Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1400485
April, moving around and staying socially distant was possible through activities such as disc golf (a combination of Fris- bee and golf ), running and pickle ball. "We played a lot of games like Sharks and Minnows with pool noodles that keep them apart. It was exciting to see them progress in health and fitness. With asynchronous learning, kids were on the honor system, and I'm not really sure how well that worked." Th e n e w n o r m a l m e a n s n o d re ss - ing rooms, no changing cloth es, and individual "PE kits" instead of shared equipment, says Betsy Erickson , a PE teacher at River City High School in West Sacramento, who was the 2021 Second- ary Teacher of the Year for Washington Unified School District. "We've provided every student an indi- vidual bag of equipment," says Erickson, a member of West Sacramento Teachers Association. Depending on their grade, students may have a soccer ball, weights, resistance bands, jump rope, beanbags, or paddles for pickle ball in their bags. "It's absolutely been a slow start, and we are building up to more activity," says Erickson . "I tell them it 's OK to walk around the track; they don't have to be a runner right away. Many of them were out of school for an entire year. And I know it's harder for them to exercise wearing masks." Doing things in the new normal takes longer, she observes. Students must san- itize their hands in between activities and figure out positioning to stay socially distanced. But students take it in stride. "ey want to be on campus instead of at home, and are pretty much willing to do whatever I ask them to do. They are willing to make the new normal work." Robin Chicca, a teacher at Monrovia High School, says students appreciate being able to exercise after quarantining. In previous years, there were "groans and grunts" when they were asked to exert themselves. Now they do so without com- plaining. ey exercise outside for safety, and sometimes in high temperatures, so she doesn't make things too strenuous as P H Y S I C A L E D U C A T I O N is a vital part of students' learning. PE instructors follow K-12 state content standards. California mandates at least 200 minutes of physical education every 10 school days in grades 1-6, and requires daily recess. The state also mandates at least 400 minutes every 10 school days of physical education in grades 7-8 and for all four years of high school. (During the pandemic, the state waived the PE requirements.) California administers physical fitness tests to students in grades 5, 7 and 9. Tests measure: • Aerobic capacity, with the one-mile run, 20-meter PACER, or walk test. • Body composition (percent body fat). • Abdominal strength and endurance, with the curl-up. • Trunk extensor strength and flexibility, with the trunk lift. • Upper body strength and endurance, with the push-up, modified pull-up, or flexed-arm hang. • Flexibility, with the back-saver sit and reach, or the shoulder stretch. To view test results by age and grade level, visit the California Department of Education (cde.ca.gov) and search for "fitness." PE: Vital Part of the Curriculum Jen Tsurumoto, left, created videos for students as well as holding class on Zoom. Erickson at work in the gym. they build up endurance. "Now that they've opened up vaccines to include 12- to 16-year-olds, COVID c a s e s w i l l c o n t i n u e t o g o d ow n a n d things can hopefully go back to normal," says Chicca, a Monrovia Teachers Association member. 31 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 21 Betsy Erickson