The current study discusses games within physical education programs as an important tool to promote life skills development (E.g. Communication, cooperation). Through a literature review, a review of historical events and life experiences, an ethnography was done in order to provide a better understanding of the major advantages and difficulties while conducting such approach. The research analyzed its content based on the concept that games offer a common language that allows the communication among different people regardless their origin, culture, race or history (Freire, 2005). The ping pong tournament that allowed Americans into the Chinese territory in 1971 which was subsequently known as “the ping pong democracy” is a good example to illustrate this point of view. Sport history is also discussed to provide a context to better understand the potential negative impact of games when competiveness is taken to the extreme. This seems contradictory to Physical Education as an Educational discipline whereby it plays a role to encourage students to think about their own attitudes while engaged in physical activities. For example, the development of life skills through games can be viewed through such an educational lens. Life skills can be viewed along a continuum from an introspective perspective that focuses on self esteem to the promotion of communication and democracy among peers. This presentation discusses the constraints placed upon games and the tension that often exists from an educational perspective of the role that they play within Physical Education to foster the healthy development of groups and individuals.

1. Within the game
Ma. Mauro André
Dr. James Mandigo

2. What is the essence of the
game?

3. What is the essence of the
game?
Is it a natural instinct?
The „second gestation‟ would be accomplished
within social relationships and playing activities
that provides the development of rituals, habits,
education and culture
(Geertz,1989)
In the ancient era, Greeks and Romains would
attribute the game with religion and artistic
values, considering it as sacred as a ritual
(Brougère, 1998)

4. What is the essence of the
game?
Piaget (1986) studied how chimps
would play different kind of „make
believe‟ games
Huizinga (1964) would also suggest that
animals do play while observing
puppies
So how can we explain the
purpose of the game for animals?

5. What is the essence of the
game?
If animals as irrational creatures are
able to play, they must be more than
mechanical living things
If men play and they know that they are
playing, they must be more than
rational beings, once play is irrational
(Huizinga, 1964)

6. What is the essence of the
game?
The game can be a natural instinct, a
cultural construction or even a spiritual
element, and most likely it can be an
integration of all three elements.
Most importantly, physical educators
should have a broader understanding
of what can the game do.

7. WHAT CAN THE GAME DO?
Ping pong diplomacy –
1971
“A small ping pong ball,
like a small butterfly,
eventually helped to alter
the pattern of history”
Hong & Sun, 2000: 430
More recently…
South Korea and North
Korea agreed to compete
as a unique team in the:
Asian Games in Doha
(2006) and in the Beijing
Olympics (2008)
(Merkel, 2008)

8. WHAT CAN THE GAME DO?
“Sport has the power
to change the world,
the power to inspire,
the power to unite
people in a way that
little else can. It
speaks to people in
a language they
understand”
(Final report IYSPE,
2005: 90)

9. What can the game do?
In 1973, the Humanistic Physical
Education approach was first
presented relating physical activity to
the development of self-esteem, self-
actualization, self-understanding,
interpersonal relations
The model intended to shift the
dominant idea of „education of the
physical‟ to the „education through the
physical‟

10. What can the game do?
1980‟s - Teaching Games for
Understanding (TGfU) was presented
with a student-centered paradigm
Besides developing students‟ motor skills,
TGfU was also proposed to improve
relationships and metacognitive skills
(Mandigo and Corlett, 2008)
TGfU was proposed as an effective form to
introduce value orientations such as
democracy and inclusion (Butler, 2006)

11. What can the game do?
Sport Education model presented by Daryl
Siedentop had a more holistic learning of
sport
Tasks would include: refereeing, keeping score,
compiling statistics, publicizing team
performance, coaching, managing, and of
course, performing.
The idea is that students would be engaged to
a single team for at least a whole season
(single sport).
◦ Obtaining broader learning (multiple roles)
◦ Affiliate to a group (working together towards a
common goal)

12. What can the game do?
“Sport for Peace” (S4P) promoting the in
the learning process and positive
interactions.
Life skills such as trust, respect, sharing
responsibility and even sense of family
(Ennis et al., 1999)
Football for Peace (F4P).
soccer to promote the approximation of
Jewish and Arab children in the region of
Galilee, Israel.
(Sugden,2006)

13. But, what else can the game
do?
In 2007, Iraq was the
unexpected
champion of the
Asian soccer cup
providing a rare
moment of national
joy
The excitement was
even able to unite
religion rivals to
celebrate the
national team
accomplishment

14. But, what else can the game
do?
On March 14th 2009 in the The incident may be
city of Hilla (100km from interpreted as an isolated
Bagdad) case of violence that
represents the many
years of war in which this
A professional soccer
country has lived.
player was shot by a fan
when he was found in a
scoring situation that Negative outcomes can
would tie the match in the also be originated from
closing moments. playing games of diverse
levels and from many
different places.

15. But, what else can the game
do?
(Lewis, 1996) (Kerr, 2005)

16. But, what else can the game
do?
It has become the Physical Nevertheless... PE has
Educator duty to been majorly used as a
promote discussions of form to reinforce the
the sports, games and values on how sports
physical activities values became popular in our
and attitudes in order to society.
develop a reflexive
viewer that is able to
have a critic perspective Sports have been used in
education within an
(Betti, 2004) ideological conquest of
capitalism, i.e. it
promoted
competitiveness,
aggressive behaviour
and individualism
(Gems, 1999)

17. But, what else can the game
do?
The declining According to Clarke
participation on (2006) boys
physical activity successful
among youth in US participation in team
society may have games provide a
part of its origin due valued and
to gender, race and reinforcement in their
social class peer groups,
differences, which whereas girls are not
have not been as celebrated by
properly considerate accomplishing the
in the physical same achievement.
education
curriculum.

18. “I love this game”
However, does love Games may
only promote provide...
goodness?
trust, teamwork and
Have you ever heard caring
about passionate
crime? rate, segregation and
individualism
Games are not inherent good

19. So, who will your students
be?
?

20. So, who will your students
be?
The country would be filled with both
sadness followed by pride and
happiness followed by
embarrassment.
Terry Fox and Ben Johnson
◦ same sport
◦ same place (country)
◦ same time period
Regardless of cultural differences
fantastic and awful outcomes may
have its origin in games and sports.

21. So, who will your students
be?
PE and many other physical activities runs in
every social-economical standard. As
physical educators our goal must go beyond
the game.
There are two other hidden stories that we do
not know much about:
◦ Bob McGill (Terry‟s PE teacher)
◦ Charlie Francis (Ben‟s Coach).
How were their influences over these two
personalities?
Which path would you rather promote?

22. Thank you for your attention
My e-mail: mauro_ha@yahoo.com
Ma. Mauro Andre