When examining what beginning teachers learn in teacher preparation programs, it can be beneficial to have conversations with successful veteran teachers. Beginning teachers face a myriad of challenges that are not always fully conceptualized while working through teacher education programs. Gaining the respect of colleagues, trying to connect…

There is much variability in coach preparation across the United States. No one model of coach development seems to fit the needs of all levels of sport competition or the wide variety of consumers. Moreover, there are many entities involved in prescribing requirements such as national governing bodies, state legislatures and boards of education,…

Advocacy is a continuous process that involves more than simply passing legislation. It is a year-round commitment that involves educating policymakers about the importance of achieving health and wellness in any state. As such, it is important for the advocacy group to have a plan, be organized, and work together toward a unified goal. Success is…

Classroom teachers want their students to be involved in meaningful discussions. However, it is oftentimes only the teacher or a few students who dominate the conversation, with little input from other group members (Alvermann, 1991; Buehl, 2001). Like classroom teachers, coaches and physical education teachers also allow time for athletes and…

With increasing demands placed on academic achievement and limited time during the school day, school administrators struggle to implement daily physical education for all students. As this trend becomes more prevalent, community-based organizations need to come forward to offer more after school and weekend programs to assist youth in achieving…

Feeling trapped within your daily teaching routine? Are the same curricular activities getting you down, or worse yet ... your students? Perhaps you and your students are craving an injection of new and fun fitness activities designed for the secondary level. The development of health-related fitness has long been associated with primary…

With the implementation of the inclusion concept in public school classes, the ability of the general physical educator to effectively teach all of his or her students has been tested. This is particularly true with some students who have a receptive language disability (e.g., deaf, traumatic brain injury), an expressive language disability (e.g.,…

Technology tools that are used to help apply standards and benchmarks motivate physical educators to use new methods of teaching, and create new ways to provide students with direct formative feedback, the number one motivator for students. Direct formative feedback refers to verbal communication between the teacher and/or parent and student. The…

This article discusses how to use stretch bands for improving total body fitness and quality of life. A stretch band exercise program offers a versatile and inexpensive option to motivate participants to exercise. The authors suggest practical exercises that can be used in physical education to improve or maintain muscular strength and endurance,…

Fitness testing is an important assessment tool used by physical educators for many purposes. Some states require fitness testing to monitor individual student progress throughout the school year. Some physical educators use it to monitor the effects of the physical education curriculum and to teach concepts such as goal setting and personal…

As state and federal legislatures increase scrutiny and further constrain allocation of tax revenues for education, the need for educational institutions to generate money from other public and private sources becomes increasingly important. Educators from pre-kindergarten through college are now frequently asked to take active roles in generating…

Orienteering is an outdoor pursuit in which participants try to locate a series of different control points, using only a map and compass (Laubach, 1998). It is a life-long skill that can be taught to all ages in both a natural and urban setting. Adventure education is an approach to teaching where an individual is placed in an unfamiliar…

Mental and mechanical (M&M) techniques are very useful in teaching and coaching. Mental techniques are strategies that enhance movement through psychological preparation, such as using imagery to practice a skill. Mechanical techniques are strategies that enhance the physical side of the movement, such as correcting the biomechanics of a golf…

Educational technology is a tool that can be used to support both curriculum development and the efficient delivery of relevant instruction. However, it must be incorporated into the educational environment as both a tool for learning and as a resource if teachers are to prepare students to successfully meet the challenges of the future. One such…

Students with disabilities are now more than ever being included in physical education classes. However, most physical educators feel they have not received adequate preparation in their undergraduate programs regarding teaching students with disabilities. There are many factors that go into providing a positive inclusive setting, such as using…