceivable. Gym teachers should not be able to say what kind of physical performance is worth an “A” or a “C.” There are many factors that influence a student’s abilities in gym class such as experience. For example, if one boy has never played basketball, and another boy has been playing basketball for five years, it is unfair to grade them on the same scale. Another factor is heredity. Some people are just not born as physically able to run as fast as other people. Clearly, students should not be graded on running a mile. Furthermore, the grades that students do receive in P.E. should definitely not affect their G.P.A.’s, as students very well may not be physically able to perform any better.
Next, G.P.A.’s are used to determine who receives certain academic scholarships. If a student’s G.P.A. is lower because of a Physical Education grade, he is disadvantaged when it comes to being selected for a scholarship. The G.P.A. is taken into account because that is one way the student’s academic achievements can be measured. If there are two candidates who have the same grades in all subjects except P.E., the student with more physical ability and a higher P.E. grade will be awarded the scholarship because he will have the higher G.P.A. This is extremely unfair to the less athletic student.
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