Recently, I had a parent request a meeting to discuss his daughter’s grade in Grade 9 Physical and Health Education (PHE). What began as a routine academic discussion turned into a moment of powerful reflection about education, perception, and the place of PHE in our schools.

The student had expressed concern about her grade and had asked to revise her work. I had already provided her with detailed feedback after our standardization process, and I assured her I would also speak with her parent to provide clarity.

When the meeting began, I asked the parent if he was hoping to better understand our grading process in general or if he had a specific concern. What he said next caught me off guard:

“Why did my daughter score higher in difficult subjects like Language & Literature and Individuals & Societies than in your subject, Physical Education which requires less thinking than the others?”

In that moment, I realized I wasn’t just addressing a grade, I was confronting a widely held, deep-seated misconception. A perception that has long undervalued the intellectual rigour and complexity of Physical and Health Education. A perception I once held.

The Image We Carry

Like many others, my school experience with PE was limited to ball games, running around, and basic physical activity. The subject was rarely treated as academic; it was seen as a break from “real learning.” And that image has endured in the minds of many, despite decades of progress in curriculum design, assessment strategies, and pedagogical practices.

That such a statement was made within an IB school was both surprising and expected. Surprising because we invest significant time explaining the holistic and interdisciplinary nature of MYP Physical and Health Education to students and families. Expected because these outdated beliefs still have a strong grip even in progressive, international learning environments.

Behind the Grade: A Window into Learning

I calmly shared that I had a positive discussion with his daughter the previous day and that I believed she had the capacity to grow from the feedback and do better in the next assessment.

I then explained what students were required to do in our most recent unit. They had to:

• Create a personal fitness profile, based on lifestyle reflections, test results, and health habits.
• Use those insights to set realistic and measurable fitness goals.
• Design a training program applying the principles of training specificity, overload, progression, and reversibility.
• Justify their choices with relevant data and reflect on how the program aligned with their personal goals.
  
  

It wasn’t just about exercise. It was about self-awareness, research, decision-making, and evaluating effectiveness skills that are essential in any subject.

His daughter submitted good work. She used clear descriptions and well-drawn illustrations of exercises. However, there were gaps: her goals were unrealistic, the training methods lacked balance, rest intervals were missing, and she relied mostly on one type of training, even though a combination would have been more appropriate. I recognized her effort while also giving constructive, objective feedback on how the plan could be improved.

“Your Expectations Are Too High”

The parent listened, then offered his sincere opinion:

“Can I give you my honest feedback? Your expectations are too high. Even a graduate student couldn’t do this.”

I respected the honesty and respectfully disagreed.

I explained that some students had indeed demonstrated high-quality work and achieved their desired grades. While I didn’t show him the actual examples, I shared that those students had met the criteria by thinking critically, planning realistically, and justifying their decisions thoughtfully. These are not unreasonable expectations they are age-appropriate and achievable.

Then, his tone softened.

“My main concern is that my daughter doesn’t grow to dislike PE, as she used to in the past. Compared to previous years, she’s become more active. We go for runs or walks together, and she’s been going to the gym more often too. It helps her stay off screens, and I can see how being active is making a positive difference in her life.”

It was a turning point in the conversation. His concern came from a place of care and he recognized the value of the subject beyond the grade.

Questions Worth Asking

That meeting left me reflecting on open questions we should all be asking:

• What is the difference between physical activity and Physical and Health Education?
• Are our expectations too high or are they simply misunderstood?
• How can we better communicate the depth and demands of PHE to students and parents?
• What more can the IB and school leaders do to elevate the understanding of this subject’s value?
  
  

Final Thoughts

Physical and Health Education is not just about movement, it’s about understanding how we live, how we move, how we think about health, and how we care for our bodies and minds. It teaches students to assess, reflect, plan, and apply learning in real-life contexts.

It is an academic subject. It is rigorous. And when done right, it is transformative.

PHE doesn’t require less thinking, it requires a different kind of thinking. And that difference deserves to be respected, supported and celebrated.

By Elves Tembe

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