Fair play can be defined as the upholding of fairness before, during and after, and directly relating to a game, match or event. You should always inform players of the consequences that will occur if they do not play fair or cheat. Cheating in sport should never be tolerated because it ruins the game for every one. Fair play can often be best promoted through a code of conduct that clearly defines the rules of the games and the do’s and don’ts.
Equality in sport is the practice of fairness and the upholding of the rules also to ensure that all individuals are respected and have
equal opportunities regardless of their sex, gender, religion, sexuality or ethnic background. It is important for all those involved in sport to support and promote the principles of equity, whether they are playing, refereeing or coaching. I think that it is so important that when incidents of negative discrimination occur they are dealt with promptly. If equality is not tolerated it will cause a better learning and teaching atmosphere.
Racism can be best described as negative discrimination against an individual because of their colour, racial origin; It is not acceptable in society and must not be tolerated in any shape or form in sport. Schools should create an environment where racism is not tolerated and it is dealt with extremely seriously.
I firmly believe that players should also have a uniform and that every player should wear it, this is because this creates a unity in the team and discourages inequality. This also means that players should always use proper equiptmeny when playing sport, for example having shin pads on when playing football. This is also to encourage health and safety.
I have a strong view about good etiquette when teams play, players should follow the unwritten rules of sport. For example when a player hits a ball off side in netball they should then retrieve it and give it back to other team for their backline or sideline pass. I also think players should either shake hands after a match or at least congratulate the other team. This teaches children to be a good sportsman whether you win or loose, this will also help them in other things they do. Players should applaud good play from their team and their opposition; this creates a friendly atmosphere and should initially avoid confrontation and arguments between two teams. It should also shut down any barriers between two teams. For example, rival schools playing each other. If there is a friendly atmosphere and the team is welcoming. The game will become more relaxed and more social.
When players and teams are involed in a sport they should be encouraged to put in 100% effort irrespective of the sport, their ability or the score of the game. I think that is an important value to have because it will teach them if they put in the effort they will reap the rewards, not just in sport but in anything they do.
When older students reach their senior years, I think it is vital that they set a good example. All lower years will look up to senior students or be aware of them. By senior students not using inappropriate language, not arguing with the official, wearing full uniform for a particular sport and always putting in a 100%, this will in some way or eventually rub off on the lower years. This will inevitably makes sports more fun and enjoyable for students and teachers who teach them in your school.
I strongly believe that health and safety in schools is a major issue. The amount of accidents caused from students not wearing appropriate equipment is tremendous. For example when students who play football do not wear shin pads. During the game they are fiercely tackled and therefore suffer and injury because they weren’t protected. To stop these sorts of things from happening you as teachers and educators should enforce the fact that students should attend lesson fully equipped. This will then cause less accidents and the games lesson will be safer. To also make lessons safer, students should be well informed of the rules of the sport they are being taught, because if they are not accidents and arguments will occur. For example a group of students playing netball, they are not aware they you cant run with the ball. One student runs with the ball and knocks another person over, causing an injury. This could have been prevented if the student was aware of the rules, showing good ethics. Also by informing students of the rules of sports it can cause a better environment for students to work in. If every player knows what they are and aren’t supposed to do, they will not argue with other students or the teacher during the game.
Many students in games lessons don’t not always participate; this is normally because they do not believe they have the ability to perform well or they are shy to do so in front of people. If some one is constantly encouraged to do some thing there self steam will grow and they will not feel shy to take part. It is key to reassure students of their ability and to get them involved and not let them sit out. We need to raise self steam and give the students a feel good factor towards sport and participating at every thing. Even if some students are weak at a sport you still need get them involved, you can do this by asking the strong members of the group to show them. By getting the involved you are raising their personal standard and giving them a positive attitude towards sport. If this is taught at a young age it will stay with them thought out the years at school.
This is the results for the PE GCSE results for the whole of England, they show that half got A-C and half got D-U. To improve this to 70% A-C we have to show students the importance of good values and ethics. This will make them better sportsmen and women and will give them the ability to succeed in sport and achieve good results. When good ethics and values are drummed in to students it will show in the results in their GCSE results. This will also cause good press for your school and more parents will want their students to attend your school. This may also attract sponsorship for your PE department if your school GCSE results are high. Another benefit to having good GCSE grades from good ethics and values from your school is will show that the school is hardworking and recruiting may become easier.
When good ethics and values are shown through high PE GCSE results this can cause attention to sponsor’s. For example Barnwell School in Stevenage Herts was sponsored by Sports England in 1997. This was for there wide range of extra curricular and sports activities. This is a good ethic and value because the school offered all sports to every one; this showed that the school were firm believers in equality which is a respectable value to have. This also showed Sports England that sport was taught properly at Barnwell and that the right equipment was used. Therefore they were sponsored by Sport England and have received free equipment and better facilities such as there gym, which is also available to the public. This makes teaching easier and students feel safer because they are using the right equipment. The school is consistently very popular and heavily oversubscribed. Student numbers have grown rapidly over recent years and for the past four years the school has agreed with the local authority to take over its admission number which is already a 150 in to Year 7. Being sponsored by Sport England is not the main reason for being allowed to admission more students but it does play a factor. Parents want to send there children to schools that are recognised by respectable companies such as Sport England. By promoting good ethics and values it will increase your schools chances of sponsorship, which will then possibly increase the number of students you are able to accept.
By your school promoting Ethics and Values to children it will teach them to be better sportsmen and women and avoid gamesmanship. It will also develop them as better person. If children are not aware about the rules of sports and consequences of their actions, they will never be able to play fair and playing fair is the main aspect of sport. Sport should be enjoyable and children should be taught that it isn’t always the physical they need to know. They need to be aware of the rules and abide by them for every one to enjoy the game or sport. If every school done this, then GCSE grades would increase, teaching environments would become easier and students would find lessons more knowledgeable and enjoyable. This would be because students will be fully aware of what is expected of them by having good ethics and values. Discrimination against students in schools will become scarcer, because equality would have been drummed in to the students. Ethics and values effects the way sport is taught but it also makes the students better people and in some cases more mature.
Yours Faithfully
Miss K Mills
