Having heard the same voice explaining the procedure for the FitnessGram tests throughout several years, many mixed feelings have arisen from the student body of OH. Around the beginning and end of each semester, when the week-long fitness tests occur, those sentiments become more prominent.
“I think [FitnessGram testing] is necessary, but it should definitely be a better organized thing,” said OH senior Owen Dougherty.
With the number of gym courses available at OH that vary on their specific topics and target goals, focusing specifically on improving one test score in fitness testing seems to be difficult for students.
“If each individual class had specific things you were tested on at the beginning and then at the end of the class you were tested on the same thing, seeing how you improved in those different things, I think that might be better,” said Dougherty.
Alongside the lack of targeted improvement depending on the course, fitness testing also takes up time students could otherwise use for other activities they would normally do in class.
“I think some of it could be joined together and then make it a lot easier and less dreadful. Instead of like the whole week of fitness it [could be] two days, three days, that’s it,” said OH senior Laynie Delap.
The most recognized test of the four is the pacer, but there are also just as many varying opinions about the push-up, sit-up/curl-up, and sit-and-reach tests. However, a commonly shared feeling for all is a lack of enthusiasm.
“Nobody really enjoys [fitness testing] and says ‘Yes! we’re doing the Pacer today!’ or, ‘We’re doing the push-up test!’. It’s just kind of something that everybody’s like, ‘All right, let’s just do it and get it over with’,” said OH senior Nathan Barry.
Due to the lack of enthusiasm for fitness testing, students’ efforts seem to be impacted. This may be correlated to student efforts on fitness days that focus on student health in exercise.
“I think most students don’t view a fitness day in our classes as fun…so I think the effort tends to wane and be less on those days… but I would hope that that mindset changes with students over time,” said OH Kinetic Wellness teacher Kurtis Daehnke.
Making changes to the fitness tests could benefit student efforts and possibly improve scores. Most notably could be changing the pacer test, as it is the most demanding test of the four tests.
“If I ran a mile in six minutes, I feel like that’s a better time to know how my fitness is doing, rather than an arbitrary number. Maybe [the pacer score]’s arbitrary to me, maybe the admins actually know what it [means], but it just seems like [an] arbitrary number for personal growth,” said OH senior Benjamin Simmons.
Fitness testing is best seen as something meant for personal growth, where each individual taking the tests should focus on their improvement or a target goal. It should not be seen as something that they are forced to do.
“You’re only being looked at and assessed on your own improvement. You’re not being judged [in comparison] to anybody else in class,” said Daehnke.
Students generally unmotivated by fitness testing should consider the reason it was implemented in the first place; to better understand what you could progress in or reach without peer comparison.
“It’s about where you start and where you finish, so you can see what progress you have made, and you shouldn’t have to judge yourself or compare yourself to anybody else in class,” said Daehnke.
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