In K12 schools, the issue of special subjects, teacher absence, curriculum substitution, and physical education classes has drawn increasing attention. When special subject teachers such as art or music teachers are absent, it has become a common practice to replace these classes with physical education. However, this approach raises several concerns.
The Impact on Students’ All-round Development
Art, music and other special subjects play a crucial role in students’ all-round development. Art classes allow students to express their creativity and develop aesthetic appreciation. Music classes cultivate students’ sense of rhythm and emotional intelligence. When these classes are constantly replaced by physical education, students miss out on valuable opportunities to explore different aspects of their potential. For example, a student with a latent talent for painting may never have the chance to discover and develop it due to the lack of art classes. According to The National Education Association (NEA), arts education is essential for students’ cognitive, social, and emotional growth.
The Burden on Physical Education Teachers
In addition, this curriculum substitution also places a heavy burden on physical education teachers. Suddenly having to take on extra classes means more teaching hours and greater responsibilities. PE teachers may already have a full schedule, and adding more classes can lead to burnout. They may not have enough time to plan and prepare high-quality physical education lessons. As a result, the quality of physical education may also be affected. SHAPE America emphasizes the importance of well-planned and effective physical education programs, but this substitution practice may undermine these efforts.
Moreover, this common substitution practice also raises questions about educational fairness. Different students have different interests and learning needs. Some students may be more interested in art or music, and replacing these classes with physical education may not meet their educational requirements. It may also create an unfair situation where students are deprived of equal access to a diverse curriculum. Therefore, schools need to reevaluate this practice and find more appropriate solutions to ensure that all students can receive a well-rounded education.
Readability guidance: As we can see, the issue of substituting special subject classes with physical education when teachers are absent has multiple negative impacts. We should use short paragraphs and lists to summarize key points. For example, in each section, we can list the main problems and their consequences. By controlling the proportion of passive voice and long sentences, and adding transition words like ‘however’, ‘therefore’, and ‘in addition’, we can make the article more readable and logical.
