A Study of PE Teachers from Different Environments in Sweden

• A Physical Education (PE) teacher’s work is both varied and shifting. The aim of this study is to describe and analyse PE teachers presentations of their practical work i. e. make the environments and experiences that generate the contents of the subject visible. The starting point for this paper is an examination of PE teachers´ customs and practices in school. What is it that influences PE teaching of today? In today’s world the focus is on the body and physical activity, in school as well as in society. Today, the individual teacher and schools in Sweden have a large responsibility to interpret the government guidelines, and implement meaningful teaching. Teaching practices in the goal related school of today vary greatly from school to school. Every school writes, on the basis of the guidelines, their own local work plans for every subject. In the local syllabus for Physical Education and Health, the teacher must take into consideration the guidelines, the individual community’s school plan and the conditions existing at the school. According to Engström, every child must have the right to be physically active and the right to participate in sports activities. Furthermore, he points out that because school reaches all children and teenagers, it is the most important environment for influencing physical activity (Engström 2004a). A message from the General Association of International Sports Federation president, Hein Verbruggen from the 2nd World Summit on Physical Education in Magglingen 2005, is that: Physical Education is the most effective and reliable means to lay the foundations for an active, healthy and well-balanced lifestyle through the practice of sport and physical activity by today’s children and youth. (Verbruggen, 2005) A PE teacher must conduct himself/herself according to the social situation he/she finds in his/her school and also in relation to the environment of the individual school. The school itself is an institution with both long history and strong traditions, which most likely influence the work in school.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Socialt arbete (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Social Work (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

PE Teacher

Teachers´customs

practice in school

PE

Sports research

Idrottsforskning

Publikations- och innehållstyp

pop (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)