Karen Richardson

Physical Education Teacher Education

JOPERD • Volume 82 No. 7 • September 2011 W hat role can physical education teacher education (PETE) play to reduce the marginalization of physical education in K-12 schools? The solution to the issues outlined in the introduction to this feature— such as low status, a shifting focus, and a lack of clear content standards in physical education—needs a response from all stakeholders, including PETE, which must be substantially altered if we are to reduce the marginality of physical education in schools. Recently, teacher education has faced much criticism, and attention has been focused on the need to radically transform it (Darling-Hammond, 2010). The current political landscape, with 1 billion dollars promised by the Obama administration to fundamentally reform teacher education and development, favorably positions teacher education for a dramatic redesign. The time is right for PETE to engage in the transformation that has been advocated in the larger teacher education community. Strong PETE programs are essential to reducing the marginalization of physical education. They include an integrated clinical curriculum, as well as an instructive curriculum, partnerships between schools of education and public schools, professional development schools, and mentoring and support for new teachers as an extension of preservice teacher education. This article will briefly explore problems in PETE that have contributed to the marginalization of physical education and then describe possible solutions.