Physical Education (PE) is more than fitting up in gym clothes to run on a track, learning the basics of different sports, or participating in the presidential fitness test. It involves a lot of physical activity to be sure, but the PE curriculum also includes mental, social, and emotional education.

“A successful PE program can literally change the way a school functions as a whole,” says Erika Mundt, a PE teacher at Iowa West City High School in Iowa. “PE involves cooperative learning, acceptance of yourself and others, learning to try new things no matter how good you are, communication, and problem solving.”

Mundt, who was the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America High School PE Teacher of the Year in 2018, says physical activity during the school day is essential for student mental health, especially coming out of the pandemic.

“I just hope that school districts and administrators take into consideration PE when they are trying to catch up with the pandemic,” says Mundt, “and realize that cutting PE and cutting activity time isn’t the way to get students to learn more. PE is an efficient way to help kids learn more.”

They learn more, and stress