Socialization Into Teaching Physical Education – Acculturative Formation of Perceived Strengths

Abstract

We studied if and how gender, the histories of physical activity (PA) and success in physical education (PE) are related to pre-service class teachers' (PCTs) perceived strengths in teaching PE (PSTPEs). Various backgrounds were considered to be environments of teacher socialization. The six data based categories of PSTPEs used in this study were: sportiness, teaching skills, positive attitude, encouragement, empathy and set no stress. The data from 386 first year Finnish PCTs were collected before their formal PE studies. Cross tabulation and binary logistic analyses were executed to expose the relationships and effects. The main findings of this study showed that pre-service teachers with more team oriented physical activity histories enter the formal teacher education perceiving to possess disciplinefocused teaching skills as their asset. On the contrary, the respondents with more individually oriented PA backgrounds perceived pupil-focused set no stress as their strength. Suggestive findings, that physically active, successful and team oriented pre-service teachers perceive more discipline-focused strengths (especially sportiness) while their colleagues with opposite histories perceived pupil-focused strengths (especially empathy) were also discussed. This study adds the existing data to information of the effects of acculturative formation of perceived strengths before the influence of formal teacher education studies in PE.

Full Issue 6(1)

“…In addition, acculturation from teaching and coaching experiences was also positively correlated with pre-service teachers' intentions to teach PE and perceived teaching strengths (Penttinen 2003;Valtonen, Reunamo, Hirvensalo, & Ruismäki, 2015). In addition, Kari (2016) reported recently with a follow-up study, that pre-service teachers' previous physical activity experiences were reflected in their development as PE teachers during the TE program.…”

Socialisation and learning to teach using the teaching personal and social responsibility approach

“…Acculturation examines the ways in which individuals are socialised into careers in PE through interactions with parents, teachers, coaches, and counselors while they are still school-aged children and adolescents (Valtonen, Reunamo, Hirvensalo, & Ruismäki, 2015). Enjoyment of sport and physical activity, positive experiences participating in school PE, and an interest in working with young people have been cited as factors that facilitate entry into the profession (Curtner-Smith, 2001;Curtner-Smith et al, 2008;Curtner-Smith & Sofo, 2004).…”

Importancia De Las Experiencias Previas en La Vocación Y Elección De La Titulación De Profesor Con Mención en Educación Física

“…En esta línea, estudios como el de Camina y Salvador (2007) constatan que entre el 70 y 80% de los estudiantes de magisterio de educación física se auto valoraban muy por encima de la media en resistencia a la fatiga y en agilidad para el deporte que los estudiantes de otras especialidades. Además la creencia de tener de altas capacidades para la práctica deportiva podría ser un leitmotiv para sentirse competente para enseñar en la educación primaria (VALTONEN et al, 2015), sobre todo por desconocimiento de la diversidad y proporción de contenidos que el currículum de educación física propone enseñar a lo largo de esta etapa.…”

“…Los futuros maestros de educación física, al igual que los entrenadores deportivos escolares, asimilan su cultura docente no sólo mediante vías formales y académicas, sino que, en un elevado grado, se socializan en su profesión a través del aprendizaje vicario adquirido desde sus primeras experiencias de educación física escolar y del deporte extraescolar (FEU; IBÁÑEZ; GOZALO, 2010;LORENZO;CAÑADAS, 2012;VALTONEN;REUNAMO;HIRVENSALO;RUISMÄKI, 2015). Las experiencias previas satisfactorias, sobre todo en los deportes de equipo, favorecen que los futuros docentes adquieran una percepción de competencia motriz que les hace creer que pueden ser más competentes en la profesión de maestro de educación física, ya que estos contenidos son los que creen que predominan en la educación primaria y secundaria (VALTONEN et al, 2015). El éxito y el gusto por el deporte parece ser uno de los motivos para iniciar los estudios de profesor de educación física (O'BRYANT;O'SULLIVAN;RAUDENSKY, 2000).…”