Teach the Children Well: A Holistic Approach to Developing Psychosocial and Behavioral Competencies Through Physical Education

Abstract

The goal of a positive youth development perspective is the promotion of healthy physical and psychosocial development in young people. This approach consists of social-contextual features (e.g., teacher behaviors, classroom structure, student activities) that help equip youth with attributes, skills, competencies, and values that will contribute to their role as productive, socially conscious, and healthy citizens. School physical education represents a context that has the potential for promoting positive youth development by helping students acquire life skills and psychosocial and behavioral attributes that can transfer to other important domains (school, family, work) concurrently and over the life span. I contend that such skills and attributes should include both motor skill development and physical activity and health goals.