The Social, Political and Economic Contexts to the Evolution of Spanish Physical Educationalists (1874–1992)

Abstract

This article studies the history of physical education teacher training centres in Spain from the end of the nineteenth century to the end of the twentieth century. It focuses on analysing the studies offered at these centres, which reflect how the training received by the teachers responsible for running physical education lessons in schools has evolved. The content of the different syllabuses has been influenced by the social, political and economic context of each historical era, and the courses have gradually raised their requirements, becoming equivalent to higher university studies.

Notes

[1] Hernández, Profesor de Educación Física, 15.

[2] Viñes, ‘La cultura (1875–1939)’, 619.

[3] Krausism was a pedagogical and philosophical movement which had a great influence in the culture of Spain and Latin America during the second half of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. On Krausism see Capellán, ‘La renovación de la cultura española a través del pensamiento alemán'.

[4] See Vega, ‘La Educación Física en la Institución Libre de Enseñanza’.

[5] See Pérez, ‘Vida, obra y pensamiento del ilustre lucense Manuel Becerra y Bermúdez’.

[6] Pajarón, La Educación Física de la mujer en España, 35.

[7] Cava, ‘La economía en España de la Restauración a la Guerra Civil’, 593.

[8] Martínez, ‘Datos para la historia de una iniciativa fallida’, 126.

[9] ‘When Giner reflected on the education given to children at the ILE, he praised their freedom and spontaneity, objectives mainly achieved through outdoor games, gymnastics, team games. … Of all physical education subjects, sport is one of great interest to D. Francisco’: Del Valle, ‘La Educación Física en el pensamiento de Giner de los Ríos’, 4.

[10] Ibid., 134–5.

[11] Pérez, ‘Vida, obra y pensamiento del ilustre lucense Manuel Becerra y Bermúdez’, 356.

[12]His interest in physical education dated back some time. In 1901, when he was director of studies at María Cristina College for Orphans of Army Officers, he introduced physical activity practice among his pupils. In 1906, he encouraged physical activity practice among the pupils of the Infantry Academy, of which he was director of studies, and when he became director-colonel of the academy he organized a course in physical education teaching for the students: Piernavieja, ‘Medio siglo de historia de la Escuela Central de Educación Física de Toledo’, 40.

[13] Cava, ‘La economía en España de la Restauración a la Guerra Civil’, 603.

[14] Drakenberg et al., ‘El Real Instituto Central de Gimnasia de Estocolmo’, 292–3.

[15] Chinchilla, ‘La Escuela Central de Educación Física de Toledo’, 126–7.

[16] Alvarez, A Educacao Física em Espanha, 62.

[17] Pastor, El espacio profesional de la educación física en España, 341.

[18] [1] Contreras, ‘Orígenes y evolución de la formación inicial del profesorado de educación física’, 77; José Luis Pastor, and the Academy of Physical Education of Catalonia, pointed to other initiatives run in this region, albeit perhaps less well-known, in order to meet the demand for specialists in the field of physical activity: Pastor, El espacio profesional de la educación física en España, 343–5; The reference to another project, in this case to establish a school or higher college of physical education, can be found in Cadenas, ‘Conferencia sobre educación física femenina’, 304–5.

[19] Tuñón y Biescas, Historia de España, 297.

[20] Sport did not escape the control typical of totalitarian models with which Spain demonstrated clear affinity and several similarities. The regime ‘declared early on its interest in channelling the social dynamism of sport under its control. The examples of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy were influences.’ Real, Derecho público del deporte, 325.

[21] ‘Francoism’ refers to the political regime of General Franco and the historical period of his dictatorship in Spain between 1939 and 1975. The Movimiento Nacional was the name given to the fascist totalitarian movement/system during Francoism that aimed to be the only means of civic participation in Spanish public life.

[22] Since the 1956–7 academic year, studies had already been leaning towards those three modules. Fernández, La educación física en el sistema educativo español, 154.

[23] Ibid, 172.

[24] Chinchilla, ‘La formación de profesoras: la Sección Femenina’, 649.

[25] Zagalaz, La educación física femenina en España, 143.

[26] Puelles, Educación e Ideología en la España contemporánea, 482.

[27] García, ‘La educación durante el franquismo’, 849.

[28] Cagigal held the presidency of AIESEP (the International Association of Further Schools of Physical Education) from 1970 until his death in 1983. Olivera, ‘José María Cagigal Gutiérrez’, 363.

[29] Hernández, ‘La profesión y el empleo en los Licenciados en Educación Física’, 62.

[30] Martínez, ‘Juegos y Deportes como innovación curricular’, 104.

[31] López, ‘Manuales escolares de Educación Física en la Segunda Enseñanza’, 355–6.

[32] ‘The public authorities shall encourage health education, physical education and sport. Similarly, they shall also facilitate the adequate use of leisure time’: Constitutión of 27 December 1978, art. 43.

[33] José Luis Hernández believes that at the dawn of the 1980s, in order to meet the demand for PE teachers, 14,000 teachers were needed in primary education and 3,500 in secondary education, in addition to several hundred more at university level, not counting the physical activity and sports professionals required in non-teaching settings. Hernández, Profesor de Educación Física, 9.

[34] Fernández, La educación física en el sistema educativo español, 190.

[35] Directive, 15 July 1987.

[36] See ‘Documentos 1: Directorio de Institutos y Facultades’.

[37] Pérez, ‘Palabras pronunciadas por el Excmo. Sr. D. Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba’, 40.

[38] Rivadeneyra, ‘Formación inicial y nuevas perspectivas laborales’, 741.

[39] See Martínez, ‘Proyección del mercado deportivo laboral en la España de los noventa’.

[40] See López and Almendral, ‘Contenido de los planes de estudios de la Licenciatura’.