Susan Capel

Stress and Burnout in Teachers.

SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to determine causes of, and differences in, stress and burnout in 405 middle, upper, high school and sixth form college teachers in one Local Education Authority in England. Stress and bumout were generally low, but individual, e.g. locus of control, stability of personality; environmental, e.g. too much work, taking extra‐curricular activities, taking work home to do more often; and psychological, e.g. role conflict, role ambiguity; variables correlated with stress and burnout. Multiple regression analyses showed that high anxiety, spending more hours on work at home each time it was taken home and high role conflict collectively predicted stress, and high anxiety and high role conflict collectively predicted bumout. Role conflict, locus of control, stability of personality and anxiety were among the variables that accounted for significant differences in stress and bumout. There were no significant differences between headteachers and subject teachers or men and wom...

Primary physical education, coaches and continuing professional development

Physical education (PE) in primary schools has traditionally been taught by qualified primary teachers. More recently, some teaching of PE in primary schools has been undertaken by coaches (mostly football coaches). These coaches hold national governing body awards but do not hold teaching qualifications. Thus, coaches may not be adequately prepared to teach PE in curriculum time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of a group of community-based football coaches working in primary schools for the impact of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme on their ability to undertake ‘specified work’ to cover PE in primary schools. The programme focused on four areas identified as important to enable coaches to cover specified work: short- and medium-term planning, pedagogy, knowledge of the curriculum and reflection. Results showed that for the majority of coaches the CPD programme had made them more aware of the importance of these four areas and had helped to develop their knowledge and ability to put this into practice in covering planning, preparation and assessment time. However, further input is still required to develop coaches’ knowledge and understanding in all four areas, but especially their curriculum knowledge, as well as their ability to put these into practice consistently. These findings are discussed in relation to the implications of employing coaches to cover the teaching of PE in primary schools and, if employed, what CPD coaches need to develop the necessary knowledge, skill and understanding for covering specified work in schools.

SECONDARY PGCE PE STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE

PE teachers in England are required to teach a wide range of physical activities in order tofulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE). The content or subject knowledge necessary to teach all areas of activity in the NCPE is acknowledged as important, both in its own right and as giving students confidence and accuracy for subject application. Subject knowledge is identified as one of the standards for the award of qualified teacher status on completion of an initial teacher education course in England. However, students entering secondary Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) PE courses bring with them a variety of experiences, qualifications and subject knowledge to teach the areas of activity in theNCPE. Most students have a sports-related degree. However, such degrees may not include subjectknowledge appropriate to teach all six areas of activity in the NCPE. Students, therefore, are required to gain subject knowledge on their one year PGCE course. The purpose of this study wasto look at secondary PGCE PE students’ perceptions of amount of subject knowledge in the six areas of activity that comprise the NCPE. At the beginning of each of the second and third terms of their course (January and April) 27 students completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire included a question about knowledge in the six areas of activity in the NCPE and in specific games taught in many schools in England. Results suggested that there were differences in students’ perceptions of amount of subject knowledge. The highest percentage of students perceived good subject knowledge in traditional team games. The highest percentage of students perceived little subject knowledge in outdoor and adventurous activities (OAA) and dance. There were significant differences between male and female students’ perceptions of knowledge in OAA, swimming, football, netball and rounders. There were also significant differences in students’ perceptions of knowledge in dance, gymnastics, OAA and volleyball between the beginning of the second and third terms. Implications of the results are considered in relation to: (i) experiences which students require on PGCE courses to develop subject knowledge; (ii) selection procedures for secondary PGCE PE courses; and (iii) preparation of students for secondary PGCE PE courses on sports-related degree courses.

The interaction of factors which influence secondary student physical education teachers’ knowledge and development as teachers

The purpose of this study was to look at the influence of and interrelationships between concerns and socialization on the development of student physical education (PE) teachers’ knowledge for teaching and their development as teachers. Six secondary student PE teachers completed a journal on a monthly basis throughout the course of a one-year initial teacher education course. These student teachers and their mentors were interviewed in school towards the end of their course in June. Responses were analysed inductively. A major factor influencing these student teachers’ development throughout the year was their concerns about themselves, their teaching and the material they were to teach over-ridden by concern to pass the course. This was influenced by the student teachers’ socialization prior to and during the course. In turn, this influenced their views of the importance and value of knowledge developed on different parts of the course. The results are discussed in relation to student teachers’ development as teachers.

Responsibilities of subject mentors, professional mentors and link tutors in secondary physical education initial teacher education

Legislative changes in England, most notably the publication of Initial Teacher Training (Secondary Phase) (Circular 9/92 ) by the Department for Education (DfE, 1992), have resulted in the reorganisation of initial teacher education (ITE), including the introduction of school-based ITE. In school-based ITE, the responsibilities of higher education institution (HEI) and school-based staff have been reorganised and responsibility for mentoring of students in school has become key. Although there has been much research on the effectiveness of school-based ITE, and on the effectiveness of partnerships and of school-based mentors, there has been little research on whether perceptions of staff as to their own and others responsibilities are compatible and whether these match those identified in role descriptions for various staff involved with the course. The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of which staff had major and which had supporting responsibility for specific aspects of ITE courses, for supporting students in their development as teachers and to meet the standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and to compare these perceptions (1) among staff and students, and (2) with the responsibilities as identified in course documentation. Subject mentors, professional mentors, link tutors and students on four secondary physical education Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses answered a questionnaire identifying their perceptions of responsibilities for different aspects of the course. Course documentation that identified the responsibilities of the three groups of staff on the four courses included in the study was also considered. Results showed that perceptions of staff about their own and others responsibilities for different aspects of the course do not always match perceptions of other members of staff about responsibilities but perceptions of their own responsibilities generally match those identified in course documentation except in two specific areas; major responsibility for supporting students in their actual teaching in school and supporting students to reach the standards for further professional requirements. Results are considered in relation to implications for supporting students in their development as teachers. Implications for further research are also identified.

Making physical education relevant: Increasing the impact of initial teacher training

This paper is developed from concern that, despite a number of developments and initiatives in physical education over recent years, there has been little change in the teaching of the subject. This has resulted in many young people being alienated from physical education and therefore physical activity. The paper focuses on how initial teacher training (ITT) contributes to this lack of change by focusing on the development of knowledge for teaching and the technical competence to deliver this. It then considers ways in which ITT could contribute to developing ‘knowledgeable teachers’ who are able to make change. The paper focuses on two aspects identified as relevant for trainee physical education teachers: socialisation and knowledge for teaching. It recognises that the issues are complex and that change is difficult. It also recognises that ITT cannot change things by itself. However, it argues that by maintaining the status quo, the subject will not develop so that it is relevant to today’s youngsters.

Debates in Physical Education

Introduction Part I The nature of physical education Introduction to Part I 1. What is physical education? Susan Capel and Margaret Whitehead 2. What is the education in physical education? Margaret Whitehead 3. What is Physical Literacy and how does it impact on physical education? Margaret Whitehead Part II Learning in physical education Introduction to Part II 4. What should pupils learn in physical education? Elizabeth Murdoch and Margaret Whitehead 5. Physical education and health? Considerations and issues. Lorraine Cale and Jo Harris 6. What is success in physical education and how can this best be achieved? Val Rimmer Part III Teaching in physical education Introduction to Part III 7. Rethinking teacher knowledge in physical education: What do physical education teachers need to know? Daniel Tindall and Eimear Enright 8. Why do physical education teachers adopt a particular way of teaching? Susan Capel and Richard Blair 9. Are physical education teachers reflective practitioners? Paula Zwozdiak-Myers Part IV The key players in physical education Introduction to Part IV 10. Who is physical education for? Dawn Penney and John Evans 11. Who should teach physical education in curriculum and extra-curricular time? Richard Blair and Susan Capel 12. Public perceptions of physical education? Helen Ives and David Kirk Part V Looking ahead Introduction to Part V 13. Conceptualising teaching as learning...the challenge for teacher education Kathy Armour 14. What is the future for physical education in the 21st Century? David Kirk Conclusion 15. Conclusion Margaret Whitehead and Susan Capel

The development of knowledge for teaching physical education in secondary schools over the course of a PGCE year

There has been a considerable amount of work on what knowledge student teachers need to develop to become effective teachers. The purpose of this study was to look at the development of knowledge of student physical education teachers in England. Six secondary student physical education teachers completed a journal on a monthly basis throughout their one‐year course. The student teachers and their mentors were interviewed in school towards the end of their course in June. Responses were analysed inductively. Results showed that knowledge important to develop, knowledge developed and knowledge which still needs to be developed at the end of the course was all related to content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge which they could apply in the immediate practical teaching situation. The results are discussed in relation to the development of student physical education teachers knowledge for teaching.

A Longitudinal Study of the Stages of Development or Concern of Secondary PE Students

Much of the research on PE students’ concerns as they develop as teachers has looked at the intensity and/or causes of concern at one point in time or changes over the course of one school experience. Some of this research has been linked to stages of development or concern of students. Results of research on stages of development or concern have been mixed. The main purpose of this study was to identify the intensity and causes of concern of secondary PE students in England over a four year initial teacher education course. The sample comprised 85 PE students who responded after each of four school experiences to a questionnaire comprising two scales: The Teacher Concerns Questionnaire (George, 1978) and the Student Teacher Anxiety Scale (Hart, 1987), in order to measure changes in the intensity and causes of concern. Results showed that these students experienced a moderate level of concern after each school experience. These students were most concerned about themselves, but were also concerned about t...

A study of current practice in liaison between primary and secondary schools in physical education

The purpose of this study was to investigate current practice in liaison between primary and secondary schools to promote continuity and progression in physical education during the transfer of pupils from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 and to identify constraints to engaging in liaison activities. A questionnaire was completed by the head of the physical education department in secondary schools in five local education authorities in England that received pupils from primary schools in year 7 (n = 80) and by the physical education coordinator of the primary feeder schools of those secondary schools that responded to the questionnaire (n = 299). Results showed that 32 (43.8%) secondary teachers and 157 (53.4%) primary teachers identified that they had established contacts with their primary feeder schools or associated secondary schools respectively; and 49 (64.5%) secondary teachers but 114 (39.6%) primary teachers identified that currently they were engaged in liaison activities. There was a discrepancy between the percentages of teachers who indicated they had contacts with their primary feeder schools or associated secondary schools respectively, and who indicated they were engaged in liaison activities with them. These results suggested that contacts with and/or engagement in liaison activities between primary and secondary schools were not consistent across schools. A range of constraints for developing effective contacts/liaison activities were identified, with time being identified as the major constraint by both primary and secondary teachers. A range of suggestions for overcoming the constraints were also identified. These results are discussed in relation to findings from studies looking at liaison in other subjects and also in relation to the implications for schools.