Still building American character: sport and the physical education curriculum

Abstract

This paper describes a 'local' reaction to the global theme that 'sport builds character'. It shows how the emphasis on winning in sports has led to the growth of a unique system of interscholastic athletics in American schools which provides important socialization experiences for students and acts as entertainment for the community. I suggest that the founders of physical education in America used the popularity of sport to establish their subject as a legitimate component of secondary education, and argue that the current popularity of athletics is now undermining that legitimacy. To support this claim, I give examples of how the system of athletics can compromise the current reform efforts in physical education which use sports as a medium to develop selfresponsibility and raise moral issues.

Emotional Labor in the Dual Role of Teaching and Coaching

“…Role theory would suggest that the distinctive role of teaching and coaching might impose different role expectations necessary for the fulfillment of each role in terms of emotional displays. For example, winning is one of the most desired outcomes in high school athletics and elicits intense community interest (Rees, 1997). Winning also plays a significant role in the retention of coaches over the long term (Turner & Chelladurai, 2005).…”

Character Education in Physical Education Learning Model: A Bibliometric Study on 2011-2020 Scopus Database

“…Physical education which in practice cannot be separated from physical activities through sports has a very strategic role in the education world to develop student character. This can be seen from a number of scientific researches produced by a number of academics in various countries and even the inherent ideology of practitioners in the physical education and sports fields carrying the jargon mensana in corpore sano or sport builds character [5][6][7]. However, nowadays these jargons are being sued and questioned [8][9][10] considering that there are still many phenomena of moral issues that often occur in every sporting match such as beatings of referees, fights between players, adulteration of players, bribery in matches as well as the use of doping by players have become the anxiety of academics.…”