DEVELOPING A CRITICAL CURRICULUM IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES

Physical education classes are usually seen as the least politicized of all disciplines in schools. This paper gives examples of how to promote critical thinking in physical education classes, transforming them into a forum of critical reflection about corporeal culture. Even though the main goal of physical education classes is to promote physical development and to develop life-long habits of doing physical activities on a regular basis, these classes need to reflect on, and be critical of, aspects of the culture in general and of corporeal culture more specifically. The goal of this paper is to give some examples of how to do this in practice. Physical education classes can foster intellectual development and critical thinking as students learn to understand and use corporeal movement as a form of language; as they study the history of certain forms of sports, martial arts, dance, and gymnastics; and as they participate in discussions about the political implications that might be involved in these practices. (LB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document