2/10/2015

TheRoleandResponsibilitiesofthePhysicalEducationTeacherintheSchoolPhysicalActivityProgram

Tuesday.10February2015

TheRoleandResponsibilitiesofthePhysicalEducationTeacherintheSchool
PhysicalActivityProgram
ThisisanexcerptfromSchoolwidePhysicalActivitybyJudithRink,TinaHall,andLoriWilliams.
TheNASPE(2003)recommendsthatchildrenobtainaminimumof60minutesofphysicalactivityinaday.It
isnotpossibleinmostschoolstoprovidethe60minutesofdailyphysicalactivityforeverystudentthrough
thephysicaleducationprogramalonethishasledtodevelopmentoftheideaofhavingcomprehensive
schoolphysicalactivityprograms.Somestudentsattendphysicaleducationonedayaweekothersattend
twoorthreedaysandafewhavedailyphysicaleducation.Thephysicaleducatoristoprovidemaximum
physicalactivitytimewithintheclassperiod,teachskillsandactivitiesthattransferintophysicalactivity
outsideofphysicaleducationclass,motivatechildrentobephysicallyactive,andtaketheroleofphysical
activitydirectorfortheschool.Ifstudentsaretoreceivetheamountofphysicalactivitytheyneedeachday,
otheropportunitiestobephysicallyactivewithintheschooldaymustbeprovided.Thephysicaleducation
teacherhasuniqueresponsibilitiesintheschoolphysicalactivityprogramtoensurethatstudentsare
physicallyactivewithinthephysicaleducationclass.Thephysicaleducationteacheralsohasthe
responsibilitytohelpdirectandguideopportunitiesforphysicalactivitywithintheschooloutsidethephysical
educationclass.
ProvideMaximumPhysicalActivityTimeWithintheClassPeriod
Physicaleducationclassisjustoneavenueduringaschooldaythatprovidestheopportunityforphysical
activity.Duringtheallottedclasstimeitisrecommendedthatchildrenbemoderatelyorvigorouslyactivefor
atleasthalfoftheclassperiod.Severalfactorscancontributetomakingthishappen:
1. Effectivelyorganizespace,equipment,andstudents.
2. Provideadequateequipmentthatallowsallchildrentobeactiveatthesametime(e.g.,oneballper
child).
3. Limitteachertalkorinstructiontime.
4. Planpracticeopportunitiesthatarestructuredformaximumparticipation(e.g.,individual,partner,and
smallgroupactivitiesnoneliminationactivitiesactivitiesthatrequirenowaittime).
5. Structuretheclasssothatlearningoccurswhilestudentsarebeingphysicallyactive.
Withmaximumandqualityactivitytime,childrenbecomemoreskilled,knowledgeable,andphysicallyfit.
TeachSkillsandActivitiesThatTransferIntoPhysicalActivityOutsideofPhysicalEducationClass
Physicaleducationprogramshavetheresponsibilitytoteachskillsthatstudentswillneedtoparticipatein
physicalactivityoutsideofthephysicaleducationclassandskillstheywillneedforalifetimeofphysical
activity.Skillslearnedinphysicaleducationclasstransfertoskillsusedinachildsplay.Fromthe
kindergartenagechildplayingtag,tothesecondgradechildjumpingrope,totheolderchildplayingagame
ofkickball,theskilledchildismorelikelytoparticipateinphysicalactivity.Ifachildisconfidentinhisorher
skills,thereistypicallynohesitationtoplayhowever,thelowskilledchild,especiallyintheuppergrades,is
lessinclinedtotakepartingroupactivitiesforfearoffailureandpeerridicule.Studentsneedskillstobe
participantsinphysicalactivity.
Goodphysicaleducationprogramstakethetimetoteachchildrenactivitiestheymaydoontheirown.
Examplesofthesearejumpropechants,noneliminationtaggames,hopscotch,FourSquare,tetherball,and
basketballactivitiessuchasHorseandAroundtheWorld.Includingtheseactivitiesbrieflyinaphysical
educationclassandthenencouragingchildrentoplaythemontheirownislikelytopromotemorephysical
activityontheplaygroundandintheirneighborhoods.
MotivateChildrentoBeActive
Anotherroleofthephysicaleducatoristoencourageandmotivatechildrentobeactive.Therearemany
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TheRoleandResponsibilitiesofthePhysicalEducationTeacherintheSchoolPhysicalActivityProgram

waystodothis,includingpromotingcommunityactivities,assigningphysicalactivityhomeworkorhomefun,
showinganinterestintheoutofclassphysicallyactivityinwhichchildrenparticipate,andleadingby
example.
PromotingCommunityActivities

Therearetypicallynumerousactivitiesincommunitiesthatpromotephysicalactivity,suchasorganized
recreationalsports,danceclasses,gymnasticsprograms,andmartialarts.Abulletinboardinthegym,the
schoolWebsite,andregularannouncementsaresimplewaystopromotetheseopportunities.Brochures,
Websites,ornewspaperannouncementsareavailablefrommostphysicalactivityvenues.
HomeworkandHomeFun

Whilehomeworkisoftennotapleasantpartofachildsevening,physicalactivityhomeworkorhomefuncan
be.Homefunmaybepracticingjumpropetrickswithorwithoutajumpropeparticipatinginsimple
exerciseswhencommercialscomeontelevisionplayingoutsidewalkingthedogtalkingawalkwitha
parentorguardianparticipatinginelectronicgamesthatspecificallypromotephysicalactivityorpracticing
manipulativeskillssuchasthrowing,kicking,andstriking.Physicaleducationhomeworkorhomefuncanbe
checkedthroughanhonorsystembyaskingforashowofhandswithyoungchildrenanddocumentingona
physicalactivitycalendarforolderchildren.Sendingaphysicalactivitycalendarhomewhenchildrengoon
holidayorsummervacationisanotherwaytoencouragephysicallyactivelifestyles.Physicaleducation
teacherscouldasktheclassroomteacherstosendaphysicalactivitycalendarhomewiththesummer
readinglist.
PraiseforParticipation

Awordofencouragementisasimplewaytopromotephysicalactivity.Praisingyoungstudentsforplaymay
soundsomewhatstrangetomostofusbutforagenerationthatexperienceslimitedphysicalactivity,itmay
benecessary.Simplyinquiringaboutstudentinvolvementinphysicalactivityandpraisingstudentsforthat
involvementcarryweightwithyoungchildren.Totakethisastepfurther,ifateachershowsupatayouth
leaguesportingeventoradancerecital,thechildwillbeelated.
LeadingbyExample

Onefinalwaytomotivatechildrentobeactiveisforthephysicaleducationteachertoleadbyexample.A
physicallyactiveandfitphysicaleducationteacherisapositiveinfluence.Thephysicaleducationteacher
shouldoccasionallysharewiththestudentshowphysicalactivityfitsintohisorherlife.
Bymaximizingphysicalactivitytimeinphysicaleducationclass,aidingstudentsintransferringskillsand
activitiestooutofclassplay,andmakingeffortstomotivatechildrentobephysicallyactive,thephysical
educatorcangreatlyinfluencethedailyphysicalactivityneedsofstudents.
PlayaLeadershipRoleintheDevelopmentoftheSchoolPhysicalActivityProgram
Theincreaseinthenumberofoverweightchildrenandthedecreaseinphysicalactivitytimeinschoolmake
foranationalproblem.Curtailingthisnationalepidemiccanbeaddressedatalocallevel,andthephysical
educationteachermustbethegotopersontopromotechangeintheschools.Thephysicaleducation
teacheristhephysicalactivityexpertinthebuildingandshouldtakeontheroleofphysicalactivitydirectorfor
theschool.Theresponsibilitiesshouldincludethefollowing:
Beinganactivememberoftheschoolwellnesscommittee
Helpingintheevaluationandplanningprocessfortheschool
Activelylearningaboutandpromotingopportunitiesforphysicalactivityinthecommunity
Servingasaresourcepersonforclassroomteachers
Informingclassroomteachersabouttheneedforandbenefitsofaddingsmallboutsofphysical
activitytotheschoolday
Providingresourcesandtrainingtotheclassroomteachers
Aidingteachersinunderstandingandimplementingappropriatepracticesforphysicalactivity
(seechapter5)
Providingopportunitiesfortheteacherstoengageinphysicalactivitybeforeorafterschool
Organizingschoolwidephysicalactivityexperiences
Planningschoolwideactivitiessuchasfieldday,funruns,awalkingprogram,andmorning
exercisebreaks
Encouragingfundraisersthatpromotephysicalactivity(e.g.,JumpRopeforHeart,Walkfor
Diabetes,St.JudesWalk)
Planningbeforeandafterschoolclubsforactivitiessuchasjumprope,walking,dance,
gymnastics,andintramuralsports
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TheRoleandResponsibilitiesofthePhysicalEducationTeacherintheSchoolPhysicalActivityProgram

ThisisanexcerptfromSchoolwidePhysicalActivity.

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