By Dr. Linda Wooderson on Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 01:22 pm: Edit

I teach physical education pedagogy to prospective physical education teachers at a university. I would like to know what seasoned physical educators out there in the field teaching already would like to pass on to new physical educators not in the field. How can I better prepare these new educators for the "real" world? What information would you like to pass on to these new teachers that would not be learned in a book or does not occur like the teaching models say.

By dbush711274 on Sunday, April 22, 2001 - 01:27 am: Edit

i am just a first year teacher, but at the ripe ole' age of 26, i feel that i have seen enough to know that i needed more "hands on" clinical experience in the school physical educatiion environment. working with the students that they will be working with is the only true way to test the students that are entering the field like myself. my dept. head at the university that i graduated from in May 2000 asked me if there was anything i would change about the program, what would that be? i told him more clinical experience. too many college students have no idea the work that being a full time teacher requires. good luck to you in you research. i hope that i could be of some help.

By joedunn on Wednesday, May 16, 2001 - 02:24 pm: Edit

I agree"Hands on" experience is what students need more of in college. I don't feel I was really prepared to teach until after my student-teaching. I think college students need to get a feel for what teaching is all about in the first couple of years.

By h. steven garza on Tuesday, November 27, 2001 - 09:40 pm: Edit

inform your students the need to be: incorporating other disciplines into pe (a biggie), expand or at least implement adequate intramrual/field day events and consider themselves part of the overall staff (attend meetings, fulfill all written requirements, stay after school for parent conferences, etc.) Our profession is okay right now, but if you don't act professional, always, they will not need a professional to do your job.

By Anna Marie Frank (Afrank) on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 09:16 am: Edit

I also teach prospective physical education teachers at a university. We encorporate extensive clincial experience into our program. But, I am convinced that until they are really out there without us, their mind set is not what it should be, resulting in the student teaching "reality shock". I engage my students in conversations that attempts to get them to think about the transition from undergrad to professional. Many of these dialogues take place on-line and they love them. For example we talk about what they will do when one of their students comes to class high, drunk or hungover? What if it is an ahtlete? And the best discussion is, What students should be allowed to "opt" out of PE class. I have been wanting to get my students talking to other pre-service PE teachers on a MajorDomo "chat" server. Are you interested?? I have also found that as we attempt to meet NCATE/NASPE standards, clincial expereinces in schools we be increased.

Thanks for the conversation.
Anna Marie Frank
DePaul University, Chicago

P.S. don't anyone ask me about our Basketball team!!!!

By Gwen Pribble (Gwen) on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 06:24 pm: Edit

I agree with more time out in the field......to get more independent work, yet they should keep a journal or diary of these experiences and discuss them with the University and receive feedback.....SO IMPORTANT......can't be stated strong enough......FEEDBACK
...and I found it interesting that at the ungrad level......not much time was spent on evaluating specific movements......fundamental movements and evaluating these movements. You must be able to spot where the problems are with each child....poor mover to athlete. As a Phys. Ed. teacher you do not have a product to take your time with to evaluate with time......the evaluation is in the moment of the movement and you must be able to spot where it is that the child is having problems. So, the more practice, practice, practice one has.....the better one is able to assess quickly and mark the assessment/s to share with "each" child, regardless of skill level or innate ability.
Gwen

By Gwen Pribble (Gwen) on Monday, December 17, 2001 - 06:43 pm: Edit

One more point I'd like to make is that I'm still learning about how to improve my program, and I've been teaching approx. 17 years. Nothing can prepare totally someone for the actual job...for it is so much more demanding and frustrating when one gets into the real world... i.e. the flexibility needed and finding the balance between what is right and what you can actually do. Schools and school systems request or suggest strongly...that you as a Phys. Ed. Teacher "can" do....blah blah blah, like lose your gym or area or double up on classes......easily, "can't you" ???? NO, I always state that I am a "Teacher" and my subject is "Phys. Ed." and I have a program and organization to that, i.e. a sequence to that program.....however, you can't convince them of that right off.....however, there are days you walk in and you discover you have no place to teach yet you have to find a place then clear it with all teachers who may have signed up for that space, i.e. the computer lab. Flexibility is key to making it in schools. Getting along is huge and being "postively" flexible is huge. Integration is huge......"mainstreaming" I am in no way against.....I have a lot of knowledge in the Adaptive world and continue to gain more all the time, yet when you have no say ? and it takes class sizes up to where it becomes ineffective...???? and you realize that it is done based on scheduling difficulities or solely for socialization vs for it is appropriate for the motor develop of the child. It gets a bit frustrating.
So, I recommend to all-----BE FLEXIBLE WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE......AND EDUCATE ALL NOT ONLY THE STUDENTS. Administrators, teachers, parents, and the community as well!!!
It will always pay in the end. ...and slowly, very slowly others will see your point of view.
Good luck,
Gwen

By Anna Marie Frank (Afrank) on Tuesday, December 18, 2001 - 09:12 am: Edit

Gwen,

thanks for you comments. I love to share comments like yours with my pre-service students. I agree that the reflection after observation is critical. I do most of mine on-line. And I totally agree with your comments on the ability to critique movements. We teach a diagnostic appraoch to teaching, "What is wrong, how can I help the student fix it." But many young teachers do not have the knowledge to confidently critique skills. I think the more we introduce qualitative assesment into their training, they may be more capable of making accurate assessments during their students' practice sessions.

Thanks for the conversations

Anna Marie Frank
DePaul Unviersity, Chicago