what is girls gym class like in high school

[Jeannie in NJ]

we are considering having dd go to public high school next year. One of her concerns is gym class. The only physical activity that she enjoys is karate. It is has SO long ago since I was in school that I barely remember gym class, expept for being chosen dead last for volleyball lol. Anyway, what kind of activities do they do now?

Also, dd is VERY modest, she would hate to have to change in front of the other girls. Is there privacy? Also what about the showers, how are they?
When I was in school, we had to show the gym teacher our damp towel to prove that we had showered.

[BritAnnia]

My dd took dance for her p.e. credit in high school and enjoyed it so much she joined two afterschool dance groups. Dance class was a much better choice for her than the traditional sports oriented p.e. lesson.
Does your dd's school offer that choice?

[purplecow7]

High School for me was a lifetime ago. LOL. I would email the P.E. teacher and ask the questions. About how P.E. works and you should be able to get a tour of the school as a "new" student so you would be able to see the locker rooms and then discuss the best way to handle the changing.

Way back when we did not have to shower - actually no one did and we had changing stalls. However, you did get teased if you changed in the stalls.

[She]

I would definately contact the P.E. teacher. You never know, some shower rooms have not privacy at all. Our middle school has showers in a circle with dividers between them, but no doors. Our high school on the other hand had one big "room" with shower heads attatched all around the walls. No privacy whatsoever.

My hopes is that the building your daughter will be using has separate shower stalls with doors. I would definately check though. If there is no privacy I would ask how they intend to deal with this. It would definately be a religious consideration if it was us.

I really didn't want to scare you, but think you should contact the school.

[WendyK]

I don't know that they separate girls and boys anymore. I don't think they are supposed to. I remember in high school they did offer more than one sport, but there was no separation.

In terms of showering, we didn't have time to shower. We did have to change, and I was very modest. I didn't have a huge problem though. Just do it quickly ya know? It isn't like the girls get completely naked and then jump into the shower together.

[mommaduck]

Guess it depends on where you are sending her. When I was in highschool (1990's), we had to wear nasty uniforms (we could switch out the coochie cutters with sweats or put biker shorts underneath...unfortunately the boys didn't always do so and some of saw some things for the first time we didn't want to see). We had to learn how to square dance, round dance, and line dance. We spent a few weeks on each kind of sport...from volleyball to ping pong to crab soccer (HUGE ball and everyone on their hands and feet, face up). We spent a few weeks dealing with regular excercise; nothing like weight lifting cans of Alpo because they were cheaper for the school and the teachers could take them home to their dogs in a few weeks. We had to fill out surveys on our s3x life (or lack thereof), more surveys on our monthlies and body developement, and even more surveys on how we felt about ourselves...gag! Then we had the "you're okay, I'm okay" sessions where we made and passed around "warm fuzzies" (made of yarn) while we said positive things to everyone around us. The girls also avoided showering and tried to schedule their class as close to the end of the day as possible so we could all just shower at home.

We did live near a town where they had top of the state teams, top of the line exercise equipment, and would have laughed at half the things we were forced to do in our town.

[WendyK]

Guess it depends on where you are sending her. When I was in highschool (1990's), we had to wear nasty uniforms (we could switch out the coochie cutters with sweats or put biker shorts underneath...unfortunately the boys didn't always do so and some of saw some things for the first time we didn't want to see). We had to learn how to square dance, round dance, and line dance. We spent a few weeks on each kind of sport...from volleyball to ping pong to crab soccer (HUGE ball and everyone on their hands and feet, face up). We spent a few weeks dealing with regular excercise; nothing like weight lifting cans of Alpo because they were cheaper for the school and the teachers could take them home to their dogs in a few weeks. We had to fill out surveys on our s3x life (or lack thereof), more surveys on our monthlies and body developement, and even more surveys on how we felt about ourselves...gag! Then we had the "you're okay, I'm okay" sessions where we made and passed around "warm fuzzies" (made of yarn) while we said positive things to everyone around us. The girls also avoided showering and tried to schedule their class as close to the end of the day as possible so we could all just shower at home.

We did live near a town where they had top of the state teams, top of the line exercise equipment, and would have laughed at half the things we were forced to do in our town. That sounds kinda funny (probably was not funny at the time). I'm amazed at how different it seems to have been for everyone. I too went to high school in the 90s and it was nothing like you describe.

[mommaduck]

Yeah, anyone that graduated from that highschool just chuckles or shakes their head at everything we were tormented with there (so don't worry about laughing...our entire school was practically a joke for even being called a school). And I know that that is not everyone's experience. Just stating that it does happen some places.

[Mandamom]

[QUOTE=Jeannie in NJ;476855]we are considering having dd go to public high school next year.>>>

Every school is going to be different so I would suggest that you call the school or even talk to a student currently attending so that you can get up-to-date information.

[PiCO]

we are considering having dd go to public high school next year. One of her concerns is gym class. The only physical activity that she enjoys is karate. It is has SO long ago since I was in school that I barely remember gym class, expept for being chosen dead last for volleyball lol. Anyway, what kind of activities do they do now?

Also, dd is VERY modest, she would hate to have to change in front of the other girls. Is there privacy? Also what about the showers, how are they?
When I was in school, we had to show the gym teacher our damp towel to prove that we had showered.

At dd's school they can pick a PE class like they pick electives. There are choices like weight lifting, yoga, aerobics, ball sports, life fitness. I think it's up to them to take a shower or not. There are side walls on the showers.

(added later)- the PE classes are all co-ed.

[JFS in IL]

Our high school all the pe classes are co-ed. Not the locker rooms, of course ;)
And according to my ds (Jr. this year) NO ONE takes a shower. Of course, girls might be more sanitary, but since the class was always locked out of the lockers until only 4 minutes left in the class no one had TIME to shower!

[Maverick]

My friend is a high school PE teacher. At our school they have separate PE for boys and girls and also separate by how fit the kids are. ie the athletes are in "A" PE, regular kids in "B" and overweight/sedentary kids in "C" PE (or something like that--i'm not sure exactly of the labels...) Anyway, kids are required to change but I think showers are optional. There is just one big shower room and no changing stalls, so no privacy whatsoever. My friend told me that she will be doing aerobics and pilates with her classes, plus some weightlifting, etc. I would definitely call the school and talk to the PE teacher. Getting a student perspective is also a good idea.

[fivetails]

My friend is a high school PE teacher. At our school they have separate PE for boys and girls and also separate by how fit the kids are. ie the athletes are in "A" PE, regular kids in "B" and overweight/sedentary kids in "C" PE (or something like that--i'm not sure exactly of the labels...)

Does that work out comfortably for everyone? I can't help but think that it could easily lead to cruel comments from some kids about others being in the "fat class" or something. :confused:

[Maverick]

I don't know what the talk/feeling among the kids is. I imagine the idea is that when you're in class you are in a peer group that is comfortable. So the chunky girls don't have to change and compete with the thin, althletic girls in class. Also, then the teachers can tailor their lessons to the fitness level of the class. I hadn't thought about the stigma of being in a certain class, though that certainly could be an issue, the way kids compare everything!

[RoughCollie]

In our high school, they do not separate boys and girls for gym. They do not have gym uniforms, but may change into clothes they brought from home. They do not take showers after class. They have gym for half the year and health for the other half, instead of having gym all year long.

Kids wear jeans to gym -- that surprised me. They wear sneakers to school on gym days.

I think the way our school is set up is strange.