Southern Illinois University promotes teaching physical education to combat obesity
CARBONDALE -- Physical education is an important part of a child's school day, but many programs are being cut because of budget problems. News 3’s Kevin Hunsperger spent time at a conference on the Southern Illinois University in Carbondale campus aimed at helping teachers get more creative when it's time for P.E.
As the number of obese children continues to rise in the country, physical education instructors are looking for new ways to attack the problem. That's why the kinesiology department at SIUC is hosting the third annual Physical Education and Health Conference, an event held only in the northern part of the state.
"We don't have the resources, the money,” said Tony Calabrese, kinesiology instructor. “A lot of teachers can't go up there. So we decided to start our own. If we could form an organization and network, we could make it a lot easier down here."
Calabrese, an event organizer, said more than 40 physical education teachers and 60 SIUC students are participating. They're learned more about new standards for physical education.
Department chair Elaine Blinde said the kinesiology department has a lot to offer.
"We do a lot of different things,” said Blinde. “Teacher education is important. We have athletic training programs, etc. It's a very diverse field."
Calabrese said the best way to get children involved in physical activity is by starting off slow and do a little bit every day.
"When I was teaching we would start off with the kids walking or running a 1/4 mile in September,” said Calabrese. “By the end of the school year in April, they were running three miles.
And it's not all about being physical. People at this conference learned about cup stacking, known as Speed Stacks. The activity improves concentration and hand eye coordination. Calabrese said getting into shape is also a mental process.
"We think this rules this, but this really rules this,” said Calabrese. “Even athletics has little to do with the physical. If it did the strongest, fastest would win everything and that doesn't always happen."
The State of Children's Health report by the Illinois Kids Count program encourages more physical education in schools. They found nearly 32 percent of all children between 10 and 17 are overweight or at risk of being overweight.
Childhood Obesity