Background/Purpose
Teacher education programs have limited immediate and long-term impact upon the values and practices of pre-service teachers (Freese, 2006). Often lessons learned are at risk of being dismissed on entering the field as beginning teachers divert back to socialized teaching practices experienced as a student during their apprenticeship of observation (Goldstein, 2002). To maximize impact of teacher education, voices of teachers can provide powerful insights into the realities of teaching. The purpose of the study was to examine in-service physical education teachers' recommendations regarding the first year of teaching.
Method
As a component of a physical education graduate program, in-service physical education teachers were asked to craft letters outlining teaching insights that they now know that would have been helpful in learning to teach. Letters from forty participants were analyzed using open and axial coding (Corbin & Strauss, 2008).
Analysis/Results
Four themes were identified: 1) making connections by building relationships, 2) being prepared, 3) continued learning, and 4) teacher characteristics. Relationships with support staff, administrators/teachers, and parents were of utmost importance. Being prepared through planning and organizing was labeled imperative. Continued learning referred to the building of skills and knowledge throughout one's career. Personal teacher characteristics centered on integrity and ethics.
Conclusions
Physical Education Teacher Education programs currently convey the technical (e.g. being prepared) aspects of teaching. Yet, according to these teachers, there is more to teaching than technical aspects. Additional emphasis is needed on both the inter- and intrapersonal components of building relationships and developing personal teacher characteristics.