Background/Purpose Literature provides well-documented evidence that physical educators teach a subject perceived as low status and are marginalized pedagogues (Lock & Telljohann, 1995; Stevens-Smith, 2007). As a result, support provided by principals for their physical educators may influence the status and impact of the subject. In addition, backing from principals can help to reduce stress and even wash-out among physical education teachers (Blankenship & Coleman, 2009). Guided by the structuration theory (Giddens, 1984), the purpose of this study was to investigate principals' and their physical education teachers' perceptions of administrative support at elementary, middle and high school levels.
Method To gather rich and detailed information, three physical educators and their coinciding principals participated in individual semi-structured interviews each lasting from 30 to 45 minutes.
Analysis/Results Huberman and Miles Four Stage Process (1994) were used to inductively and deductively analyze the data. Results indicated that even though principal support was noted by both parties, incongruence existed between the extent of principal support and physical educators' perceptions of such support. Furthermore, the importance of physical education stressed by the teachers seemed at times to be undermined by principals' statements and actions.
Conclusions Increased awareness of what constitutes support in the views of principals and physical educators may lead to a greater understanding of how to improve or prepare for this relationship. This type of relevant information may also provide PETE with strategies to prepare future teachers for the realities of modern schools.
See more of: Research Consortium