Olympic education as a means of forming the moral culture of schoolchildren

Currently children and adolescents have worse physical and moral health. The younger generation shows more nihilism, individualism and pragmatism, and a complete absence of altruism. In the future, this could lead to a complete collapse of the value potential of the nation, as a person without a moral culture is not able to cultivate the true ideals and values in the younger generation. It is known that physical culture and sports not only are a means of developing physical qualities, but also contribute to the formation of the spiritual culture of people. One of the most effective means to solve educational problems in the sports activity is the philosophy of Olympism, the ideals and values of the Olympic Movement, as reflected in the Code of Sports Ethics and Principles of Fair Play. Olympism is such a philosophical trend which is based on universal and sporting ideals and values. The study found that Olympic education which aims to promote the ideals and values of Olympism to children and young people occupies an increasingly important place in the education system and training of the younger generation. Creating a system of Olympic education of schoolchildren means to include in this work not only experts in the field of physical culture and sports, but also teachers of other disciplines. Besides this, it means a significant increase in creative activity for children and youth in promoting and realizing the ideals and values of Olympism. One of the main means of shaping the moral culture of schoolchildren on the basis of the ideas and values of Olympism are Olympic lessons. They include theoretical and practical parts devoted to the creation of pedagogical situations for schoolchildren to get experience of moral behavior in educational and sports activities. At the Olympic lessons during the discussion of the history and of the first modern Olympic Games, schoolchildren are told about the Olympic symbols and trappings (the torch lighting ceremony, the Olympic flag with its five rings and meanings of these symbols in the Olympic movement). Materials and records help schoolchildren to learn the first Russian Olympic champions and prize-winners, outstanding athletes of our time. Results of the study suggest the effectiveness of the use of the Olympic lessons for the formation of moral culture of schoolchildren in the sports activities. Olympic lessons can be used in the classroom for physical education in educational institutions, at training sessions in sports schools, in institutions of further education, in children's educational and health camps.

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