Teaching Physical Education in Nontraditional Settings

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine the experiences of PETE pre-service teachers, physical education teachers, and teacher educators that have taught physical education in a non-traditional setting. This study sought to accomplish the aforementioned goals with the employment of three distinct studies. The studies are presented here in logical succession. The first study established the lead researcher’s experiences both teaching and facilitating field experiences at a youth development center. Next, the experiences of those preservice teachers were explored to better understand their experiences and if they transferred on to internships. Lastly, the experiences of physical education teachers and teacher educators that have taught physical education at a youth development center were analyzed to understand how or if the experience transferred into their careers. The findings of the first study are derived from the lead researcher’s critical reflections and are organized into two major themes: (a) teaching at the YDC: a vignette… and (b) the YDC and my identity and praxis as an emerging teacher educator. The second study presented the results in two categories: (a) analysis of the data collected from students during their field experience and (b) potential transfer from the field experience at the youth development center to the internship settings during the next semester. The first category resulted in the generation of three themes: (a) preconceived notions and assumptions; (b) expressed impact of teaching in a nontraditional setting; and (c) exposure to a diverse student population. Analysis of the data concerning examine any potential transfer from the field experience at the youth development center to the internship settings during the next semester led to two themes: (a) perspective of the students and (b) behavior management. The extent to which the PETE seniors’ experiences at the YDC were transferred into their internships is discussed in addition to implications for introducing culturally relevant pedagogies in nontraditional settings. The findings of the third study are organized and presented as individual cases. Each case in organized into three main sections: (i) participant’s background, (ii) experience teaching at the YDC, and (iii) impact on current career.