Educational Value of Games and Sports

Healthy mind can be found only in a healthy body. In a weak body there cannot be a healthy and active mind. And for a healthy body physical exercise is a must. Without physical exercise, our body will grow weak, lethargic and dull. The aim of education is the all round development of a personality. It cannot afford to neglect the physical aspect of a student. Development of mind and body are equally important in any good education.

Want of proper physical exercise in the form of games and sports develops many mental problems. Mere intellectual attainment is not enough. Good health and sound body are also a must to face the challenges of life. Therefore, games and sports are an integral part of school education. Education will remain incomplete without physical training and exercise. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is a famous saying. After studies some kid of physical exercise, games and sports are necessary. The refresh body and mind and provide recreation. A game of football or vallyball in the open air is very refreshing. A game of hockey or a match of badminton will help a student regain his lost mental and physical energy. There will be greater intake of oxygen, better blood circulation and digestion because of these. In the open, where games are played there is fresh air, openness and presence of nature. They have a very healthy influence on the players. Running, Jumping, kicking, swimming etc. provide vigorous exercise to our limbs and organs of the body. They provide us physical fitness, courage endurance, cooperation and team spirit. The players are more disciplined and fit than others. Sports and games along with education prepare us to stand up and face the challenges of life.

Games and sports are a valuable form of education. They develop our skills and abilities to the maximum. They teach discipline, obedience and cooperation. Every game has it own rules and regulations. They are binding on the players. All players have to follow them. There is penalty on their violation. One can never win a match without following the laws of the game. He has to abide by the judgement of the refree. It teaches a player how important are laws. It makes clear how important it is to follow the rules and regulations games and sports help us in producing very disciplined citizens, leaders and professionals. They teach how to cooperate with one another and achieve success. It is a playground or gymnasium where team spirit, cooperation and endurance can be taught best, games teach players how to ignore individual interests for the sake of greater interests of the team and society. This teaching of sacrifice is of great social and national interest. Games also teach fair play and faith in equality and justice. They enable us to take defeat and victory in a cheerful spirit.

Games also allow an outlet to our suppressed energy. It helps us a lot in remaining peaceful and non-violent. When our energy is suppressed we become irritative, short-tempered, violent hooliganism and acts of lawlessness. Games also provide us the best use of leisure time.
Famous players and sports persons bring credit for themselves and the country. They are famous and popular and work as country's cultural ambassadors. They strengthen international relations. They also develop and promote patriotism and national integration. But games are a means and not an end in themselves. They should not be practiced at the cost of studies. Excess of everything is bad. They should be played and enjoyed only in spare time. They are real boon and blessing if done properly and wisely.

India needs good and great players and sports persons. They are in great demand to participate in national and international events. India's record in this respect has been very poor. The boys and girls should be caught at the very young age and trained in different games and sports. There should be no school without a proper playground attached to it. Mere mental education is of no use without physical education. They should go hand-in-hand as integral parts of an education. They are complementary to each other.

Rahul K has been building websites for many years and runs a number of successful websites. He is the owner of www.solvedquestionpapers.com. Further articles can be found on his website at www.mylovepoems.org

Keeping Physically Fit Through College Will Help Boost Health And Maybe Reduce Depression

During your search for the ideal college or university from which to earn your degree, you'll likely have specific features and benefits in mind. Aside from academics, colleges have a lot to offer students in the way of recreation, cultural activities, and opportunities for personal growth. A trend in many colleges today is unique fitness opportunities. Whether you are majoring in an area of study where fitness is important, such as Physical Education, or whether you are merely looking for motivation to get off the couch, unique physical fitness opportunities at your college may be a big draw for you.

Colleges are offering more and more fun fitness opportunities these days in response to a trend of college students being out-of-shape, overweight, and unhealthy. While the "freshman fifteen" may be a myth where most college students are concerned, it is true that many college students do gain weight and slack off in terms of physical fitness. Many students rarely get off campus or even leave their dorms for recreational or fitness-related purposes.

Physical fitness can ward off some ailments common to college students, such as depression, anxiety, and weight gain. In order to foster a more healthful college experience, many schools have lately been doing their best to encourage students to get moving. In fact, a fitness class may be a requirement for graduation at your school!

If fitness opportunities are a priority during your college search, the first place to visit is the gym. Most colleges have a gym or fitness center, but they aren't all created equally. Are you looking for an Olympic-sized swimming pool? An indoor track? Tennis courts? Make a list of your wants and needs prior to visiting a school.

You can also pick up a schedule of fitness classes regularly offered at the gym. Most colleges offer free courses, such as aerobics and yoga. Does the college or university you are considering offer fitness courses for credit, as well? Many colleges offer one-credit fitness courses that allow you to get in shape while working toward your degree!

Consider your career goals when exploring the physical fitness opportunities at various colleges. If you want to be a Physical Education teacher, a sports therapist, or another professional who requires knowledge of exercise and fitness techniques, taking a wide variety of fitness courses is important for you. Does your college offer fitness classes in the most popular disciplines of today, such as Zumba and Pilates? You'll better engage with your students and clients if you have knowledge of the popular fitness programs that appeal to them.

What if physical fitness really isn't your thing at all? If you are worried about your prospective college's physical education requirement, check to see if the school offers low-key and fun options for fulfilling these credits. Horseback riding, dance, and even bowling are some courses offered for credit at some schools.

Physical education is an important part of a healthy and happy college experience. Even if you are taking classes at home through the computer, taking steps to be physically active is equally important, if not more Finding the accredited colleges online or university that is best for you involves many important factors, but don't forget to keep fitness opportunities in mind as you pursue a degree program.

A Holistic Approach to Education

If you think that education simply means going to school and graduating with a decent grade, then you have got a lot of learning to do! This kind of education is just the tip of the iceberg. Once you get to know the holistic approach to learning a little better, you'll soon realize how much learning things can tie up with the improvement of your health and wellbeing! Here are five concrete examples of this approach in action:

1. The Holistic Approach to Physical Education
Physical education is not just about measuring your physical strength, endurance, and all those other more empirical skills. In truth, this subject has a lot more to do with your health and wellbeing than you could ever expect! Instead of just doing whatever your coach tells you to do just to get it over with, why not read up on how these physical activities are controlled by your mental activities, or how being physically fit bodes well for people who wish to become spiritually fit as well? The body is an amazing machine that can offer a lot more than you could ever hope for, so do your research well!

2. The Holistic Approach to Math
Math, also known as the hardest of the hard sciences, may not seem like something that could truly benefit your health and wellbeing if you study it. In truth, though, math has a lot to do with all aspects of life experience-the physical, the mental, and the emotional. The physical is fairly obvious, thanks to geometry and the like. The mental is due to all the heightened brain activity studying math can encourage in you, which is always a good thing. Finally, math opens up your spiritual side by letting you go beyond tangible objects and seeing them in their most abstract and conceptual forms.

3. The Holistic Approach to Music
This is a fairly easy one to understand. Music, after all, has long been known to reach far beyond the physical world, so much so that it is often used as therapy to improve one's health and wellbeing. Music is mentally stimulating-countless mothers, for instance, prefer to listen to Mozart and other classical music while pregnant, in the hopes that this would stimulate their child's brain activity. And, of course, music and its effects on people can be described as downright spiritual. It may get your body moving, but it will also get your mind and your soul dancing as well!

4. The Holistic Approach to History
It's pretty common knowledge that history is one of the richest and most fascinating subjects any person can encounter while in school. But if you approach the topic in a more holistic manner, it can become a thousand times more fascinating than you could ever imagine! The physical facts and bits of trivia are interesting enough, but really getting into the mental state of certain historical leaders or the people of a particular age, or delving into the spiritual state of things during a particularly poignant point in time when people's health and wellbeing were in danger, makes learning what happened in the past infinitely more enjoyable.

5. The Holistic Approach to Home Economics
A lot of you may have groaned at the thought of taking a home economics class, but you'd be surprised how looking at this course more holistically can do a lot of good for your health and wellbeing! Home economics can work wonders on your mental capabilities, especially when you are tasked to do design work via embroidery or macramé. It takes a lot of brain power to create something beautifully complex, after all! And as for the spiritual side of things, doing routine arts and crafts that require long hours of patience can help train you to have an enduring form of spirituality.

Going to school, when done through a more holistic approach that takes all aspects of who you are into consideration, will most certainly be an incredibly interesting experience. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find the more holistic types of students wanting to graduate right away. This approach is conducive to learning more and more for the rest of your life, and this is most definitely an admirable trait in this day and age.

Prue Lowen has extensive knowledge in the holistic approach, and she is willing to share it with everyone. Visit her site today!

Teaching Hope for Children With Disabilities

Physical activity is now a keyword in the world today. People are beginning to realize the benefits of participating in physical activity regularly. With childhood obesity on the rise with rates more than tripling in the past 30 years. (1) It's no wonder children are being encouraged to get outside and off the couch; although there is one group of children that aren't getting as big of a push, I am referring to the children with disabilities. Children with disabilities need the same physical activity as other children their age, and it can be difficult to find a place where they can get active.

Do not get me wrong there are programs for them such as Special Olympics and other activities that children with disabilities can get involved in, but some parents feel their sons or daughters aren't prepared for activities. Coming up through public schools I have seen the special education students in the physical education classrooms. Majority of teachers will try to get them involved in any way that they can, but it can be difficult because they aren't the only children in the class. It is hard to give them the one on one time that they need to learn the skill when you are supposed to be watching the entire class. The gym can also be an overwhelming place for children with disabilities with all the loud noises and people.

One way to combat this is to have peer educators or para-educators to help out the physical education teachers. (2) By having the support the teacher needs the child will be able to get the one on one attention that they need in order to be successful in learning the skills being taught. A peer educator can be any other student that has a study hall during the class period where the child with disabilities is in physical education. The physical education teacher can have a selection process, similar to that of the peer leadership selection that many schools are incorporating today. After the selections are made, peer educators will have to be trained by the physical education teacher before working with students. Training should include how to communicate with the child, how to be encouraging, and how to work with the child. Once training is complete they will be allowed to enter the classroom to help the child with disabilities to be able to learn skills. By involving children without disabilities the teacher will be opening the door for success. The child with disabilities will be happy and excited that they now have a partner and that they are playing with children without disabilities. The child without disabilities will gain a deeper understanding and compassion for the child with disabilities. It is a forever giving circle that will make all participants happy.

A para-educator is also known as classroom aids. Many classroom aids are available to help during physical education classes, but they don't know how. The job of the physical educator is to get them involved. Ask them to please be prepared with sneakers on the day of physical education. The physical educator must also help them to understand that they are needed. Once they feel that they are needed and that they will be appreciated they will do their best to help the physical educator. If the teacher feels as though they aren't doing their best that is why the peer educators will be there. With the peer educators there the teacher can still be teaching while the students would be getting the one on one education that they need.

Many people don't realize what a difference one on one education can do for these students. I have recently been working with a child who has autism. He rarely participated in his physical education class because he was overwhelmed and not confident in himself. I began to work with him outside of school, just teaching him different sport skills and activities that he can participate in. I am happy to announce that he is now participating more in his physical education class, and is running around the house after school instead of just sitting on the couch and watching the television. Just because they have a disability doesn't mean that they don't need the same amount of physical activity as other children. I have realized that on days where the child has a bad day at school after the session of playing his mood is completely different. It will go from mad/upset to relaxed and happy. I have seen the child gain a sense of pride after performing tasks that he thought were impossible because he had tried and failed so many times. The child has gained more confidence that he can now participate in his physical education class with other students. This is what physical activity and teaching skills to children with disabilities can do for them.

Every parent wants the best for their child. Every parent wants their child to feel confident and happy. Physical activity can do that for children with disabilities. It is so important to give them a chance to feel like the other children and to be successful. Giving them one on one education to teach them sports skills and ways to be active is just one way that it can be done. By giving children with disabilities these chances to be successful in activities that can be performed for the rest of their life, you are giving them hope. The reason I say this is because they will be more confident and able to try new things and get involved with more activities which gives them more chances for success.

1. http://www.simplefit.net/static_pages/Autistic-Children/
2. Dr. Dan Chandler, Professor at The College of New Jersey