Michael Maina

Unfit to Teach.

Purpose: Physical education (PE) teachers appear to have a powerful influential effect on learners in the instructional environ-ment through the manner in which they model those behaviors and practices they espouse. The purpose of this study was to determine if Georgia secondary PE teachers are capable of modeling Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) standards, as determined by FitnessGram 9, at a level that secondary students perceive as fit. Method: One hundred forty-eight participants (112 males, 36 females) ranging in age from 23 to 55 years (M = 37, SD = 8.5) were assessed independently using the FitnessGram 9 protocols for Aerobic Capacity via the 20-meter PACER test, Muscular Strength and Endurance via the push-up and curl-up tests, Flexibility via the single leg sit-and-reach test, and Body Composition via the height and weight BMI test. Assessments occurred during the 2015–2016 school year. Participants represented 64 of the 193 state public school districts, including 86 of the 954 secondary schools. Results: Males performed significantly below the HFZ in all of the areas, with the exception of upper body muscular strength and endurance. Females scored significantly below the HFZ in the majority of areas, with the exceptions of upper body and abdominal muscular strength and endurance. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that male and female secondary PE teachers within the state of Georgia are unable to perform the majority of FitnessGram tests within the HFZ designated for adults—a score of > 17—and are therefore likely to be perceived by students as hypocritical, which thereby undermines their instructional effectiveness. Subscribe to TPE

Strategies for More Effective Demonstrations

This article presents a few examples of effective demonstration strategies that will help physical education teachers convey important skill information to their students.

Initiative Games in Physical Education: A Practical Approach for Teaching Critical Thinking Skills--Part 1.

As teachers prepare children for the future, the need for developing critical thinking skills in students becomes clearly evident. One way to promote this process is through initiative games. Initiative games are clearly defined problems that a group must find a solution to through cooperation, physical effort and cognitive functioning. The purpose of this article is to provide a series of five initiative games that can be used as a part of any team-building or initiative-game centered unit within a physical education curriculum for upper elementary through high school students. The activities described will appropriately address several SHAPE America National Standards for K-12 Physical Education. Each initiative game presented will include the activity name, a description, rules and conditions, equipment, organizational layout of the problem, and safety considerations.

Practical Advice for Teachers and Coaches: Handling Acute Athletic Injuries

Safety concerns are among the first considerations in the design and implementation of any curriculum. However, in the dynamic worlds of physical education and coaching, athletic injuries will inevitably arise, regardless of the proactive strategies in place. These situations will vary in nature, and the students or athletes risk of further damage following an injury could potentially hinge on the care provided by the teacher or coach within the first few minutes of the injury. Due to a lack of education and preparation, current physical education teachers and school-based coaches typically feel uncomfortable implementing injury management practices. Yet, physical educators and coaches have a responsibility to be trained in basic immediate care for acute athletic injuries. With ankle sprains being the most common form of athletic injury, this article will focus on preventative and reactive strategies for such an injury. Through proper planning, instruction and reaction, teachers and coaches can minimize ankle injuries and successfully treat them.

Non-Traditional Muscular Strength and Endurance Activities for Elementary and Middle School Children

Over the past decade many muscular strength and endurance routines have been introduced to children and adults toward improving overall health and fitness. When performed correctly, there are countless benefits to performing weight bearing resistance-type exercises to develop the upper, lower, and core areas of the body. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE, 2004) has indicated that quality physical education programs must address and require students to participate in muscular strength and endurance activities on a regular basis. In a time when many schools are currently experiencing significant budgetary cuts and/or restrictions, physical educators have come upon a challenging era to provide or replace various types of exercise equipment targeting muscular strength and endurance. The purpose of this article is to provide low-cost or no-cost exercises using milk jugs, surgical tubing, and playground apparatus that will improve muscular strength and endurance for elementary-age and middle school-age children. Specifically, 20 examples of muscular strength and endurance exercises are provided, targeting improved personal health. All activities within the article align with Standards 3 and 4 of a quality physical education program, as indicated by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE, 2004).