Teaching Sport and Physical Activity: Insights on the Road to Excellence

Washington

Preface

Discovering the qualities of good teachers begins early in life. The first real teachers we encounter are our parents. The lessons they impart have a profound and potent impact on our lives. In addition to writing, math, science or music the teachers we have in school also give us a first hand look at the duties and responsibilities of teachers. Physical education teachers are particularly powerful sources of career education for those aspiring to become teachers of physical education. Coaches are another important source of information when it comes to understanding what teachers do and why. The very fact that you are holding this book means someone taught you to read--and also taught you something about teaching as well.

This book then, won’t try to tell you all there is to know about teaching. It can’t. No book can. Your experiences with teachers and your experiences as a teacher or coach will provide more knowledge about teaching than any book. What this book can do, however, is introduce you to some of the ideas good teachers think about, identify and describe essential skills used by good teachers, help you understand your students and their learning a bit better and offer some guidelines to help you become a better teacher. It has been a long-time goal of mine to become a good teacher. I’ve observed many great teachers, read what others have written about good teaching, and have conducted a number of research studies on teachers and teaching. The information in this book represents knowledge gained in my experiences as both a teacher and a researcher of teachers. Having spent the better portion of the last 25 years attempting to understand what it takes to teach well, it seemed like a good time to sit down and try to assimilate that knowledge into something someone else might find useful. Over the last 3 decades, I’ve been fortunate to live in the USA, Germany and Singapore and have visited many other countries on most of the continents. In these travels, I’ve met teachers and coaches of all sorts, ranging from school physical education teachers who teach the most novice learners to elite amateur and professional coaches who help the very best get better. This book is really about them, because what these caring, commitment and accomplished people have taught me about teaching sport and physical activity has, in large part, influenced both the contents and style of this book. In each chapter, you’ll a first person story from just some of these wonderful teachers and coaches.

Interestingly, almost every teacher and coach I’ve met has wanted to become a better at what they do. It is my hope, therefore, that this book offers some insights and help for those who share my quest to become a better teacher. But there is no substitute for experience when it comes to understanding the knowledge, skills, and perspectives needed to teach. While I hope you find this book helpful, without trying out the ideas and suggestions with your students or athletes and without attempting to find yourself as a teacher or coach, the words on these pages will remain only inert ideas. Time with students and other teachers is essential in the education of a teacher. I began to learn that lesson in my student teaching and I reminded of it every time I step before a group of students. The greatest lessons in teaching will come to you when teaching.

While this book is designed as a comprehensive guide for new teachers, it was also written to offer experienced teachers and coaches some new ideas and insights that might serve their instructional practices. While every practicing teacher, coach or activity leader knows something, and perhaps even a great deal about teaching, it is uncommon to find a teacher who believes they ‘know it all’. Therefore, this book was also written for experienced teachers who are in search of some fresh ideas to invigorate their teaching as well as looking to test and validate the practices they currently use. Being the best teacher possible requires new knowledge to go along with accumulated experience--and that is why this book may help you. Whether you a sport coach, a physical education teacher, a private instructor or a physical activity leader, if teaching is a fundamental part of what you do, or want to do, this book is written for you.

The opening chapters of the book address the issues surrounding the decision to become a teacher. It is important for teachers and coaches to examine these issues because their occupational satisfaction they will derive and their effectiveness as a teacher are largely shaped by their reasons for being a teacher. The second section of the book examines the critical elements of what teachers need to know in order to teach and the conditions under which students learn. To teach well, a teacher must have particular kinds of knowledge and understand how students best learn.

Creating stimulating learning environments comprises the third section. In these chapters, the reader finds information on forming effective relationships with students, planning for optimal learning experiences and managing the lesson time and resources to best aid students’ learning. The fourth section takes a close look at the skills and knowledge required for a teacher to focus a lesson, maintain a dynamic pace to instruction, communicate effectively, and maximize student learning with practice and feedback. In this section, the reader will also discover options for varied instructional strategies and techniques for assessing student learning.

No matter how incompetent a teacher may seem or how much success a teacher may experience, we can all become better teachers. The final section of the book is dedicated information on improving one’s teaching. Program promotion ideas, using technology to enhance instruction, strategies for improving teaching and ideas for increasing expertise are intended to leave the reader with a host of ideas for innovating, invigorating and improving their teaching.

While the author’s name appears on the cover, and that gives the impression that the book is the work of a single individual. I assure you that this book is not the work of a single individual. It is appropriate, then, that I acknowledge my colleagues and students in the Sport Instruction Research Laboratory at the University of Georgia, who were generous and sensitive in time demands. The many gifted and gracious teachers who allowed me to study them have taught me much and inspired me greatly, and I wish there were the space here to acknowledge them all. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to my students. Long did you suffer as I struggled to learn this craft called teaching. But in that process, you, probably of all those mentioned before you, taught me the most about what it takes to teach well. More importantly, in you I see the significance of teaching.

My journey in trying to become a good teacher is far from ending. Looking back on my journey to date, I believe I’ve learned something about teaching and much of that I share with you now. It thrills me to see my students learn, so the search for ways to do that better continues. It is my hope that in reading this book, you may find some ways to help your students learn better, and in that process feel the thrill that comes from knowing you made a difference.

part 1.

Desire

Becoming a Teacher

The second edition of Teaching Sport and Physical Activity opens with two chapters for people considering a career in teaching as well as for those who are about to assume the role of teacher or coach. Chapter 1 begins with an examination of the factors leading one to a teaching career. Your reasons for choosing to become a teacher or coach will strongly impact the kind and quality of teacher you become, so we extensively examined these motives at the outset. Since your background experiences represent a lifetime of influence and information, these experiences are also explored in Chapter 1. For most people who wish to teacher or coach, a certification or license is normally required. Therefore, Chapter 1 continues by examining the preparation and certification programs common to teachers of sport and physical activity. While much of this book is written for physical education teachers it is not exclusive to this group. Therefore, options for teaching sport and physical activity that go beyond the school are also discussed in this opening chapter. Finally, for someone entering the world of teacher or coach, it is important that they know the benefits they can expect to receive from their chosen profession. Chapter 1, therefore, closes with a description of the rewards one derives from instructing students.

Teaching is inherently a social activity (i.e., you don’t do it alone), and because so often teaching and coaching take place within an institution, it is inescapable that politics play a role in teaching and coaching. Therefore, Chapter 2 will familiarize those who choose to teach with life in the institutions of teaching and coaching. Specifically, Chapter 2 discusses the political conditions and social regulations in teaching. The politics of a profession, class and school as they impact the activities and careers of teachers are examined and discussed in depth.

Navigating the road to excellence in teaching sport and physical activity will not be smooth, straight or speedy. It will take time, effort and understanding. To monitor our progress, it is important to know from where we have come and the reasons we have undertaken this journey. Part 1 examines these issues.

Chapter 1

Becoming a Teacher and Coach

Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.

-John Wooden

The enjoyment of and success in sport requires participants to have a unique set of skills and knowledge. Teachers and coaches meet this need by helping people improve specialized skills and increase their understanding of the activity. Basketball coaches, for example, help their players develop better shooting techniques, ball control, and game strategies. They also teach the rules, history, and etiquette of the game. What’s more, a teacher’s or coach’s passion for the sport and student improvement can inspire students to practice and play. Physical education teachers have a broader mission. They teach a multitude of physical activities, ranging from team sports and individual activities to dance, gymnastics, and fitness. Sometimes they even teach health issues such as nutrition, drug awareness, personal hygiene, first aid, and safety. Regardless of what the subject is, the ultimate measure of a teacher is how much the students learn. Students of great teachers and coaches come away from the experience with skill, knowledge, and a desire to excel. This book was written to help you become one of those teachers or coaches.

Teaching and coaching demands both considerable knowledge and extensive skills. This is good news because it means no one was born a great teacher or coach. There is always more to learn. Becoming a teacher is a lifelong journey. Becoming a better teacher or coach is a challenge that never grows old. So what does it take to become a teacher or coach? In this chapter, we will examine that process. Specifically, the issues of choosing to teach and coach, the influence of personal background, preparation and certification programs, options for teaching and coaching, and professional rewards will all be considered.

The Decision to Teach and Coach

There are many reasons why a person decides to teach or coach; it’s important to examine these reasons because they profoundly influence personal satisfaction and professional success. Those who love sport and physical activity are most often attracted to teaching and coaching. The desire to remain in something they love is one reason people decide to become teachers and coaches. Other reasons for wanting to teach include remaining physically active, helping others, personal enjoyment, working with people, improving teaching quality, using athletic ability, job security, and easy entry into the field (Lawson 1983; Templin, Woodford, and Mulling 1982). Most teachers can usually identify several reasons for wanting to teach. The more reasons you have for entering the profession, the greater the chance of finding success and satisfaction in teaching and coaching.

Why Teach and Coach?

* Share rewarding experiences with others

* Continue attachment to a loved activity

* Re-create enjoyable experiences for others

* Help and encourage others

* Work with people

* Improve the quality of available instruction

* Use physical skills and abilities

* Attain job security

* Take advantage of easy entry into the profession

The Influential Role of Your Background

A person begins learning to teach the moment she begins learning. Learning to walk, talk, hold a pen, and read this book are skills that were taught to you. In learning those skills, you also learned something about teaching. Likewise, learning experiences on athletic fields, in workout rooms, and in physical education classes teach future teachers much about instructing sport and physical activity lessons. A teacher’s history exerts a powerful influence over personal foundational beliefs, knowledge, perspectives, and instructional skills. In fact, a teacher’s or coach’s identity begins with his biography. A teacher’s past continues to shape her decisions and practices throughout her career. You should therefore examine these critical sources of influence to better understand the beliefs you embrace, the decisions you make, and the practices you adopt.

Three sets of experiences are particularly important in the development of most sport and physical activity instructors. These experiences include being a student or athlete, teaching or coaching, and education.

Experiences As a Student or Athlete

While still students, teachers begin identifying, selecting, and evaluating the instructional practices of their teachers and coaches. Previous teachers not only demonstrated the skills and duties of a teacher, but they also demonstrated a love of the subject matter, relationships with students, lesson content and activity ideas, and a professional demeanor. Your former teachers and coaches are role models for teaching practices and perspectives and, in many cases, provided the inspiration for your career choice. Their subtle influences remain powerful and pervasive over the duration of your career. When someone considers becoming a teacher or coach, he compares personal characteristics with those of an admired teacher or coach. If a reasonable fit is found, a decision to teach or coach is often the result.

It was at this time you also developed a passion for sport and physical activity. You struggled to master the skills and were curious to gain new knowledge to help you succeed and enjoy this sport you love. As a teacher, you will recall you own experiences, frustrations and successes with this activity, and used the lessons learned in our experiences to both empathize with and help your students and athletes in their journey to learn and find success in sport.

As a coach, however, you do not need an elite level of participation to coach at the highest levels. Mark Few, the author of the Foreword to this book and the head coach of the Gonzaga University basketball team is one of the most successful active college coaches in the USA today. Yet Mark never played college basketball. A recent study of the impact of playing experience on coaching success reveals that coaching success and playing experience have little relationship (Schempp, et al., 2010). As an example, this study found that only about one third of current National Football League (NFL) coaches played in the NFL. The point of these finding should not, however, be that one needs no experience to teach or coach well. Rather, there are other avenues other than extensive or elite playing experience for gaining the knowledge necessary to teach or coach well. It was found that for every coach, they had at some playing experience in the sport and had been engage in the activity for many years. Experience in the activity helps, but does not predict, one’s ability to assist others find success.

Experiences As a Teacher or Coach

Teachers and coaches rely heavily on their professional experiences for developing their skill set and increasing knowledge. For example, student teaching is often cited as the most beneficial aspect of teacher education because it represents actual time with the students. Athletic coaching, working in summer camps, and even child care experiences often give teachers practice interacting with children, organizing activities, and managing groups of people. Such opportunities serve the dual purpose of allowing beginning teachers to develop teaching skills and confirm their occupational choice. The experiences teach them what works when working with people, and they learn firsthand whether or not they like teaching or coaching.

Research has shown that experts rely upon their professional experience more so than any other resource for the knowledge necessary to ply their craft (Schempp, 2006). The old saying that knowledge is your best teacher is not lost on people who are leaders in their field. It is one’s experience as a teacher or coach that you learn what works in setting the stage for students and athletes to excel. In fact, there really is no substitute for the trial-and-error learning that comes from experience. As will be covered more extensively in Chapter 16, experience will play a major role in your professional development. While arm chair coaches and parents with strong opinions are not in short supply, their lack of experience places them far behind the experienced teacher or coach when it comes to understanding how to promote success in sport and physical activity.

Education

To gain knowledge of the subject; understand people; and learn to design, conduct, and evaluate lessons practices, it serves teachers and coaches well to undergo a formal education programs. To build on background experience and acquire the necessary professional skills, orientations, and knowledge, prospective teachers enter a preparation or certification program. In many sports, coaching certification is also offered and expected for coaches who draw a salary.

For most professional instruction, a certification or license is either required or encouraged. Public school teachers must obtain their initial licenses through a state-sanctioned university degree program. Private school teachers are also normally required to complete an appropriate degree program that provides the knowledge and skills to teach competently. In the private sports industry, certification programs are often strongly encouraged and can lead to increased prestige, recognition, and income. Youth sports and sports federations also offer training and certification programs for coaches.

University Degree Programs

Teachers pursuing certification through a university program must meet two sets of requirements: state teacher certification and a university degree. Fortunately, coursework can be designed to meet both requirements simultaneously. It’s quite possible, however, that someone in a teacher education program will take more courses than students in other majors simply because of the dual purpose of the program. Many who aspire to coach will pursue their professional development through preparation as a public school physical education teacher.

Prospective teachers enter university programs after observing many years of teaching and coaching practice during their time as students in schools. They go to university with a wealth of experience with teachers and coaches which in turn leads to strongly held beliefs about the educational enterprise. A prospective teacher’s willingness to consider and adopt new practices and perspectives will, in part, determine the university program’s success in developing good teachers (Graber 1991). Prospective teachers who begin with an open mind and are willing to learn have the greatest potential for learning to teach well. On the other hand, closed-minded people seldom learn much of anything.

The teacher education faculty is primarily made up of university professors who have experience in public schools and hold a doctoral degree. Faculty members, like other university professors, normally have an area of specialization and conduct research in their respective fields. Public school teachers traditionally serve as supervising or cooperating teachers for the student teaching experience.

A typical teacher preparation curriculum consists of three elements: coursework, field experiences, and student teaching (McCullick, 2001). University coursework has its greatest value in supplying subject matter content. In particular, the activity, or practical, courses allow beginning teachers to construct teaching routines and develop lessons fit for public school instruction. Prospective teachers find that practice teaching with students in public schools is among the most useful aspects of their preparation to teach.

Establishing relationships with students, subject matter knowledge, communication skills, classroom management, planning strategies, professional orientations, and legal responsibilities are but a few of the areas covered in a typical university-based teacher education program. The final learning experience is actual student teaching. In student teaching, a prospective teacher is paired with a mentor or cooperating teacher so she can apply this newly acquired knowledge in a real world setting under the guidance of an accomplished and experienced practitioner. Many teachers believe this to be the singularly most meaningful learning experience in the preparation process.

The press and grind of public school teaching requires beginning teachers to adopt professional perspectives that are practical rather than intellectual. In most cases, the university education brought to schools by new teachers cannot compare with the experience of their seasoned peers. Many veteran teachers believe they learned most, if not all, of their professional practice from the trial and error of classroom instruction rather than the lecture halls of universities. The low status of a university preparation often leads beginning teachers to suppress and devalue their education in favor of lessons gained from classroom experience or the stories and suggestions offered by their veteran colleagues (Schempp, Sparkes, and Templin 1993).

For those aspiring to coach at the high school level, certification as a physical education teacher and a little playing experience in the sport is normally the minimal requirements for such a position. Those who wish to coach at the college level will normally need a masters degree, and some coaching experience--either as a high school coach or as an assistant coach at the college level. The requirements for coaching in the professional ranks vary depending on the sport, but normally involve some engagement in the professional ranks as an assistant coach or former player.

Professional Certification

Professional associations offer instructor certification programs in many sports and physical activities. Golf, skiing, scuba diving, tennis, martial arts, aerobics, and physical fitness are but a few examples of activities with instructor certification. These programs range from one-day training seminars to several years of classroom and applied practical experiences. The education faculty usually consists of association representatives and experienced instructors. Certification programs commonly require some classroom time, outside reading, applied practice assignments, and an evaluation process that ensures the teacher has the requisite knowledge and skills to safely and competently teach the particular sport or activity. Some of the better programs may also include an internship or apprenticeship period.

In many countries, certification is necessary to coach a sport. A sports federation or organization often sponsors coaching development programs. Respected individuals with experience and extensive knowledge serve on the educational committee and conduct the training sessions. Coaching certification often has varying levels depending on the age and skill of the participants as well as the experience and skill of the coach (Gowan 1992). In the United States, there is growing pressure to certify school sports coaches (Sisley and Weise 1987). With the development of such programs as the American Coaching Effectiveness Program (Partlow 1992) and the Program for Athletic Coaches’ Education (Seefeldt and Milligan 1992), coaches seeking to extend their knowledge and skill can now find quality programs that meet their needs.

Options for Teachers

More now than at any time in Western culture, many opportunities and avenues exist for teaching and coaching sport and physical activity. In years past, the only realistic option in North America for teaching and coaching was teaching physical education and coaching in public schools. While that remains a highly viable and attractive career option, other opportunities are available as well.

Public Schools

The most traditional route for someone aspiring to teach physical activity is to prepare for and become a physical education teacher in public schools. Teaching public school physical education requires a credential from the state in which the teacher is employed. Completing an accredited teacher education program at a college or university normally meets the state’s certification requirements. A teaching credential is usually transferable should a teacher accept a position in another state or province.

The preparation program includes a series of general education courses designed for an undergraduate or graduate degree, a series of courses specific to a physical education major, and substantial practical teaching experiences. The coursework for majoring in physical education traditionally includes the study of physical activity content, teaching methods, curriculum planning, motor learning, sport history, social issues, biomechanics, measurement and assessment, and exercise physiology.

Public school districts are usually committed to the professional improvement of their teaching and coaching personnel. To this end, many school districts allow for professional days (i.e., paid leave several days per year so the teacher can attend professional development activities). School districts may also cover the cost of in-service workshops, provide staff development opportunities, reimburse teachers’ expenses for attending a professional conference, and provide a salary increase for obtaining advanced degrees.

The job requirements of a public school teacher vary slightly depending on the school, district, and state. Teachers are generally assigned to teach either elementary, middle, or high school students. Class sizes range from a few students to groups as large as 90 or more. The number of classes per day also varies. A teacher may be assigned as few as three classes in a block scheduled secondary school or as many as twelve or more in an understaffed elementary school. Facilities, equipment, and supplies also vary based on the support and funding levels of the school and district.

Private Schools

Much like public schools, private schools offer a viable option for someone wanting to teach sport and physical activity. Private schools vary in format and expectations for teachers and coaches. The obligations of a private school teacher range from part-time employment for teaching a seasonal activity to a full-time position that requires teaching, coaching several sports, and possibly even serving as a resident live-in counselor.

In many cases, private schools require their teachers to have preparatory backgrounds similar to public school teachers, but they often don’t require that a teacher hold a state teaching certification. However, this does not mean that private schools are not interested in top quality teachers. Private schools may look for additional qualifications beyond university coursework. For example, schools with a strong educational heritage may look for teachers who attended a similar private school themselves. Religiously affiliated schools usually look for teachers with similar religious convictions. Support for staff development also varies widely depending on financial resources and school goals. The job requirements for private school teachers depend on the school and its mission. Class sizes are normally smaller than in public schools, while facilities, equipment, and supplies vary based on the school, its resources, and the importance of sport and physical activity in the curriculum.

Professional Instruction

Instruction is a growth industry in sport and physical activity. As people pursue an increased number of physical activities, their need to learn and improve expands. This growth seems assured for years to come as an increasing number of senior citizens seek healthy retirement activities and children’s sports continue to grow in both quantity and quality. Tennis, personal fitness, scuba diving, golf, rock climbing, softball, bowling, and fly fishing are just a few of the activities demanding more and better teachers to serve the needs of passionate participants.

Professional instructors may be on the staff of a school, such as a sailing or ice climbing school, or may be independent business owners whose prime service is instruction. Specialized summer camps and schools that offer top-level instruction in traditional sports such as baseball, basketball, hockey, and volleyball, as well as more extreme sports such as kayaking, hang gliding, backpacking, mountain biking, or parachuting, have created further opportunities for sport and physical activity instructors. If a physical activity requires skill and knowledge, someone needs to teach it to the newly initiated and improve the skill and understanding of those who already participate.

Most professional instructors receive certification from a sanctioned, recognized professional organization. For example, the United States Professional Tennis Registry certifies tennis instructors, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors trains scuba instructors, and the Professional Golf Association of America and the Ladies Professional Golf Association both educate and certify golf instructors. If you are interested in pursuing a career as a professional instructor, a professional association can help you become adequately prepared and properly certified. A love of the activity and a strong commitment toward helping others learn is essential.

Coaching

Coaching opportunities are extensive. Coaches range from volunteers coaching a Saturday morning youth sports team to million-dollar salaried coaches of professional teams. The number of sports and the assorted performance levels in each sport have created a strong demand for good coaches at all levels.

In the United States, very few sports or states require a coach to be trained and certified. Preparation for coaching, in most cases, comes through observation as an athlete (Sage 1989b). Therefore, the level at which a person aspires to coach will depend largely on her level of competitive play. Coaching at the high school, college, or professional level normally requires playing experience at the respective level. Entry into coaching is traditionally done as an apprentice. That is, an aspiring coach usually functions as an assistant coach first, and after several years and multiple experiences, he is elevated to the head coach position. The length of the apprenticeship period varies depending on the sport and the level of competition. As a rule of thumb, the higher the level of competition, the longer the apprenticeship period.

Teaching Is Rewarding

There are many rewards, both internal and external, to be found in teaching and coaching. Internal rewards include those benefits that result in positive feelings about yourself and the job being accomplished. External rewards are the material and tangible benefits gained in teaching. Together, these rewards explain the satisfaction found in teaching and provide the motivation to teach well. For someone considering a career as a teacher or coach, it’s useful to examine the benefits this decision brings. As the sidebar story of Tubby Smith demonstrates, understanding what you find rewarding about teaching and coaching can often be essential for gaining those rewards.

What’s a Million Dollars Worth?

As I drove through rural Georgia with Tubby Smith, then head basketball coach at the University of Georgia, we discussed a recent offer he had received from a major midwestern University. We were on our way to Kenny Rogers’ farm for a photo shoot as part of a charity event for the local Boys and Girls Club. Tubby was a longtime fan of the famous singer and was looking forward to meeting him. Knowing both men, I too was looking forward to the meeting as