American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

 Issue: March 2007

Preparing Elementary and Early Childhood Majors to Be Movement Educators: A Home-School Approach
Douglas Callahan & Harry Lehwald

Abstract:
Most elementary and early childhood teacher preparation programs require that students take a course in teaching elementary physical education (TEPE). Providing meaningful experiences for elementary and early childhood preservice teachers (PTs) enrolled in these courses is a challenge for most teacher preparation programs. Besides the inherent problems associated with field placements (e.g., lack of quality control, lack of common goals, limited candidate experience, and observations of undesired practices), the TEPE course has the unique problem that some PTs do not see themselves as physical educators nor plan to ever teach physical education and are therefore not motivated to participate in field experiences. This article describes an on-campus physical education program initiated by Winona State University that uses home-schooled elementary-age children in its TEPE course. The program gives the PTs ample opportunities to apply course material through both teaching experiences and peer observations. PT self-reflections and course feedback indicate that these home-school teaching experiences have been effective in the development of both teaching confidence and an appreciation for the role of the physical educator.

Article category: Professional Preparation