here goes. In New Jersey there is a requirement that elementary students
receive 150 minutes a week of health and/or physical education. There is
no stipulation on how many minutes of each just a grand total of 150 minutes.
With two, 40 minute physical education periods (using a particular district
that I may have some knowledge of) and one, 40 minute health class that
would leave many districts 30 minutes short of meeting the state mandate.
Assuming a district has coordinated the science, D.A.R.E., school counselor,
and other areas of the curriculum it is quite possible the other 30 minutes
can be found.
However! Have you ever heard of assemblies? Many, many classes miss
physical education because of assemblies. What happens to the state
mandate when children miss one or BOTH physical education classes in one
week??
I have not been an advocate of DAILY physical education since teaching in
Texas where to accomplish daily PE I would teach a grade level at a time.
That often meant 80 children in one class. But, I may now be seeing the
wisdom -- ask for more than you want so that at least you end up with what
is of value.
