Alright reader, let's set the record straight ... I am a PE teacher ... and damn proud of it! It has become blatantly obvious during the present political climate that Joe Public does not understand what teachers actually do, but likely one of the more misunderstood teaching positions is that of PE ... or, as it is called these days, HPE - Health and Physical Education. Yes, we play games during class, but the goal of any quality HPE class is "disguised" conditioning ... get the students moving, get their cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems taxed to promote growth, and give their proprioceptive and cognitive systems a fine tuning. Scientific research has proven that doing this for a sustained period on a consistent basis will significantly improve overall health. Let's play a little game ... get the irony?
Myth #1 - HPE teachers have it easy ... you just play games all day, right?
Fact #1 - If this is true then why are so many people nervous about being a substitute for a gym class? Being an effective HPE teacher requires specific organizational, interpersonal, communication, and flexibility skills, to say the least. Every HPE lesson can be broken down into 3 components ... warm up, conditioning, activity ... and getting a class of 25-30 grade 9s to (some what) willingly participate is no easy feat. Think of your own family gatherings and tell me how easy it was to get a consensus about an activity ... no matter what choices are offered, there will be a portion of the class that is not in agreement and, worse, refuse to participate until properly motivated.
Myth #2 - Students loves HPE classes so teaching is really just like a longer recess.
Fact #2 - Let's be honest ... in every HPE class, 30% just want to play games, 20% just want a work out, 25% are okay with moving around a little bit, and 25% DO NOT want to be there ... so not everyone loves HPE. In Ontario right now, the only mandatory HPE credit is grade 9, but choosing to take subsequent courses in later grades only eliminates the 25% of haters. And it's not at all like recess! Every class has been carefully planned to ready the body for exercise (warm up), strategically stress targeted areas with either toning, building or stretching exercises, and place the musculoskeletal + cardiovascular systems under sustained stress through a variety of activities (disguised conditioning) that, at the same time, require refinement of interpersonal, cooperative and proprioceptive skills.
Myth #3 - Kids like to play games so there's rarely any behaviours issues.
Fact #3 - If someone is having a bad day, placing them in an environment where people are (a) chasing them or (b) throwing things at them or (c) bumping into them or (d) trying to take things away from them will usually result in some hurt feelings and, potentially, some disputes. Now mix the group so that there are a wide array of physical and interpersonal abilities, it sometimes feels like oil and fire. Add to this that each year a higher and higher percentage of students generally lead sedentary life styles, translating into discomfort or pain as their biological machine works off the rust ... I think you can understand how opposition grows.
Myth #4 - HPE teachers just sit in a chair, shout, and blow whistles.
Fact #4 - I've taught HPE for 25 of my 30 years and I don't recall ever teaching from a chair ... HPE teachers are generally "doers" so sitting isn't something we excel at. As for whistles and barking, what some may view as orders, I see as coaching. Do we use whistles? Sure, when some sort of refereeing is required ... likely 20% of activities. Do I use a "gym voice"? Sure and I admit it's pretty loud, but if you have 25-30 teenagers "movin' 'n groovin'" in a closed space, the noise is pretty high so to ensure students play safely and properly, they require feedback/reminders of potentially problematic interactions.
Myth #5 - All hormone-enraged teens LOVE sex so health classes are a breeze.
Fact #5 - Can we talk? How many parents have had "the talk" with their teens and how were the parents feeling at the time? Yes, teens are curious ... and they wish answers ... but they are also, IMHO, full of misinformation and discussing this is an appropriately worded manner requires a tap dance the likes of Mr Bojangles. There are obviously subjects that are off limits in the public education system, but by and large, most subjects can be discussed under clearly defined parameters. Personally, I really enjoy health classes because teens these days really need someone who cares to make sure they understand the truth about many of the falsehoods they see on sites they shouldn't be looking at. As a last point, please understand that going from activity-based classes to more traditional style classes can require an adjustment period before the craziness subsides.
I could spend quite a bit more time on Joe Public's misconceptions, but I think you get the idea. While HPE classes are not the same as many remember from their school years, I wouldn't change a thing because I absolutely LOVE teaching it! I suppose it's like the saying, "The grass is greener on the other side of the fence." I wouldn't feel very competent teaching a senior level math class ... I could do it, with a lot of planning, but it would be an intimidating, nerve-wracking experience. I am sure the reversal of that situation would also quite true. I have publicly stated in previous posts that I chose teaching because it was the only way (in Canada) to coach and get paid for it and teaching HPE is really just another form of coaching ... PERFECT! I've heard it said, "Great teachers don't always have the best lessons, but they always have the best relationships with kids." I believe with my heart of hearts that teaching HPE allows me to build trust and understanding that an academic setting wouldn't allow, resulting in some pretty awesome relationships.
I guess that makes me a great teacher! Good for me!
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