The Value of Performance in Physical Education Teacher Education

Abstract

The current philosophical paradigm in higher education, where theory transcends practice, consigns physical education to the bottom of a hierarchy of educational content (Kretchmar, 2005). Leaders of physical education teacher education programs are left with three difficult choices: (a) accept physical education's lowly position in the hierarchy, (b) emphasize the theory and science of physical activity and teaching to make the program appear academically respectable, or (c) argue for a different philosophical paradigm (Kretchmar, 1996). I contend the final option is the best strategy. Using John Dewey's philosophy of experience and conception of human intelligence, I argue that skillful performance of dance, games, play, and sport should maintain a more prominent position in physical education teacher education curricula because skillful performance of the content represents a legitimate domain of human activity worthy of significant involvement in an academic program. Also, pre-service teachers need content knowledge derived authentically from the process of becoming skillful performers to teach physical education. Suggestions for activity performance coursework are offered.

Keywords:

• Dewey
• philosophy
• performance
• skill
• physical education

Notes

1. In his overview of dualism, Kretchmar (1996) actually identifies four dichotomies. Dichotomy 4 pits art and music against physical education. Under a dualistic framework, Kretchmar argues that art and music are considered more important than physical education because people tend to respect “high culture” over sport and games. Kretchmar's point is very clear: a dualistic philosophical paradigm demotes physical education to the bottom of an educational subject matter hierarchy. In this manuscript, I choose to lump art and physical education together. As has been pointed out by Mitchell (1975), the sport experience is an art form in John Dewey's philosophy of experience.

2. It is important to acquire theoretical knowledge about movement or physical education content. Attainment of such knowledge should not, however, be the sole focus of PETE programs. Although there is value in knowing the sliding filament theory of muscle contraction or the role of the mitochondria in oxidative respiration, this type of knowledge remains abstract and far removed from human life as it is immediately lived. While playing golf, basketball, racquetball, or any other activity, people are not concerned with how muscles contract or the mitochondria creates ATP. People are, instead, focused on their participation in a culturally significant activity. Therefore, a program of physical education must also be concerned with “educating” students via student participation in culturally significant activities.

3. It is clear from NASPE's guidelines that quality game play performance of pre-service teachers is the target outcome. In other words, a pre-service teacher, as an example, should not just be able to make a certain number of basketball shots in 30 seconds to be considered “skillful.” Instead, the candidate should be able to make shots and perform well in the context of a basketball game (i.e., 3v3 or 5v5).

4. According to the Roslow Research Group (2009), 37 different sport/activities are taught in various K–12 physical education programs across the country. Which and how many of these sport/activities do leaders of PETE programs choose to include in PETE curricula? These are very difficult decisions and should be made carefully perhaps while considering the following variables: opportunities in the community to participate in the sport/activity, geographical region, PETE faculty interests, availability of resources and/or facilities, and PETE student interests. After considering these variables, one model for activity performance coursework may be to require PETE students to complete at least one three-credit hour activity course in the following categories or strands: individual/dual sport (i.e., golf or tennis), team sport (i.e., basketball or soccer), outdoor recreation (e.g., mountain biking or orienteering), fitness (i.e., yoga or resistance training), and dance (e.g., ballroom dance or country swing dance). Another model may be to require PETE students to complete a three-credit course in a few of the most popular activities taught in K–12 physical education programs and then to choose or select one or two elective activity performance courses related to their interests. A final model may be to focus solely on a single activity category or strand (i.e., individual/dual sport, team sport, and outdoor recreation). For example, PETE students could take four or five three-credit hour courses in various individual/dual sports such as golf, racquetball, tennis, bowling, and disc golf. Regardless of the model chosen, PETE students should be held accountable for developing themselves as performers in each of the three-credit hour activity performance courses they enroll in using the resources available (e.g., the instructor, facilities, access to equipment, and technology).

5. Under this model, I contend students majoring in K–12 physical education will need to devote more time and effort in their “studies” than any other group of students on campus. Is not this the way it should be? Anyone who has truly become “physically educated” has had to spend numerous hours practicing and learning the content. Why would PETE faculty want to rob pre-service physical education teachers of opportunities to develop themselves in this manner?

6. I strongly disagree that a teacher does not need to be skilled in the content in order to teach the content. A physical education teacher who has “experienced” the process of becoming a golfer, tennis player, or swimmer will be much more prepared to teach golf, tennis, or swimming to students. The teacher who has “been there” possesses knowledge that the outside observer will never know. As Twietmeyer (2012b) contended, “skill is central to knowledge … knowledge is not the impersonal accretion of the explicit and the measurable. Skills have a rightful place at the foundation of knowledge … Knowledge is an art embodied in the personal skill of the knower” (p. 236). The type of knowledge to which Twietmeyer referred is tacit knowledge, the type of knowledge that can only be gained via experience. For this reason, K–12 physical education students, especially secondary physical education students, deserve teachers who have developed “tacit knowledge” of the content.