Health‐oriented ‘Bildung’ or an obligation to a healthy lifestyle? A critical analysis of current PE curricula in Germany

Abstract

The issue of health plays an important role in the German language sports pedagogical discussion and in German curricula. It is also important here that the idea of ‘Bildung’—an educational ideal in the German tradition which is still of paramount importance and which stems from the obligation of enlightenment and is intended to enable mature judgment—is a normative idea for school lessons. In terms of health in physical education, this throws up the question of whether PE for young people should not simply be focused towards a healthy lifestyle, but rather towards understanding what and how a healthy lifestyle could be and reflect on the role they want it to play in their lives in an emancipatory manner. Therefore, this paper examines the way in which health and health education are considered in current curricula in Germany. A hermeneutic oriented qualitative text analysis is carried out. Alongside differences between the states, the analysis shows an overall tendency towards narrowing down health education. The paper finally seeks to critically discuss this narrowing from a pedagogical perspective as an exemplary process which might be observed in a similar way in other countries.

Including students with special educational needs in physical education: An analysis of the current Finnish national core curriculum

“…For this purpose, body experiences are to be used to align with the supposedly 'normal' development of a 'fit' body and to improve the individual fitness level in a process of accepting his or her developing body. In line with findings from Germany, the pupils are mainly supposed to take responsibility for their own body and thus, also for their own health (Ruin & Stibbe, 2020). In contrast to the German findings, however, the Finnish PE curricula rather seem to build upon a salutogenic understanding of health, in which the focus is not on shortterm fitness promotion, but on "strengthening personal resources and a stable self-esteem, which also accepts weaknesses of the individual" (Ruin & Stibbe, 2020, p. 12).…”

“…The unique narrowness does not only refer to the Finnish PE curriculum, but—more general—for PE curricula in many countries. Compared to the curricular documents from German‐speaking countries (Giese & Ruin, 2018; Ruin & Stibbe, 2020), for instance, ability expectations of neoliberal societies that follow the production of fit and healthy subjects are less in the focus of the analysed curricula in Finland.…”

“…The PE curriculum in many countries contains exclusionary potential for those students who are not able to participate in physical activities that focus on certain normative performances or for those who do not have the ability to reflect on themselves and their learning experiences (Giese & Buchner, 2019; Meier et al, 2021). In addition, research from Germany with a special focus on health has shown that it is conceptualized in a narrow, objectifying manner in the analysed curricula, defining how bodies should be shaped in the PE class (Ruin & Stibbe, 2020). This contrasts with the suggested inclusive values in the curricular documents in many countries emphasizing the uniqueness of each pupil (Price & Slee, 2021).…”

A comparative analysis of discourses shaping physical education provision within and across the UK

“…Discourses, therefore, become the embodiment of power and knowledge and, when presented through curricula, convey messages about what is important and what is to be taught (and how), which in turn, becomes the object of our knowledge (Rossi et al, 2009). This is illustrated in the recent work of Ruin and Stibbe (2021) who analysed curriculum texts in Germany to examine how PE is conceptualised in line with the traditional concept of Bildung. In doing so, the authors highlight tensions between Bildung, with its focus on growth and self-determination, and neoliberal practices associated with meeting targets and contributing to society.…”

What is real?

“…Hence, a transformation of the relationship to oneself and to others is called the process of Bildung (Koller, 2012). Bildung is distinguished from competence-oriented or psychological learning concepts and means a lifelong process of selfwork whose importance is repeatedly emphasized in German-language sports pedagogy (e.g., Ruin & Stibbe, 2021;Wibowo et al, 2022). Bildung is strongly connected with the experience of an interruption or an irritation.…”