P.E. Classes Outside of School

Grace Brown leads a busy school life. Apart from the many required subjects, the 14-year-old also sings in a choir (合唱团) and plays the piano. The school day lasts from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but Grace has so many activities to attend that she has no time for P.E. classes.

That’s why Grace has chosen to take P.E. classes on her own time. Her school has allowed her to try“virtual" P.E. For many subjects, tests and textbooks have become available on computers. Now, new technologies are also having an effect on P.E.

Grace wears a fitness tracker (追踪设备) called Fitbit on her arm while exercising. She usually exercises three times a week for 30 minutes each time. A program on her computer records her activity. Grace needs to hand in the records to her school every

week.

“Virtual”P.E. is becoming more and more popular among teenagers. Usually, P.E. teachers don’t guide their Fitbit-wearing students in real time. But they do lead the students’ work by setting goals. The students can choose their favorite activities. Those who swim or dance all year round may easily meet the workout requirements. As for Grace, she has added light running and cycling to her days.

Some schools, however, do not support this trend.“Physical activity is different from physical education," said a P.E. teacher. “Physical activity is great for the body. Everybody is moving. But in P.E. classes, students are taught not only how to move but also things like teamwork."