The problem with gym class by John

The problem with gym class by John - November 2021 Scholarship Essay

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always enjoyed being outside running around and playing sports. I got plenty of exercise and ate well enough. As I grew older, I realized that not everyone had the same experience that I did. Many kids were clearly not as healthy as others and they struggled with the mental issues that came with it. Physical health is a real problem in society. With all of the junk food and video games, it’s hard to be healthy unless we put effort into exercising and eating better. I learned how to take care of my body, but there are many people that still need to be educated on this topic. This is why gym/ health class needs to have more emphasis in schools.
One problem with gym classes right now is they are often just a free period. Teachers treat it as a fun class that kids shouldn’t have to try their best in and give them a good grade no matter what. I am in gym 2 right now and nobody tries. They all walk instead of running, they sit down if they don’t feel like playing the sports, and they joke around with five pounds instead of actually lifting. This makes sense. Why would you do something you don’t want to do if you know you won’t get disciplined for skipping it? If there were more emphasis on gym the teachers might take it more seriously and, as a result, the students would follow. This would actually help kids be healthy and learn how to exercise.
Of course, there will always be kids that are embarrassed in gym class. Because of insecurities about their looks or performance, they won’t want to participate. I have often seen gym teachers let them off the hook because they don’t want to embarrass them. However, it is important that emphasis is put on everyone participating. Participation can help students overcome insecurities and help them learn to be healthy. Certainly, nobody should be embarrassed. Instead, teachers should encourage students and support them in class.
Health is a real issue in our society, and people need to be educated about it. We have gym and health classes, but they aren’t treated the right way. If we put as much emphasis on health as we did on English and math it could actually make a difference.