Physical Education for Medieval Disciplines

Early Christian disciplines

Moral discipline

Social discipline

Intellectual discipline

Physical Education in Humanistic Education (Renaissance period)

PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR INTELLECTUAL DISCIPLINE

•  Aims of P.E. : Scholasticism was devoted to define and limited intellectual objectives. Because of the preoccupation with theological scholasticism, and because many ascetic attitudes toward the body still persisted, the need of p.e. went unheeded.

•  Promotion of P.E. : About the 11 Th. century the monasteries began to decline in educational importance. Cathedral and parish schools operated by the secular clergy gradually became the dominant educational institutions. However, none of these institutions gave formal attention to p.e.

•  Program of P. E. : P.E. was not part of the university curriculum nor did the university authorities encourage participation in sports and games outside of school. However, there are enough references to university students participating in sports.

•  Methods of P.E. : Scholasticism was an intellectual and religious training. Logical analysis, reasoning, debate, lectures were employed in schools and p.e. was never a part of curriculum.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL DISCIPLINE

•  Aims of P. E. : Physical education was the core of the chivalric curriculum, in which youths were to acquire military prowess, social graces, and sports skills. however, unlike the Greek, the medieval noble was not concerned with developing a beautifully proportioned, graceful body. Military obligations, and fight for the cause of the Church.

•  Promotion of P.E. : Education was provided by the home, the castle, and the Church. The majority of noble youths aspired to become knights, and they received their education in the castle or palace school. Girls were also sent to the castle for their training, which emphasized the courtly graces. The formal education of the youth was in two stages: page-henchmen (7-14) and squire (14-21). 7 years service eligible for being knight. Conferring knighthood was a religious ceremony that took place on some great military occasion or Church holiday e.g.. : Easter, Christmas.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN HUMANISTIC EDUCATION(THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD)

•  Aims of P.E. : The central interest of philosophy became humankind rather than God, and this new perspective was designated humanism.

•  Promotion of P.E. : the Renaissance educators no longer followed the tenets of authoritarianism and scholasticism promoted in medieval times. Instead, they developed new programs of liberal, humanistic education that included a prominent place for physical training as well as education in personal manners and moral standards.

•  Programs of P.E. : The Athenian ideal of the harmonious development of the mind and the body was rekindled. increased attention was given to health education and particularly to the importance of physical exercise. Fencing, archery, sport tournaments, war-like activities were popular as were ballets, dancing, bowling, and tennis. ‘‘ Whole man'' was accepted as a guiding principle.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR THE EARLY CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINES

•  Aims of P.E. : Effects of religion-Body obstructed the cultivation of the soul-Most churchmen opposed p.e and Church suppressed many sports and games and failed to include p.e. in the school curriculum. The body was mortal and little consequence to a man looking for eternal salvation-save your soul-

•  Promotion of P.E. : Early Christian education was very informal, but when the Church became established, catechumental schools were founded to provide instruction for converts who desired to become members. Parents who wanted their children to receive some general education had to send them to the pagan schools (closed in 529 A.D. Emperor Justinian). When the Church had perfected its organization, new Christian schools were established and practically the sole centers of learning in Western Europe. The Church schools were not agencies of p.e., but it fostered religious dancing.

•  Girls and women were encouraged to participated in certain aspects of p.e. such as horseback riding dance but they were not encourage to engage in sporting games just to be spectators.

•  Methods of P.E. : Textbook methods of education was a new approach in teaching p.e.

•  Program of P. E. : Considerable time was devoted to the development of skills essential for performance in battle. holding a tournament was naturally the favorite peacetime amusement of the people.

•  Methods of P.E. : Observation or direct participation are two ways for noble to acquire the skills.

Program of P.E. :The informal education of early Christian youth was moral, religious and emotional. In the formative period of the Church, the catechetical schools of the East offered theological and secular studies integrated the Roman and Greek culture. When the Western Church powers soon became critical and tended to inspire heretical views. When the Western Church established the monastery and cathedral schools, education became confined largely to Church doctrine, theological studies, rituals; pagan literature, art, science, philosophy, and p.e. were neglected. Some early Church fathers e.g.. Clement did advocate p.e. in the schools recommended wrestling, ball-playing, and walking. No changes occurred suddenly, 5th century Bishop Sidonius reported he enjoyed running, swimming, and hunting as a boy. The church authorities were not necessarily opposed to health and cleanliness, but they felt that nude and mixed bathing were partly responsible for the immoral practices that were undermining Roman society. In 394 A.D. Theodosius, an early Christian emperor abolished the Olympics, and the last gladiatorial exhibition was held in Rome in 404 A.D. Dancing was a means of religious expression for the early Christians. Later, the religious dances were also degenerated.

• 

Methods of P.E. : The teaching standards of the early Middle Ages fell short of those established by Jesus. As educational content became systemized, the question and memorized answer method of education was adopted.

Physical Education For Moral Discipline

•  Aims of P.E. : Monasticism was an educational ideal designed to nourish the spiritual rather than the physical being. Men were to develop the beauty of their souls not their bodies. The Dark ages were a sterile period in p.e. The monks censured all physical and aesthetic activities pursued by worldly pleasures. However, physical fitness was never part of the aims of monastic education, the doctrine of labor helped to keep the monks busy. St Benedict proclaimed ‘‘ Idleness is the enemy of the soul, therefore the monks should always be occupied, either in manual labor or in holy reading.

Physical Education For Moral Discipline

•  Promotion of P. E. : The monasteries and convents were practically the only schools in existence from the 6 to 1 centuries, with the exception of the less important cathedral schools, a few secular guild schools in Italy, and the palace schools of Charlemagne and Alfred the Great.

Program of P.E. : The curriculum was not really liberal, for practically all subject matter was directed toward theology. Physical education activities was not part of this monastic curriculum. The early monasteries failed not only to provide any formal physical education content in their school program but also attempted to suppress the spontaneous play of youth.

Methods of P.E. : The main methods of teaching were memorization, imitation, and question to answer.

PES 415 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS