Pe Teaching Philosophy Final Copy

PE Teaching Philosophy Physical educators are not only teachers, but also role models and mentors for every student they come in contact with. An important part of physical education is looking at the student as a whole, and not just focusing on skill. A quality physical education program supports the physical, intellectual and emotional development of its students. Through physical education, students can develop character and build the necessary social, psychomotor and cognitive skills to use in all aspects of life. Everything taught in physical education should be transferable to other areas in life, so as a teacher I will help students connect the material to their own lives so they can apply it elsewhere. Physical education contributes to the growth, development and well-being of every individual. Character building plays a big role in helping students develop the necessary social and emotional skills used in everyday life. Developing these skills are essential for students to learn how to interact with each other and the world around them. Many physical educators put a large emphasis on the psychomotor domain in their classes, such as skill acquisition, performance and competition. With that being said, there is little to no emphasis on the social and emotional skills that we should be developing in our students. While physical activity and learning new skills is a huge part of physical education, we should not ignore the fact that we should be developing the whole individual, building social, psychomotor and cognitive skills through physical activity. Social and emotional skills are very important to develop at a young age. They enhance students’ ability to integrate different skills, attitudes and behaviors. Giving children the chance to be physically active in a group-like setting helps them develop the social skills they need throughout their lives. Through physical education, students learn how to interact with one another, develop problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically, all while staying active. In my physical education classes, I will implement games and activities where students will have to work together and think critically in order to solve a problem. Games and activities will be set up in a way where students will use teamwork, cooperation and communication skills in order to play the game/activity effectively and correctly. The games and activities I will teach my students will not emphasize winning or ability level, they will focus more on challenge, communication, working together all while staying active. I will still teach and develop skills in my students, but in a setting where they will not feel pressured or self-conscience about their own ability level. Physical education settings are often a place where bullying takes place, which is why I want my physical education class to be centered around teamwork and character building, and less on ability and performance. Physical education is a great place for students to build character. Character is acquired through social interaction, often times through sport and physical activity. Children learn character traits through experience and seeing them in action. Physical education is a great opportunity for students to build character because they can be emphasized through fun games and exercises. One way I plan on helping my students build character through physical education is by having students reflect and identify conflicts that may have occurred during these games. Having them think about these conflicts and how to deal with them prepares them for real life

situations that they may face in the future. Similarly, it helps students think critically about their actions and how to appropriately respond to conflicts. When teaching students how to live an active lifestyle, the teaching approach should be based on a student-centered curriculum. Teachers should focus their strategies based on their students’ interest. The interest of students is especially important in physical education to keep them engaged and active in class. Keeping students active is the main goal of physical education; so, using a student-centered approach is extremely beneficial. The more fun the student has in class, the more likely they will be to apply these skills outside of school because they enjoy it. Evaluating students understanding and development is also important in helping students become proficient movers. Assessments help the teacher evaluate students’ affective, cognitive, fitness and psychomotor abilities. While assessing student abilities of a skill, a criterion-reference scale should be used. This type of assessment focuses closely on the individual and their abilities rather than comparing students to each other. This allows opportunity for the teacher to be more individualized with modifications in the lesson. Modifications are important to ensure success for the student, which results in more enjoyment and confidence. The best environment for the students is a diverse setting. Each student has something different that they can bring to the class. The more diversity results in more opportunities that students can use to help enhance the learning environment. Different students may have varied experiences or ideas that can be shared with the class to contribute to other student’s learning. When it comes to different learning styles, it is the teacher’s responsibility to incorporate a variety of them into each lesson. Techniques of using visual aids, videos, modeling the skill, and talking the students through the skill are all helpful in improving the clarity of the directions. This allows the opportunity for students have an equal chance to understand. Including a diverse group of students and using different teaching techniques will help set all students up for success. Success helps build confidence and enjoyment for students. No matter a student’s race, culture, age, or ability level, they all deserve a chance at reaching success. Through a student-centered curriculum and assessments, physical education should prepare students to leave high school being proficient and active movers. Students should have a positive view toward being healthy and active when they leave. They should want to apply their skills outside of class. Creating an equal and successful environment will help all students reach this goal.