PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES IN GENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

Theoretical analysis of the given issue indicates an increasing interest among researchers in preserving and improving the health of school-age children. Numerous studies have repeatedly demonstrated that the effectiveness of forming a healthy lifestyle requires the active involvement of students in a health-preserving educational process and the development of an active attitude toward strengthening and maintaining their own health. Healthpreserving competence is one of the key competencies for schoolchildren, starting from primary school. The use of modern child wellness technologies becomes effective under certain conditions, the main ones being the mastery of such technologies by physical education teachers themselves and the creation of a health-preserving environment in physical education classes with a variety of equipment, conducted based on a child-centered approach. There are numerous definitions of health-preserving technologies, but they are all united by the main idea – creating a safe learning environment for youth in schools. The foundation for the application of health-preserving technologies is wellness systems and programs. In the course of the study, a theoretical analysis was conducted on the problem of applying physical education and wellness programs in the educational environment of schoolchildren and their impact on health indicators. The study involved girls aged 14-15. As a result of the research, a significant positive impact of activities incorporating wellness systems on health indicators was identified. Positive changes were observed across all parameters characterizing the activity of the cardiorespiratory system and physical fitness. The most significant positive changes were noted in the Skibinski index (113.33%), Stange test (45.72%), Genchi test (49.96%), and vital lung capacity (34.38%). Regarding physical fitness indicators, the greatest improvements were recorded in agility (91.64%), abdominal muscle strength (28.10%), and arm muscle strength (16.35%).