Parents Spin-off....How do your gymmies do in Gym class?

[cadybearsmommy]

This is a spin off of the "normal childhood thread" where some parents mentioned their kids gymnastics being blamed for them excelling at fitness tests.

So do your gymmies blow the teacher and everyone else away in gym class with their strength and flexibility? Does your school do a unit on gymnastics and if so, is everyone amazed at what they can do? Share your gym class stories!

It is a running joke between dh and I about how we can't wait for Cady to start school and ace that presidential fitness test! Dh and I both always bombed it when we were kids, lol!

 

[Gymdad2]

dd was already on pre-tream when she started 1st grade and so she was excused from phys. ed. She will graduate next week and has never been to phys. ed. It worked out well for her because it gave her an extra study hall.

 

[Quadqueen]

dd was already on pre-tream when she started 1st grade and so she was excused from phys. ed. She will graduate next week and has never been to phys. ed. It worked out well for her because it gave her an extra study hall.

huh?! Excused from phys ed for participating in a sport?? I have never heard of this. Wouldn't that excuse 75% of the students?!!

DD is in 2nd grade and they do a unit on gymnastics, but they do not allow her to do any real skills, since the gym teacher can't really confirm her abilities (he hasn't called me or anything...)

 

[MaryA]

Kathy does O.K. in gym class, though not when it comes to anything related to throwing, catching, hitting, or kicking a ball... I suspect she's not alone in this. I've heard that the stereotype is that gymnasts are clutzes, and I think Kathy definitely fits into that category.

On a semi-related note, "field day" is coming up next week. Every class decorates their own t-shirts for the big day. In Kathy's class (teacher: Mr. Miller) the girls' shirts say "Miller's Muffins" and the boys shirts say "Miller's Muscles." That got my feminist haunches up a bit, but I tried to take it in the spirit of fun as it was intended. But at least I got to make a point to Kathy that I would put her muscles up against any of the 4th grade BOYS in her class. Muffin indeed. Don't mess with my Muffin. I want to decorate my own shirt that says "MY MILLER'S MUFFIN HAS BIGGER MUSCLES THAN YOUR MILLER'S MUSCLE!"

 

[lilgymmie7]

huh?! Excused from phys ed for participating in a sport?? I have never heard of this. Wouldn't that excuse 75% of the students?!!

DD is in 2nd grade and they do a unit on gymnastics, but they do not allow her to do any real skills, since the gym teacher can't really confirm her abilities (he hasn't called me or anything...)

At DD's gym (and old) the levels 9-10 are excused from gym, but I never heard it done for the lower levels. I definitely never heard it excused as a pre-teamer. Education is different though in most states.

As for DD, I love it when DS's wrestling teammates try to go up against her. She would make a tough wrestling 'chick'!

At school, I know they know she does gym, but I haven't heard her beat a record or anything. They have just asked how she manages the hours and school work, etc.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

Funny you mention this DD came home from school with an award the other day with 3 blue 1st Place ribbons stapled to it. I asked her about it and she said it was for fitness testing. She was proud she was the only kid with 3 blue ribbons- 2 other boys in her class each got one ribbon and she was the only girl to get ribbons. Out of the whole first grade- boys and girls-- she had the longest standing broad jump in 1st grade, did the most sit-ups, and ran the fastest in the physical fitness testing. I think this was 100% due to gymnastics.

Now, that said, she doesn't receive "outstanding grades" in gym class. They get letter grades- E (exceeds expectations) S (satisfactory) and N (needs improvement) and she consistantly gets an "S" in gym which always makes me laugh-- fine by me

Her gym class did a "gymnastics" unit a few months back. It consisted of forward rolls, log rolls, and stretching. She said it was "boring"-- I don't think the school's insurance can cover the sort of gymnastics DD wishes they were taught- lol

In fact- she's pretty average when it comes to most sports- can't hit a baseball to save her life, not an aggressive goal scorer in soccer, etc. But, she is strong and fast and very determined in gymnastics and that's the way she likes it.

 

[sportzmomov3]

DD and all her teammates, past & present have all surpassed their classmates hands down on the fitness tests.

Love the stories I hear from them about how the biggest, baddest boy always thinks he's all that. Looks at gymnast and laughs...only until he gets his pants beaten off him by said gymnast. LOVE IT! Girl Power!

Up until a certain age, seems many girl gymnasts beat their age equivalent boy gymnasts too - DD outpressed all the boys (even some who were way older) at her old gym. Then again, this is the girl who set the record at her gym with 21 presses (she corrected me when I posted another time bragging about her 17 presses - "mom, it was actually 21.") Don't mess with her.

 

[MdGymMom01]

Funny this thread should come up!!! My dd does great with the gymnastics. pilates and strength and conditioning units, but anything related to throwing catching or hand-eye coordination she struggles with. I had to recently talk to her PE teacher about a grade that she received (she is in 6th grade) in Ultimate Frisbee participation. The teacher gave her a 5% for participation and 65% for skills assessment that brought her over all PE grade down to an E. I was NOT happy. She said that she gave her the grade because she said she wasn't trying and she was standing around too much and "jumping around" too much. That's the gymnast in her I guess-can't keep still!!! Anyway she knew all the rules of the game (got a 100% on the written quiz). When I asked her about the grade my dd said that there were a few kids on her team that would constantly hog the frisbee and not give the others a chance.

She did ok in lacrosse and volleyball and I am grateful that she at least has these opportunities to play these sports even if it is just in gym. I told her that I may be able to get her out of gym class next year because of the gymnastics and ballet hours but she said that she doesn't want to skip gym. She says she loves it and loves being with her friends during this time. She said she doesn't care if she isn't that good at all the PE sports but has a lot of fun trying them.

 

[mayestra12]

I teach high school and yes kids who play sports (even band kids) get excused from gym class during the sports season for a max of two seasons. So, a three sport athlete can opt out of gym for two of their seasons. I'm sure this is not done everywhere but the kids appreciate the extra study time.

DD is only in first grade and hasn't had any fitness testing that I know of but she's known for her flexibility as she will drop into a full split at any given moment. She's already noticed how strong she is compared to her friends.

 

[maryRS]

Our school has a unit on gymnastics in gym, but they are really not allowed to do anything, so there's been no blowing away anyone. PHysical fitness test, my daughter usually is in the top, but we have some JO swimmers in our school and they do pretty well too! She did tell me the other day that she arm wrestled everyone in the class including the teacher and she beat everyone, except she tied one girl who swims.

But on that note, she gets frustrated becasue the boys tell her gymnastics is not a real sport!

This is a spin off of the "normal childhood thread" where some parents mentioned their kids gymnastics being blamed for them excelling at fitness tests.

So do your gymmies blow the teacher and everyone else away in gym class with their strength and flexibility? Does your school do a unit on gymnastics and if so, is everyone amazed at what they can do? Share your gym class stories!

It is a running joke between dh and I about how we can't wait for Cady to start school and ace that presidential fitness test! Dh and I both always bombed it when we were kids, lol!

 

[Dezi]

I love this thread! When my dd was in 1st grade she came home from school one day and said "my gym teacher had us do push up today and had girl style push ups" then she said "I told her I have never heard of such things I'm just doing push ups!" Her gym teacher pulled me aside one day and asked what dd was doing she was destroying everyone in the sit up, push up and pull up departments! My dd is very thin and not coordinated in ball sports, so she was very confused over her conditioning strength. I think she was worried we were running a boot camp at our house

 

[clrmom]

My dd received a "student of the month" award from the PE department this year. She also received the sit-up award during their fitness testing. She also likes to point out that she is the only one that can do "real" push-ups in her PE class. The PE instructors are always surprised since she is also one of the smallest in the class.

 

[GymGirl's Mom]

OK, I love reading that other gymmie's about gym class push-ups. I asked DD how she did in push ups during the testing and she said, "I only did 10- I didn't feel like doing them her way she teaches them wrong." LOL

 

[emorymom]

We homeschool but have surveyed some sports through the rec center -- and in the backyard. DD is not talented at the things she doesn't work at regularly so I'd say overall she would not be a PE standout. She has developed a lot of physical talents though.

DS is more natively talented and would do quite well.

 

[Gymnasticgrandkids]

At the annual county fitness fair my DGD was always the one who "blew every other school away" in the pull-up, sit and reach, and push up categories. The school looked for her to bring home metals for their school and she did. lol...other parents would look over and say: "you can always spot a gymnast"...ha ha ha

 

[bogwoppit]

My girls have always done great on fitness testing, oldest also generally does quite well. Youngest SUCKS at team sports and has no interest in participating and does not do well on those things.

Our science/math teacher says he always knows the gymnasts as they work hard and get good grades with that hard work.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

Our school has a unit on gymnastics in gym, but they are really not allowed to do anything, so there's been no blowing away anyone. PHysical fitness test, my daughter usually is in the top, but we have some JO swimmers in our school and they do pretty well too! She did tell me the other day that she arm wrestled everyone in the class including the teacher and she beat everyone, except she tied one girl who swims.

But on that note, she gets frustrated becasue the boys tell her gymnastics is not a real sport!

Well, they can say that they want, but I am sure they will feel quite foolish when she is outdoing them in chin ups and push ups! LOL

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

My DD always blew away the boys in the Presidential Tests as well. She is now in 10th grade... just got interims (ALL high school students get them here). Her PE grade (last year of PE too) right now is a B- because she "doesn't put forth full effort in class." I'm thinking High school PE is more of a "social outlet" than anything else. In middle school tho, she was all A+s!!!

 

[vagymmomma]

DD always gets As in PE -- she's pretty good at just about any sport (even though she's the 2nd smallest in the grade). All of her friends on the team are Presidential Fitness Medal winners -- the pull-ups and arm hang seem to hold back most other kids.

I wish her school would allow an extra period of study hall in lieu of PE though -- it's so hard some practice nights to get all the homework done. I find the school work is harder to balance with the sport as she gets older.

 

[MaryA]

I teach high school and yes kids who play sports (even band kids) get excused from gym class during the sports season for a max of two seasons.

Man... as a former band kid, I would have LOVED to have gotten out of gym! Of course, what band geek wouldn't?