Current & Future

Challenges

PE Challenges

• Fighting for its place in school curriculums & integrity as a school subject

• This is strange considering public interest in fitness & wellness has never been higher, yet PE is slowly eroding away

– Why is this? • Lets consider “Roll Out the Ball” teaching:

» Win/Lose Mentality (same ol’ winners & losers)» Practices that humiliate, embarrass, or belittle» Vivid memories of being picked last » Does this style of education promote values or is it “mis-educative”

by nature?

Some Teaching Values in PE

• Cooperation• Self-Discipline• Hard Work• Fair Play• Emotional Control• Teamwork• Fun for Everyone• Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence

• Is all this just rhetoric or reality?

Possible Trends In PE & Sport

• 1 Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Movement

• 2 Technology• 3 Expanding Service Focus• 4 Service Shift From Public to Private

Sector• 5 Continued Decline of School Programs• 6 Increased Professionalization of Sport• 7 Increased Violence in Sport

5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a PE Career

• 1. Am I one of those people who enjoys, prefers, and in many instances seeks personal interactions?– How’s your communication skills?

– If you’re an introvert or shy think about choosing a different career…

• 2. Am I really dedicated & focused on the challenges of Physical Education & not just Coaching Athletics?– Am I really committed? Do I take my work seriously?

– Do I have a clear short & long-term vision (e.g. Teaching Philosophy)

– Am I aware of the Teacher/Coach Role Conflict?• Teacher - Centered vs. Student - Centered Programming

– Can you strike a balance by doing both? No “Role Out the Ball” PE!

» Do you realize you can teach any subject and still coach...

• 3. Do I possess the necessary technical and research skills?– Can I use a computer?

– Can I find information, process it, and report it efficiently?

• 4. Do I like to Read, Think, Write, & Facilitate (and/or Speak)?– “Praxis” is not just a verb, but also a lifestyle...

• Successful scholars are well prepared, committed to their work, and have effective work habits

• 5. Will I be an effective role-model or poor example?– Am I physically active today? Will I be physically active tomarrow?

– How’s my health? My diet? Exercise behavior? Sleep habits, etc.

Careers For The Future• Intercollegiate Athletics• Professional Sport Organizations (Sports Agent)• Facility Management• Campus Recreation Programs• Community-Based Sport• Sports Information• Sports Marketing (Computers Are The Marketplace)• Sports Journalism• Physical Fitness Industry• Sports Medicine• Athletic Training• Aquatics Management• Consulting & Entrepreneurship

• PE Teacher/Coach (Athletic Director) is not considered a career for the future…

Advocacy Organizations• AAHPERD (National)

• American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance

» www.aahperd.org» Conventions: 2005 Chicago - April 12-16th, 2006

Salt Lake City - April 25-29th, 2007 Baltimore – March 13-17th, 2008 Fort Worth – April 8-12th

• TAHPERD (State)• Texas Association of Health, Physical Education,

Recreation, & Dance» www.tahperd.org» Conventions: 2004 Arlington – Dec 1-4th, 2005

Corpus Christi – Nov 30-Dec 3rd, 2006 Fort Worth –Nov 29-Dec 2nd, 2007 - TBD

Some Professional Journals• Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport• Chronicle of Physical Education in Higher

Education• Educational Researcher• Journal of Physical Education,

Recreation, & Dance (JOPERD)• Strategies: A Journal for Physical & Sport

Educators• The Physical Educator