Their support is a key element to promote sport at school
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How to Support Students to Balance Sport and Study at School
School Directors
2. Open a sports studies section for the students who have achieved an elite status
It is a good compromise with parents, who often fear their children will stop their studies to focus on a career in sport and it is a guarantee that students can choose another curriculum if the sport career is compromised.
By integrating considerable time dedicated to the practice of sport in a school, this type of section offers students the possibility to enhance their physical talents and to make links between their activity and common core lessons that may appear under a new light.
The main goal is to keep in “friendly relationships with the school” and in sufficient conditions for success, young people to whom ordinary curricula do not offer enough possibilities of movement and physical activity.
It is necessary that sport activities have a specific “educational perspective” that will make it possible to focus more on educational objectives than on the exclusive search for physical and technical performances. Sport activities and studies should thus create a balanced combination that is approved and appreciated by the student, by the school and by the sport club alike.
Whatever the sport chosen as the main activity of the section, the learning contents proposed to the students will need to be focused on two main topics. On the one hand, the student should develop an in-depth knowledge of the internal logics, physical preparation techniques and work that are specific to this sport. On the other hand, the student needs to receive the theoretical references and knowledge necessary to become increasingly autonomous in their physical activity. These two sides of the training should be constantly interrelated. Students need to perceive the direct links between their sport practice and theoretical or scientific inputs addressed in the option.
The following should be included in the lessons: health education, security education, expression education, sport education. This is often possible by integrating the subjects into other teaching subjects. However, this means a close cooperation between teachers. Furthermore, some individual training should be recognised as part of the vocational training, since the coaching received in the sport clubs is normally tailor-made and thus helps students develop better than in big classes.
Learning Objective
The learning objective of step 2 is to introduce options for schools in order to organise studies and special sport paths for the athletes of the top level. It helps develop individual learning paths and create choices for mass and traditional study programs.
Online Resources
- “Sport élite” section at Collège Sainte-VéroniqueCollège Sainte-Véronique in Liège, Belgium, offers students the possibility to combine a curriculum in their chosen option (Latin, mathematics, sciences, economics…) and the intensive practice of their sport thanks to an adapted timetable to follow all the courses.
- “Sports-studies” section at Athénée Royal Liège Atlas (web site in French)This secondary school in Liège, Belgium, offers three sports-studies sections: basketball, football and physical education. While respecting educational criteria, these sections propose eight hours per week of sport (besides the regular two hours of physical education).
- “Individual sport learning path” in Omnia (only in Finnish)How a young athlete can choose a special learning pathway in vocational education and training.
- Athletes' training and vocational qualificationIndividual sport learning paths and related information in Salpaus vocational college, Lahti, Finland
- Balancing sports and studies (only in Finnish)Web pages for the support of elite athletes: studies, elite sports, career and finishing the sport career
- Sport.fiWebsite for giving information about the studying possibilities for athletes, presentation of sport schools, etc.
- Programme “Sport-études” curriculum in French-speaking Belgium (web site in French)Detailed curriculum of the “Sport-études” section in Catholic secondary schools of French-speaking Belgium.