Posted on 03/06/2005 4:21:46 PM PST by lowbridge
How to Avoid High School Gym Class in the USA
Hate going to gym1, but need to pass it to graduate2? Need to find a way around this requirement? If your school is run as 'efficiently' as this Researcher's was then this should be no problem. Of course, it may not be immediately apparent. The first thing that you need to remember is that the gym teacher(s)3 is (are) your enemy. In order to defeat an enemy, you need to study them. Ideally this should begin during your freshman year4.
Before you plan your escape, you should determine why you wish to do so. Different reasons require different possible courses of action. Perhaps you simply hate gym and would rather be in a different class. Or maybe you need some 'free' time during your school day but don't want to cut5 an academic class.
We'll begin with the former. Locate your guidance counsellor (or whoever is responsible for making changes to schedules) and inform them that you would like to take another course. Throw around phrases like 'I want to widen my academic horizons'. Guidance counsellors love this kind of talk. Whatever you do though, do not even hint that you simply want to avoid gym. For some reason, this will work for one student, but not another. Success often depends on which guidance counsellor you speak to. It is also best to have an alternative class in mind when making the request.
Another option is to acquire a sick note. This will be very useful in escaping a particular class, but will not get you out forever. This excuse is mainly for students in the UK. American students should only try this if their school accepts notes from parents, and does not make any follow-up phone calls. Many schools in the USA require these notes to be written by a doctor and delivered by the student to the main office. The secretary will most likely telephone the doctor to confirm the authenticity of the note.
A third option is to volunteer for something. Many schools have community service programmes that you may be able to participate in during gym. If not, you may be able to do odd jobs for the teacher, such as painting or cleaning. This will allow you to attend class during the units that you are good at, and being excused from those that you aren't. Furthermore, your gym teacher will remember you as being helpful and a great athlete at the end of the grading period, ensuring an easy 'A'.
If the previous three techniques failed, or you just wanted some free time, then you need to develop a new plan. This is where studying the gym teacher(s) is really key. Determine if the teacher actually knows that you exist. Does he know your name when he looks at you6? The best way to make sure that the answer is no is to avoid unnecessary contact. Stay out of trouble and only speak to him when spoken to. You will also need to know how it is determined who will pass and who will fail. Most likely you will be required to take the Presidential Fitness Test7 in order to pass. If this is the case, make sure you do so. Don't worry though, it's usually only one or two classes long. What's better, a few chin-ups, sit-ups, and a shuttle run, or repeating the year? Since you couldn't get excused from gym, it's a good idea to go occasionally anyway. Just often enough to look good. If you have gym two to three times a week, go once a week. If you have it four to five times a week, go twice a week. Remember that your goal is to have enough checks next to your name and a score in the fitness test so that it will appear that you attend class regularly8. You will also need to have a predetermined location to go to during gym. Make sure that you can easily get there without raising suspicion.
Please keep in mind that this plan was made based on this Researcher's experiences at an American High School. Success varies greatly, and many students are eventually caught. If you choose to undertake this endeavour, feel free to alter this plan where necessary.
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1 Gym may be called Phys Ed in some parts of the USA. It may also be called PE in the UK.
2 Many schools in the USA require students to pass gym to graduate. Schools in the UK do not.
3 They may also be a called a coach or instructor.
4 In the USA this means the ninth grade.
5 The act of simply not going to an assigned class without a valid pass. In the UK, this is more commonly referred to as 'skiving' or 'playing truant'.
6 Gym classes in the USA are often much larger than the academic classes. A Gym class may consist of half the students in two different grades. An academic class will rarely be larger than 20 students.
7 A test started by President Kennedy to judge the fitness of students through chin-ups, sit-ups, a shuttle run, and a mile run.
8 Otherwise you may be considered truant, which is illegal in most areas.
Why is Gym required?
If one can take a GED and get a certificate, yet only needs to take a written test; why is Gym required?
Unless, the school requires Gym class, to grow a football/basketball team, in order to gain financial income.
I dont know. I think maybe it stems from the Kennedy administration.
Was my favorite class...Dodge Ball!!
Because there is a teachers union and gym teachers are a part of it. BTW, around here it's not uncommon for them to be making $60,000-plus for 190 days of work and that's not including benefits.
I HATED gym class.
That was YOU? hahaha
Me, TOO! I knew gym class was NO WAY going to be a FACTOR in my adult years! and it hasn't been.
I got all the excercise I wanted or needed back in the 1950's dancing. (I was a teen in those years.)
These years were prior to the Kennedy Administration, but JFK's reign just pushed phys ed to the forefront.
Only way to get some kids up off of their tushes.
Gym's not so bad...
No lie, my gym teacher in eighth grade taught us a stick routine to the 70's tune "When Will I See You Again". This had NOTHING to do with cardio fitness. I wonder how much she made.
I hated gym because I was the fat kid.
And I didn't even know how to play anything, so if it was just a matter of playing basketball for 45 minutes, I looked and felt a total ass because I didn't know how. I think half the fun of having me do it was as amusement for the gym "teachers".
Gym was evil.
If someone had tried that at Abu Garib, Rummy would be in a dock at the Hauge!!
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