PE: it’s just me: physically active and healthy teacher bodies

Abstract

This paper focuses on the significance of embodied understandings to the emerging subjectivities and pedagogical practices of pre-service teachers undertaking a Physical Education (PE) specialisation through a B.Ed. (primary/middle). Data from a research project conducted at an Australian university with seven pre-service teachers will be presented through three themes: ‘Naturally’ sporty bodies; Healthy bodies; and Embodied pedagogical practices. Our findings suggest that through the configurative function of narrative identity, participants merge lasting dispositions around embodied physicality with acquired dispositions around embodied health, fitness and pedagogical practices. In doing so, they locate themselves in a contemporary narrative of PE which reinforces assumptions that bodies, subjectivities and lives can be shaped so as to protect against risks associated with obesity.

Keywords:

• embodied physicality
• healthy bodies
• pedagogies of PE

Notes

1. The Age is a broadsheet newspaper, published in Melbourne, with a readership base across Australia. The Age seeks to present strong analysis of domestic and international news.

2. PE in Australia is incorporated in Health and Physical Education (HPE) curriculum. PE rather than HPE will be used in this paper because the research participants were specifically completing a specialisation in PE in their Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) program.

3. The latest draft of Australian Curriculum: HPE was made available for public consultation from December 2012 to April 2013. Publication is designated for December 2013 and implementation from February 2014.