Show Students the Value of Fitness Testing

How do you present fitness testing to your students? Are you solely outlining the tests and the steps to complete them? Or are you explaining the value behind fitness testing and why it is important?

It’s important for everyone involved, including students, to understand the “why”.  Fitness testing is a health-related youth fitness assessment that uses evidence-based standards to measure the level of fitness needed for good overall health.  That, partnered with good teaching, leads to students understanding the value behind the testing and having some fun with it too. The intent of fitness testing is to help each student achieve or learn how to achieve a health enhancing level of fitness.

4 Purposes of Fitness Testing:

1. Recognize current fitness-level
2. Set realistic goals based on current level
3. Learn how to become more fit and have fun doing it
4. Reflect on goals and lifelong fitness intentions

There are many reasons to assess fitness testing, but not grade it.  We want students to value their fitness and their own personal results, but never to be graded by their scores. Instead of grading, we should focus on assessing students on demonstrating the value of it.

Why You Shouldn’t Grade Students on Fitness Test Scores:

1. Genetic factors/Heredity
2. Environmental factor
3. Nutritional factors (little acsess to fresh foods)
4. Home factors (is it encouraged?)

6 Essential Phases that Make Fitness Testing Worthwhile:

1. Delivering the goods at the beginning of the class or semester. Students need to understand the relevance and value behind fitness testing.
2. Completing the pre-tests with a fitness partner. Partners should be selected randomly (Team Shake app.)
3. Goal-setting for the final test and the end of the class or semester.
4. Practicing (team, individual, fitness, and FUN). This is what my program is about and majority of class time is spent in this phase.
5. Post-test with a partner
6. Reflection and lifelong fitness intentions

Fitness Testing Assessment Criterion:

8-point scale used in conjuction with fitness testing rubric.