should we send boy to sports day or not

RadoJo

'Originally Posted by RadoJo
Mark7799 - But at least there is a potential practical application for English and Biology,

and physical exercise has no practical application? (I can't comment on the OP's case as I have no knowledge of how their day is structured)

(I'll take blue then!)

I don't believe that physical excercise has no practical application, just that the amount already allocated in the school curriculum (and within school hours) should suffice without having pseudo-mandatory extra curricular activites added.


but I would put swimming in the same category as sports day unless it was in school time.

Although I hated swimming in school, I finally managed to learn to swim in my mid-30's - something I wished I'd faced up to much earlier.

Swimming within school time is fine with me - as discussed before, I am not anti-excercise, just the way in which it is imposed out of school hours - even children should be alllowed to chose what interests them shouldn't they?


I don't think I made myself clear - subjects which are on the curriculum and during school time are one thing, but forced attendance at an extra-curricular event in which the child has no interest just seems to defeat the object.
What about things such as parents' evenings?

As a pupil, I was never expected to attend parents' evenings, and as far as I am aware, they are not compulsory for the parents either.


I think kids can be taught that there are some things you just have to do (ie school and school work) and some things which are optional, and which will not appeal to everyone. I come to work from 9 - 5.30 because they are my contracted hours. I don't do unpaid overtime because it is optional and I don't see the point.

I find the way people in this country are considered freaks if they have no interest in sport astonishing, and I believe that it is this focus at school level which begets this attitude.

Disagree here (appreciate this is a whole new topic) surely if we encouraged more physical activity the 'obesity problem' would diminish?

I agree, but physical activity need not involve sport at all and I think that over-emphasis on organised 'games' can be off-putting to children with no interest in competition. When I was at school (and admittedly things may well have changed since!) we were not taught about sports in relation to the health benefits or generally educated about a healthy life style, we were just given the equipment, told the rules and got on with it. I now partake in physical activity as part of my life style (eg walking, working in the garden etc) and am very healthy, but I still don't enjoy competitive sports either as entertainment or as a participant.'


Mark 7799 - I hope I haven't come across as being completely in favour of children doing no physical activity, I just think that with such a range of interesting ways to keep fit and have a healthy life-style, compulsory attendance at a school sports day is not necessary. It really is only the combination of 'compulsory' and 'extra-curricular' that I think is a problem, and on the whole, I don't disagree that children should be encouraged to participate in every part of the curriculum.;)