Get Your Blog in Shape

DDR a Hit at JHH

By now you have probably heard the rumors, seen it with your own two eyes or played it with your own two feet.  If you do not come to P.E. with the boys and girls of JHH you might be wondering what “it” is.  It’s Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)®!

DDR® has officially made a direct hit on our P.E. classes.  Having a video game in P.E. class seems like an oxymoron.  It would almost be like having chocolate dressing on a fresh green salad.  Yuck! 

But DDR® is not your normal video game.  Instead of those handheld controllers that result in too much time sitting around, DDR® has ignition pads similar to the controllers that are activated by your feet.  Students dance along with the music stepping according to the directional arrows that scroll up the screen. 

The popularity of DDR® is sweeping the globe and the results have been amazing.  Many have reported uplifting and inspiring stories of weight loss that you can check out here.  Reports that corroborated those stories resulted in JHH purchasing our very own DDR® station.  As I’ve been able to research the Internet about the value of games like DDR® I have discovered that the value of these rhythmic aerobic games goes beyond improved fitness.  If you would like to see some of the other benefits you can look here. 

Share with me your thoughts about DDR®.  Do you enjoy playing DDR®?  Is it too difficult or too easy?  Do you think it was a good idea to get DDR® for P.E.?  Do you think we should get another DDR® station?  Do not forget to tell me why.  Give me lots of reasons and details to support your opinion.

That's My Opinion

I knew I could count on the boys and girls at House to let their voices be heard regarding Senate Bill 474.  Let me tell you about a few of the comments I really liked.  Dylan thinks that "chubby people need to work out".  But it goes beyond that.  It is important that we all work out.  It does not matter if we are old or young, skinny or chubby, short or tall.  Rina said, "I feel like I walked over the whole entire solar system".  Wow!  That is a lot of walking, but it is good for you.  Theresa thought that if we had P.E. everyday it "might become boring".  Gosh, I don't want that to happen.  Then you might stop getting the exercise you need and that would be horrible.  Maria summed up my thoughts perfectly, "I'm not really that worried, but I'm still confused".  Oh boy am I ever confused!  If you want to check out more of what your classmates, teachers and even a high school student had to say about SB 474 go here. 

Now as promised, I'll share my opinion with you all.  I am CONFUSED!  I'd love to see the boys and girls at House more than two times a week, but I DO NOT think you should miss out on classroom instruction or Specials.  Your classroom teachers do a wonderful job teaching you all of the material required by the state and so much more.  I love admiring your work in the hallways or reading classroom and student blogs.  Above all, you need to have art, music and computer lab.  You learn so many wonderful things in each of these Specials.  They help make you into a well-rounded student.  And just to let you know, House has the best art, music and technology teachers I have ever worked with!  I think we need to keep Mrs. Anthos, Mrs. Goode and Mrs. Meeler around so they can share their expertise with you.  Ask yourself:  Do I really want Ms. Roper (Queen of the Stick Figures) teaching me how to draw?  Or would "Ms. Can Only Sing Off Key" (Roper) be the person to teach and lead you in musicals?  Mrs. Meeler has me beat on the computer.  Sure, I can use one and post a blog, but I could NEVER teach the skills she covers with our students. 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

Legally Fit?

Laws are created, amended, passed, vetoed and so on across our country all the time.  For example, the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA), enacted on July 1, 1997, has strict specifications for obtaining a driving permit and license.  This legislation was enacted in an attempted to allow teenage drivers to safely gain driving experience thereby reducing the number of accidents they are involved in.  I think we can all agree that it is a good idea to keep our little friends on the kindergarten hall from driving to school every morning! 

The Georgia General Assembly is currently considering a bill, Senate Bill 474 (SB 474), that would directly impact you.  This bill is known as the “Student Health and Fitness Act”.  It would require that each student in elementary school participate in 150 minutes of Physical Education a week, which is the equivalent of 30 minutes a day.  This legislation is intended to help prevent childhood obesity.  To read SB 474 just go here.  I’ve highlighted some of the parts I thought you might find interesting.     

As a democratic society, we have the right and obligation to voice our thoughts about these matters.  I have contacted members of the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Senate to express my opinions, but I’m interested in knowing what you think. Remember that you currently have P.E. two times a week for 45 minutes (or 90 minutes a week).  We are 60 minutes below what the legislation proposes.  Consider the possibility of having P.E. everyday for 30 minutes. Does that sound good to you?  What if having 30 minutes of P.E. a day meant that you would no longer have Art, Music and Computer Lab?  Does that change your opinion?  Do you think 30 minutes would be enough time to use the pedometers, heart rate monitors and other cool equipment we have? You are all such smart boys and girls that I cannot wait to hear what you have to say.  And maybe after you share your ideas with me I will tell you my opinion on the subject!

::UPDATE::

I spoke with a Georgia State Senator on Friday about SB 474.  He is a member of the group that wrote and proposed this legislation.  In our conversation he assured me that including the additional P.E. time would not result in the elimination of Art, Music or Computer Lab.  I thought that was great news and something that you all needed to know!