OT: Do I have a right to be worried? RE: school

[barkley]

is'nt 'gym class' just another name for 'physical education class'? if so, then i don't think any state has a requirement that it be held inside a physical building-just that it be an organized physical activity (in other words-not like 'free play' at recess). it was the rare exception that we had 'gym' inside a physical building unless the sport or activity called for it. when i think about it, the only indoor 'gym' classes i recall in jr. or sr. high (elementary schools where i grew up did not/do not routinely every have gyms-a multi purpose room 'yes'-same for the state we live in now) were vollyball (though if your rotation was in the spring or indian summer it might be outside), gymnastics, and rarely basketball (we had outdoor courts that were primarily used).

my kids go to a school without a gym-they do most of their gym classes outside (and it's been in the 20's here in the morning already). i honestly would prefer that they do most of the sports outside because multipurpose rooms are rarely constructed with the appropriate flooring to play sports on-and they do not have the flooring such to help in preventing serious injuries when falls occur (if you've ever fallen and skidded across indoor outdoor carpeting over a concrete slab you will know how painful the 'road rash' and shock to your bones can be).

 

[Caitsmama]

I honestly can't believe all of the posts i have read that say that they don't (now or growing up) ever have gym class IN a gym room! I rememeber in Elementry school having a huge gym, where we did all our classes.. it was wonderful! Even in high school we always had gym classes in the gym (unless it was warm out - and we were doing a field sport)..
I guess i just didn't realize that it was such a "luxury" to actually HAVE a gym, and maybe that is why i was so surprised by it all -- b/c i was brought up always having a gym..

 

[PollyannaMom]

I finally get why why DS (1st grade) so rarely chooses to buy lunch! - I just thought it was trendy in his class to pack, but it sounds like it makes a big difference nowadays in how much time they have to eat.

As for gym outside, it's a bummer that they are are in temp school without the option, but try not to worry too much. Most kids WANT to play outside in the winter. (In fact, outside time all year was one of the reasons I chose DS's preschool.) I'm sure they have limits in place, and definitely should give you a copy if you ask.

 

[Magpie]

I honestly can't believe all of the posts i have read that say that they don't (now or growing up) ever have gym class IN a gym room! I rememeber in Elementry school having a huge gym, where we did all our classes.. it was wonderful! Even in high school we always had gym classes in the gym (unless it was warm out - and we were doing a field sport)..
I guess i just didn't realize that it was such a "luxury" to actually HAVE a gym, and maybe that is why i was so surprised by it all -- b/c i was brought up always having a gym..

My K-13 school was raising money to build a gym when I was in highschool. We build it the year before I graduated. Prior to that gym was either outside, or in the school assembly hall/theatre. And cafeteria lines were never an issue because there was no cafeteria. They'd put pitchers of milk and soup out on the lunchroom tables before we came in, for kids who didn't have lunch. But that was it.

Even now, my children (9 and 11) eat their lunches in their classroom because there's no cafeteria in our public school (K-8). Everyone brings a bagged lunch. Some of the bigger high schools have cafeterias, but I honestly don't miss them in the lower grades. Bagged lunches are healthier, and faster to eat, and if they don't finish they can take the rest out to the playground with them.

They DO have a proper gym with basketball hoops and everything, though.

 

[murcor]

Caitsmama, Don't the kids go outside for recess & lunch each day? To add on an extra outing a couple times a weeks would be great. The kids will love it! As for winter clothes, it would be the same ones you let them play in at home in the winter. Hats, mitts, snowpants etc.

The kids here go outside in -15 c ( 5 degree F ) Then they come home and want to go out some more

I really snickered when I seen the post from Texas, they stay in if its under 55degree. That is t-shirt weather here

As for the gym, yes, we have a newer school. It has 1 gym. The kids get a gym class in the gym twice a week. The other 3 days they improvise in their classroom or outside.

This was an interesting thread

 

[barkley]

I honestly can't believe all of the posts i have read that say that they don't (now or growing up) ever have gym class IN a gym room! I rememeber in Elementry school having a huge gym, where we did all our classes.. it was wonderful! Even in high school we always had gym classes in the gym (unless it was warm out - and we were doing a field sport)..
I guess i just didn't realize that it was such a "luxury" to actually HAVE a gym, and maybe that is why i was so surprised by it all -- b/c i was brought up always having a gym..

even in jr/sr high we could'nt have possibly done all our classes in the gym. figure there were 3 girls' instructors/3 boys's instructors and 7 periods of gym per day. unless they were doing volleyball or maybe gymnastics which only took up half of the gym floor-all the other sports took up the entire gymnasium. so each of the teachers were on a rotation of sports-when they got their allocated 'in gym' time they used it strictly for those sports that could'nt be taught outside (and pity the poor teacher who ended up with the months during rainy season-they ended up having to forego some instruction because the gym ended up being used by all 6 classes every period for days at a time).

my kids 'luck out' now-they attend a small private school with no gym, BUT the affiliated boarding highschool across the street from them does. so during the worst of the weather months their teachers find out what periods of the day the gym is'nt in use and adjust their schedual to take the kids over (though my dd would argue that the long walk in the sub freezing winds/snow should in and of itself count as meeting the day's physical education requirement ).

 

[snowman]

DNephew's PreK-8 school has recess outside all winter long (Maine), unless the temp drops below 0 (I believe that is the school's magic temp). If the children don't have ski pants and boots they have to stay on the asphalt during recess.

The school does have a gym, but during the winter all classes do a winter sports section - broomball, skating, X-country skiing, etc.....as age/developement appropriate. This has consistently been one of DNephew's favorite things to do in gym class, since he started school.

 

[FSUDisneyGirl]

As for P.E...our kids go out in all weather, except for lots of rain or lightning! It doesn't get too cold down here in south-ish Florida! We do have a gym, but only because we are a K-8 school. The elementary schools around here do not have gyms.

Also...our kids have very little time to eat. I know that breakfast is about 5 minutes! We are about 80% free and reduced lunch, which also applies to breakfast, so most of our 1300 kids have to get through the cafeteria in the morning and at lunch time! It's quite busy...but kids are smart. They've started eating their main dish/fruit/milk during breakfast, and take their juice to go. Way to be resourceful!

That being said...I have lunch at the same time as kindergarten and 1st grade. Many of the students spend most of their lunch wriggling around, talking, laughing, playing with their food, etc. I would say that they definitely have enough time to finish their food (without shoveling it down) in about 10 minutes. I would suggest maybe giving your daughter a little less to eat (fewer choice) but keep it healthy, and then have some sort of fruit or other snack available after school if she is hungry then.

Good luck!

 

[Disneylush]

So what happend? Anything?

We are in Minnesota which means we go out for everything! If you don't have warm clothes at the church / school I work at you have to find clothes out of the "community bucket" there is no excuse for staying inside. Our kids go out at least for 5 mins a day after lunch. When it is 20 or 30 below they go out for only 5 minutes. Last year they had 3 cold days with limited outdoor recess. As far as rain it has to be really pouring and muddy to not go out.

We also have quick 15min lunches but if they are not finished they have a 5 min grace period while the trash is chaged over and tables are wiped down. I am at lunch every often and I don't see any problems with it.

I want to know what happened!!!

 

[mercydisney]

I grew up in NJ and my grade school did not have a gym. Beautiful auditorium but no gym. We went outside for gym and had great fun.

Live in FL now Grade school is very new and has no gym. Middle school has gym. Honestly I think it is good for the child to get some cold air. I rather have my child outside in cold weather then have them outside in 90 degree weather as they do hear (don't forget to ad the humidity) You can always put more clothes on. you can't take your last peace of clothing off.

You know yr DD best and this might not be the best thing for her.
Is your DD prone to getting colds in the winter, I'm sure yr DR can write a note and she can stay inside for gym.

 

[dpwright]

I thought we had covered this on this board.... INSIDE - in warm enclosed and crowded places is where the danger of catching a cold exists - NOT outside in the fresh air. Germs love a warm moist environment and people can sneeze on you whether you're inside or outside. If her daughter is prone to getting colds she should insist that she get some fresh air outside whenever possible and make sure she washes her hands frequently especially before eating and after the bathroom.
you can't catch a cold being out in the cold unless you're with someone else who has a cold. And being really near one or more people who have a cold is far more likely inside where the germs could also live on doorknobs, counter and desktops, and things like that.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

This doesn't sound that odd to me. I grew up in MA and we had outdoor gym year-round. You just dress warmly for it. It's only a problem if the child has asthma, really.

My school was disgusting and dingy too, so no help there. It's a shame, but what can you do

The 5 minutes for lunch thing is something I've heard about before, and I also totally disagree with it. I can't remember being forced to eat so quickly. That's really bad.

 

[mercydisney]

I thought we had covered this on this board.... INSIDE - in warm enclosed and crowded places is where the danger of catching a cold exists - NOT outside in the fresh air. Germs love a warm moist environment and people can sneeze on you whether you're inside or outside. If her daughter is prone to getting colds she should insist that she get some fresh air outside whenever possible and make sure she washes her hands frequently especially before eating and after the bathroom.
you can't catch a cold being out in the cold unless you're with someone else who has a cold. And being really near one or more people who have a cold is far more likely inside where the germs could also live on doorknobs, counter and desktops, and things like that.

For some children like my DD12 it is very harmful for them to stay in cold weather especially if they are coming infrom a warm room. When we lived up north I worked full time, I had to take a leave of abscence in the winter because I spent more time in the ER then I did at work. Taking her out in the very cold weather induced her asthma. Since we moved the FL she has not had severe asthma as she did in NJ. A couple a yrs ago we were in NJ in the winter, it was cold. She played outside guess where we spent Thanksgiving, in the ER. DD7 has no problem in the cold.