I taught elementary for 22 years and I am currently in the third year at middle school. My opinion is that heart rate monitors are not necessary for the elementary population. They are more willing to move without external motivators and the expense is too great. I currently use pedometers with my middle schoolers and the high school introduces the heart rate monitors. Occasionally you may run into an elementary student that needs something to help them exercise but mostly I don't think you need to go to the expense.

I have a heart rate monitor and a pedometer that I use all the time. Obviously the price range is very different. Pedometers are inexpensive and easy to use. Sometimes you may have trouble with one, but overall they are a good tool to measure students activity.
Heart rate monitors may involve some hygiene issues as well. The sweat students produce may cause for some cleanup issues. Good luck

http://assets.bravenet.com/common/images/forum/icons/set11.gifI feel that pedometers are the way to go in elementary P.E. It is fast, easy and a fun way to integrate P.E. into the classroom. Students when they come to school put on their pedometer and when they leave school they take them off and log their steps. The classroom teacher can integrate the steps into math,science and even writing lessons.

Heart monitors are so difficult to train the students on how to put them on and take them off. They are use up so much valuable time. I just stick to teaching them how to monitor their heart rate by using the old fashion pulse check.

Good luck,

Hi Mike,
I have been trying to decide which direction to go as well. Financially, I think I'm going to go with the pedometer. The heart rate monitors do offer more functions than the pedometer, but the cost is a lot more too. I think the common idea behind both is that they allow student to monitor the exercise and set healthy goals. With my current budget, I going to order a set of pedometer and than next year work on gradually ordering a few heart rate monitors. Eventually, I would like to have a class set of pedometer and heart rate monitors.

Greg-

Greg,
I agree with you and Mike. I purchased twelve pedometers and one heart rate monitor through a grant about nine years ago. I had a schedule where we rotated the heart rate monitor each week and the pedometers to half of the class each week. The heart rate monitor was not a hit. The kids didn 't understand it very well or enjoy putting on the chest strap. Even with the strapless monitors, I am not sure I would invest money there. Go with the pedometers first. Get the kids to understand them and most importantly, take care of them properly before investing in the higher priced heart rate monitors. Good luck.
Joy