FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Survey Reveals Physical Education Teachers' Opinions About School Principals' Knowledge and Support

RESTON, VA, December 1, 2009 – A new survey of over 1,000 physical education teachers reveals that more than half of the respondents (58%) consider their principal “very supportive” of the physical education program. The strongest support was felt by elementary school teachers (67%), followed by those teaching in middle school (54%) and those teaching in high school (49%). However, other areas related to principal knowledge and involvement with school physical education leave room for improvement, based on the survey conducted by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and Polar.   

According to NASPE President Steve Jefferies, Ph.D., “Support from school administration is necessary for a school physical education program to be successful. While 82% of teachers said that their principal is very (27%) or somewhat (55%) knowledgeable about physical education, almost one-quarter (21%) of teachers reported that their principal never visits/observes their physical education classes for at least five full minutes (excluding formal teacher evaluation), and another 26% said that their principal visits/observes only one or two times during the school year.Furthermore, an additional 45% said that they were formally evaluated by their principal only once during the school year, and 18% of teachers responded that their principal does not conduct any formal teacher evaluation of them during the school year.

“It is absolutely critical that principals support physical education as an important part of a child’s complete educational experience and understand that it provides a foundation for lifelong physical activity and a healthy lifestyle as an adult,” Jefferies added. “Physical educators provide the knowledge and tools required to build this foundation.”         

Advocacy is a critical element for program support and success, and students and their parents can be a program’s biggest advocates – or critics. A proactive approach to involving students and parents is to survey them about their satisfaction with and/or ideas about the school’s physical education program. Unfortunately, only 41% of respondents said that they had surveyed their students over the past three years (since 2006) and 13% said that they had surveyed the parents of their students during the same time frame.

On the technology front, 76% of teachers reported using technology as a management tool (e.g., recording assessment scores, grading) very or somewhat frequently, and 44% responded that they use technology for student instruction very or somewhat frequently.Very few teachers reported not using technology at all: only 10% do not use technology for student instruction and 5% do not use technology for program management.The most frequently used technologies are computer/internet (72%), pedometers (70%), fitness assessment tools (51%), heart rate monitors (39%), exergames/active video games (32%), and stationary fitness equipment (e.g., treadmill, elliptical) (28%).

  NASPE provides many resources for principals and other school administrators including tools to observe and evaluate physical education programs and teachers, analyze the physical education curriculum at their school/school district, research their state’s physical education standards and strengthen school policies regarding physical education/physical activity. NASPE also provides a set of suggested job interview questions for prospective physical education teachers. Visit www.qualitype.org.

  A total of 1,375 physical education teachers participated in the survey, which was conducted by Polar and NASPE, between May 28 and June 15, 2009. Of this, 1,164 K-12 physical education teachers completed the survey. 

About Polar

Headquartered in Lake Success, NY, Polar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Finland-based Polar Electro OY, which invented the first wireless heart rate monitor (HRM) in 1977. Since its founding over thirty years ago, Polar has been pioneering a revolution in training and leading the heart rate monitoring and fitness assessment technology category with innovative products and solutions that deliver valuable feedback and guidance to help individuals reach their personal goals by improving their well-being and sports performance through a profound understanding of the human body. Today, Polar training computers are the number one choice among consumers worldwide.Polar products and technologies are also used by leading fitness facilities, athletic teams, corporate wellness facilities and by thousands of physical educations programs around the country. For more information, visit www.polarusa.com.

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Contact:
Paula Kun
pkun@aahperd.org
703-476-3461

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE?s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.

AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 20,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.