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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

PE Hall of Shame



PE Hall of Shame (Part 2)  was released after the initial induction of 6 games that should not be played in physical education class. In class we discussed two of the initial inductees (Dodgeball and Kickball) and why (human targets, isolation, no choice, safety, hiding from others, skill level, etc...) they were included in the initial induction ceremony.




Click on the comment link at the bottom of this post to leave your brief (2-4 sentences) initial comment about the PE Hall of Shame inductees.  Then leave your blog URL (eg. http://www.rockstarpe.blogspot.com) and then go on your own blog and write and defend how you would seek to use one of these "shamed"games in your PE program (if it all). How will playing this game help your students attain the goals of being physically educated and what will be gained?  Be sure you can defend your claim to use the game(s) be providing modifications to game play, equipment, and rules.  It would help if you added pictures like Patrick's post on defending dodgeball (posted below). This assignment is due by class next Tuesday October, 27th. (Photo via iStockPhoto & Xanga)



The article written by the National Association of Sport and Physical Education on Dodgeball in physical education classes brings about some good points. In the game of dodgeball, there is a great chance the less athletic students that may need the most physical activity because of their health, are the ones getting picked on, and taken out first. I agree with this in some cases, knowing that that situation is always possible. However, simple variaitions made on the game would solve that problem, making the game more fun for everybody. Another argument that this article stated was the fact that kids get hurt becuase they are the target. I disagree with this because I believe that there is a much greater chance of a student getting hurt in some of the other sports such as football, hockey, and soccer, that are taught in our schools curriculum today. Many people tend to generalize dodgeball with the movie that came out a few years ago. First of all, the characters in that film were all grown men and women who are much stonger and can throw much faster that any student in grades K-12. Second, they were using heavy rubber kickballs, while in the league that I play in outside of school at home, we use 8' 1/2" foam balls. Of coarse, if a physical education class is using heavy rubber balls, or sometimes volleyballs, someone is going to get hurt. But that is the fault of a poor physical education teacher. In my league, using the foam balls that work equally well, not a single person has been injured (I have been playing for 4 years). Playing dodgeball the normal way with the normal rules is harmless, however other variations are possible if schools are not convinced. Variations such as making everyone throw with their weak hand only, or make a different target instead of the student, like a cone or ball, also make this game worthy of coming back into schools. Dodgeball also can improve students motor skills greatly, and even more than some other sports. Besides track in high school, Dodgeball was the only sport that I stuck with. After 4 years of playing this sport I found that it really keeps me in shape, and my hand eye coordination and reaction time improved a great deal. If the game of dodgeball should stay out of the schools curriculum, then I believe the association should be taking a look a many other sports too and their dangers, because its only fair. As long as a school has a great physical education teacher who can turn any game into a usefull activity for all students, than any sport should be allowed, including dodgeball.

38 comments:

Joe's Phys. Ed page said...

The two inductees into the hall of shame are proper for this award. Dodgeball and kickball, are two games that Physical Educators use sometimes to pass time, or so that they don't have to do any work themselves. Both of these games, leave students feeling like they don't have to participate. In a dodgeball setting, students that dont have the best arm, or running capabilities feel the need to stay in the back and not be active, and in a kickball setting, these kids are just sitting around waiting for other people to make the plays. Both activities belong in the hall of shame, unless of course they are modified to involve all kids playing. http://www.pealltheway.blogspot.com

Tim Cornell said...

Kickball and Dodgeball have been inducted into the PE hall of shame. While I agree there are flaws with both of these activities, I have played both and I feel that If minor adjustments could be made to the game it could make it more intertaining, more safe, with more class participation. It is up to us as Physical Education professionals to make sure thay if we use these activities we are making sure that it is in a manor that helps to meet the National standards.

Jenna Monahan said...

Tag, a recent inductee to the PE Hall of Shame, is a game where the weaker students are eliminated first, leaving them on the sidelines watching classmates participate. I understand the reasonings behind its induction, I feel that it is such a PE staple and, when done properly, is a highly inclusive game.

Frank D said...

The tag game described in the article is hard to defend in today's physical education but tag today is not the same as it was in the past. Tag has evolved into a different type of game with new rules and interesting activities. The activity level in a well planned game of tag is hard to match in any other physical education game. The way tag has been taught might be the correct inductee to the hall of shame instead of the game itself. activelifestylePE.blogspot.com

LAXER said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LAXER said...

The induction of Dodge Ball and kick ball to the hall of shame is not a complete shock to me. I can see where the association believes that these games are harmful to the children and their development. I can see where Kick ball has earned a spot but i Agree with Patrick Wingler and his article about dodgeball, I think there are many good things that come out of dodge ball. Of coarse the correct variation must be implemented depending on the age and skill level. In the end the responsibility lies on the Teacher who should monitor the well being of the students.
http://gotphysed.blogspot.com/

Michael Putman said...

Its very simple. Dodgeball and kickball should not be played in physical education classes. Students will be spending too much time doing nothing in both games. In kickball, you would get a bunch of people in the middle and just talk the whole time. Getting absolutely nothing done. In dodgeball, students will do the same thing so that they can get out and talk some more. That is the last thing we want to see as physical educators.

Jeff Ryan Albanesius said...

I would like to focus on kickball and how it has been considered a game for the PE hall of shame. I fully beileve that with modifications and "new rules" this game can work and become a success.In some schools kids are introduced to the game, and those rules stick as long as the teacher wants to teach the unit.As future professionals we need to work on changing "set rules" and make activities and games more fun. I do agree kickball should be in the PE hall of shame, however modified /"new rule" kickball should not. Our job is to as Physical Educators change enviorments weather it be for the students or for the game flow better.

pepro99 said...

Although dodgeball has been inducted into the PE hall of shame, I disagree this game should be banned from schools. However, i do agree the game should have some safety guidelines. Dodgeball is a fun activity with running, jumping, dodging, and often laughing.

Read more on my thoughts at pepro99.blogspot.com

Cory Ramos said...
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Cory Ramos said...

The two most controversial games in physical education are dodgeball and kickball. It doesn't surprise me, that these games are in the P.E. Hall Of Shame. Both games have their flaws, that may keep students from participating. If you explore these flaws, you can make adjustments to these games to correct them. The key to saving these games is modifications to involve all students and keep them playing.

http://corylovespe.blogspot.com/

Megan said...

One game that every kid loves to play, especially in elementary school, is Simon Says. Unfortunately this game has recently been placed in the Physical Education Hall of Shame. Why? Yes, this game allows children to learn about their body parts, body movements, and how to listen properly but we need to focus on what's wrong with this game and how to fix it. Some things that need to be fixed are to focus more on activity than a winner, elimination (Which creates low participation.),and to get rid of punishments. See my blog for more!
http://stayfitpe.blogspot.com/

Miss. O'Malley said...

My gym teacher's name in grade school was Mr. Jaffie, and he was profoundly known for his brilliant techniques during the game "simon says." Unfortunately, critical people have let this game fade into the "hall of shame." But I believe that Mr Jaffie's method has the potential to make a difference. He would quickly zip though the game with ease and stump kids left and right (sounds bad, but it was entertaining!). Nobody was really considered "left out." He would assign a physical activity and then you could return to the game. It was more about cognitive interaction and speed.

dmurphy said...

I was pretty surprised aftrer reading the PE hall of shame paper. Alot of the shamed games were very popular when i was in school. However i do understand that the activities lack certain aspects which are important to development in the 3 domians of physical education. I think the majority of shamed games or activities could be edited and turned into quality activities. Simple adaptations could really improve an activity.

Anonymous said...

Although dodgeball was always one of my favorite games to play in past Physical Education classes, I can understand it's place in the 'P.E Hall of Shame.' Dodgeball has the ability to exploit the differences of skill levels in children and in turn create a sort of separation. I do think with certain variations dodgeball could become a game that is more of an effective physical education tool for all children.
http://peiloveyou.blogspot.com/

Lauren Tinger said...

I was very disappointed to see tag inducted into the PE hall of shame. Although some old-fashioned tag games would leave kids inactive after being tagged, times are changing. There are so many ways to modify tag to keep children actively participating, such as having the people being tagged be the new taggers so the game is never ending. The game can also be modified to practice different skills such as skipping and galloping. http://needsphysed.blogspot.com/

Vincent Brites said...

Red Rover is a game that I was unfimiliar with before reading this article. I realy cant believe they played such a game in in school with kids. Their are many dangers in this game from the fact that you run at the opposing team at full speed. I also agree that it teaches very little about Physical Education.
http://brites27.blogspot.com/

Phil said...

I agree in that traditional dodgeball may not be beneficial to the non-athletic students, but varitaions can definitely help all of the students. Coaches can even match the students skill level with each other making their progress fair and developmentally beneficial. Dodgeball should certainly not be banned for injuries as using foam balls would prevent this. All in all, dodgeball is useful when adjusted accordingly to class.

Unknown said...

The two inductees into the hall of shame are definitely worthy of this award. Both kickball and dodgeball are games where not everyone participating is active, their can be a lot of standing around and thats not what you want in a PE setting. I do think that each game could be changed in some ways to make increase participation. http://www.ewaggoner4.blogspot.com

dimartinope said...

Dodgeball, a highly controversial game in today's physical education setting, is a game with multiple dangerous flaws in it. With just a few minimal adjustments to the rules it has the ability to return to its history of being one of the most played and revered games of physical education as a whole. http://theplacetobe-dimartinope.blogspot.com/

anthony.giuliano said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Hi everyone,‎
I really enjoyed reading all the comments on the PE Hall of Shame! I have taught PE in Belgium, Canada ‎and now the USA and it seems as if they all have these shameful games they all still play. According to ‎me, "relay" games and "Dodgeball" are the two big ones, most controversial activities done in PE. It is ‎interesting because I believe you can take any game and make it all-inclusive as long as you are ‎creative. Most importantly is to question whether or not the activities are developmentally ‎appropriate and create maximal participation by all students. I think you all come up with some very ‎important arguments and I thank you all for posting these so it allows me to read them and share them ‎with my students here at the University of Arkansas but also with my colleagues in Belgium and ‎Canada or whomever is interested it in! That is the beauty of Web 2.0! Barriers are broken down; ‎everybody can share and let their voice be heard! And please do continue to share! ‎
Thank you!‎
Helena
www.peforever.pbworks.com ‎
www.activejourney.blogspot.com

Amanda said...

I can see how "dirty back yard" was inducted into the PE hall of shame. Because all the kids are doing is picking up and throwing the iteams as fast as they can on to the other side. There really is no skill involved, the kids are just worried about getting everything off thier side. But also this game is a great way for kids to be up an active. With the kids that I have played this game with they did not want to stop. We had to make manditory breaks for water because they wanted to play this game all day. Its not the best game to teach children how to throw and catch but it still is a very fun and entertaining game.

caitsharkey said...

I can completely understand why dodgeball has been inducted into the PE hall of shame. But I can also think of many ways to adjust the once known "Dodgeball" into a newer version which is more safe and involves more participation from class members. I believe that each and every game in the "hall of shame" can be modified in order to keep it as a part of PE class.

Brian said...

While many people consider games such as kickball or dodgeball to be hall of shame games, I must say that I dont completely agree. I feel that if Physical educators are proactive in their teaching methods any game can be beneficial in creating physically educated individuals. simple modifications can be made to any game to ensure its approapriateness... to read more please visit my blog at http://BrianAbrams.blogspot.com

Miles Levesque said...

I understand why Dodgeball has been inducted into the PE Hall of Shame. It is a game where the weaker children are ganged up on by the more athletic children. Also some believe the safety concerns with dodgeball make it too dangerous of an activity for school. However, I really feel that with some changes this game can be made so that safety concerns drop dramatically and the game can be enjoyed by all participants. Dodgeball should be saved because it can be used as a great activity to make children more agile and athletic.

mikepeachman said...

Seeing dodge ball in the PE hall of shame doesn't come as a big surprise to me. Many people think that this game can seclude students and lead to injuries. This might be true, but with variations to the rules, anything is possible and can change the game to make it acceptable in PE today.

http://mikepeachman.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

After reading the list of the "Hall of Shame" games and the way in which they are not acceptable in school, I understand the reasoning for schools not tolerating dodgeball completely. Students who are weaker, slower and even unpopular are often ganged up upon during dodgeball games. Once these students are "out" of the game, they sit on the sideline watching the game not being active, which is probably what they like to do anyways, which is to not be active in phys. ed class. Also, students who are knocked out first, often are upset that they were targeted from the start making them less confident in themselves. This game certainly belongs in the "Hall of Shame" unless modified to include all students throughout the game. http://adventurepe-tbyrnes.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I can see why kickball and dodgeball have been inducted into Physical Education's "Hall of Shame" for a couple of reasons. As much as it kills me to admit that, because I LOVE dodgeball and kickball, they are by no means quality activites for Physical Education class. Dodgeball is a harsh game that allows for kids to be targets and there is a lot of down time for kids that are "out". It leaves the same kids feeling good about themselves and the same kids feeling down. Although, I am confident that both these games can be modified to increase participation and key aspects of motor development. See my blog for the details :)

embracepe.blogspot.com

swags said...
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swags said...

The whole dynamics of P.E. classrooms are changing and with that comes the list of "Hall of Shame" games. It's no suprise to see dodgeball on the list but I think people are missing out on a great game that has more to offer than meets the eye.
http://swagspe.blogspot.com/

SlickNickGamer said...

I don't like the idea dodgeball and kickball are in the hall of shame. You don't have to eliminate this games comepletly. In my lifetime I have played regular kickball and dodgeball and modified games of each. I find the modified games to be so much more fun. Instead of dodgeball P.E. teachers should play jail ball and instead of kickball play bonzi. Both are fantastic games that allow children of all ages to play. We can't forget the classics but we live in a diffrent time now where safty rules over all. So lets go out there, be safe, and play ball. http://slicknickgamer.blogspot.com/

rickertpe said...

I agree with kickball being inducted into the PE Hall of Shame, but dodgeball too? I believe that this can be a very beneficial and fun game for kids to play. www.rickertpe.blogspot.com

anthony.giuliano said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
anthony.giuliano said...

While i think dodgeball and kickball are two worthy inductees in to the PE hall of shame,there are definatly ways to make these two games suitable for phys. ed classes. these are two games which can really help develop useful motor skills. If you take away the opportunity for students to gang up on other students and also make it so everyone has to participate at all times i think you can make dodge ball and kick ball work in phys. ed. Check out agiuliano.blogspot.com to see how.

mpetittecortland said...

I personally think the article may have exaggerated and embellished some of negative ascpects of the games that were presented. I am wondering if he did that to over emphasize and drive home his viewpoints or just for the sake of creative writing. Yet, I do agree with many of his points regarding some of the characteristics of the games and how they are doing our profession a diservice. To hear more on my thoughts and feelings pertaining to these games visit http://mpetitte001.blogspot.com/.

Anonymous said...

Dodgeball and Kickball are two games that have been criticized and deemed a hall of shame game. Yes, there are some problems like such a reduced activity time which can keep students waiting. Kickball can certainly be fun, but it doesn't really help kids improve on their motor skills. The main problem that has brought up about dodgeball has been singling out kids by creating an environment where the unathletic kids become a target. Ultimately i believe that there are many modifications a good teacher can apply that will change the game of dodgeball and turn it into a fun, safe, and interactive game for all kids.

http://battinope.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Kickball and Dodgeball have gotten bad reputations in PE class because or the teachers that use them so they don't have to teach and are simply there to babysit. However there several variations in which these two games can be played as to make them productive, educational, and enjoyable. Furthermore, these variations need to be adjusted appropriately for each age group being taught.To learn more about my opinion on this subject visit my blog at http://www.mmichaelspe.blogspot.com