1. OVERVIEW
Physical Education (PE) is an integral component of the General Education curriculum, mandatory from grades 1- 12. It aims to equip students with both knowledge and practical motor skills, fostering their holistic development. It is expected that the insights and skills gained in the subject will be beneficial to students throughout their lives, aiding their progress in a dynamically evolving world. By equipping students with a comprehensive understanding of physical health and the competencies and responsibilities needed, the subject will empower students to achieve and maintain a healthy, dynamic, and fulfilling lifestyle.
This lifestyle is anticipated to benefit both individuals and society in various ways, including increasing productivity and readiness for learning, cultivating talent and creative thinking, enhancing mental well-being, promoting safety, fostering healthy relationships, heightening personal satisfaction, and instilling positive energy in people around them.
Research attests that increased engagement in physical activity correlates with improved academic performance, heightened concentration levels, and more positive classroom attitudes. Moreover, it has positive impacts on mental health, physical fitness, self-awareness, and stress management capabilities.
Physical Education promotes crucial educational values and objectives, fostering the development of children’s character, including self-improvement, fairness, respect for diversity, consideration of individual needs, and robust physical and mental health. These values are instilled through various aspects of the subject and further nurtured by society. By engaging in PE, students acquire essential skills to be more confident and successful in their primary, secondary and high school, and to become active, healthy, and socially responsible citizens in the future. The subject assists students in making informed decisions across all aspects of health and promotes a healthy and active lifestyle.
Following the guidelines for implementing the education programme at Vinschool, PE is an outcome-based subject, similar to others. The programme’s learning outcomes outline the knowledge and skills that students are expected to acquire at the conclusion of each grade level. These outcomes are organised into three distinct yet interconnected skill strands, specifically Positive Living, Motor Skills, and Healthy Living. Within these main strands, more specific and interrelated learning outcomes are further classified into sub-strands. This organisational structure is consistently maintained from Primary School through High School Education.
Both practical application and research indicate that adopting a student-centred and skill-based teaching approach is not only effective but also crucial in the Physical Education programme. This method enables teachers to responsively cater to diverse experiences, circumstances, abilities, and needs in physical activity settings. Teachers will assume the role of co-learners and student supporters, promoting experiential learning, fostering student engagement through self-initiatives, creating a sense of community through group work, and offering choices aligned with students’ learning styles and intelligences.
2. COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Foster skills and knowledge for children to lead an active and healthy lifestyle throughout their lifetime: Equip children with the skills and knowledge necessary for maintaining a positive and healthy lifestyle through regular participation in safe physical activities and the acquisition of tools to enhance physical well-being. The programme also empowers children to approach their studies, professional endeavours, and life with increased confidence and success.
- Develop essential motor skills for active participation in diverse physical activities: Cultivate indispensable motor skills for engagement in a wide range of physical activities. This involves providing opportunities for skill development, application of movement concepts, and strategic thinking in games, sports, dance, and other physical pursuits. This process enables children to explore and nurture individual talents in the realm of physical education and sports, with an emphasis on professional growth and contribution to the advancement of national sports.
- Educate on factors contributing to holistic development: Provide education on factors contributing to holistic development, instilling personal responsibility for lifelong health and fostering an understanding of a healthy, active lifestyle interconnected with the world around them, and nurturing an appreciation for the well-being of others. This approach aims to inspire and energise individuals, contributing to the formation of a community passionate about and dedicated to sports training.