Elementary school physical education: Expectations and possibilities

Most of the articles in this issue assert that the growing public health problems of obesity and sedentary lifestyle will influence the nature of elementary school physical education and its place in the curriculum. There are, however, substantial reasons to exercise caution in speculating about the ultimate effect of such forces. Among the constraints on achieving significant progress are widespread use of underprepared classroom teachers; insufficient class time provided in the school schedule; the social and psychological complexity of health problems involving obesity, nutrition, and physical activity; and the absence of an adequate knowledge base for the design of programs that will influence subsequent lifestyle. The work of professional organizations in developing standards for de. ning sound programs offers a foundation for future progress. Development of reliable and valid measures for teacher performance and student achievement relative to those standards is under way but presently remains incomplete.