Trading Places: From Physical Education Teachers to Teacher Educators

Abstract

Recently, there has been an increase in research on becoming teacher educators, yet little is known about becoming physical education teacher educators (PETE). Responding to concerns about the current state of doctoral PETE programs and inadequate preparation of novice teacher educators, this paper explores our transition from high school teaching to university-based PETE. Employing self-study methodologies we used ourselves as data gathering tools to improve our understandings of self and practice. Our analysis showed that we struggled with the transition from teacher to teacher educator, primarily in navigating the different pedagogies required in teacher education. Based on our high school and PETE experiences, we drew on different sources to shape our respective pedagogies of teacher education. Future PETEs may benefit from structured learning about teaching teachers where they can discover and explore teacher education theory and practice, or be provided with opportunities to observe experienced colleagues and engage in discussion about PETE programming and practice with mentors.

The Challenges of Models-Based Practice in Physical Education Teacher Education: A Collaborative Self-Study

“…As we have outlined in previous collaborative self-studiesthat we have conducted together (Casey and Fletcher, 2012) connected coherently (or seemed disconnected); make explicit his tacit knowledge of 299 teaching to student teachers, and identify challenges and ways forward for future practice. 300…”

“…Cumulatively, there were over 1500 diary entries containing more 302 than 300 000 words. Elsewhere (Casey & Fletcher, 2012), we have outlined how we used our 303 reflective diaries and fieldnotes as "literature of place" (Kelly, 2005) to situate ourselves back 304 at the time of our written experiences. Similarly, Ham and Kane (2004) refer to such data as 305 an archive "that serves as an ongoing stimulus to even more data" (p. 114).…”

Education: a space to survive and thrive?

“…We would argue that being a teacher educator or a sport pedagogy scholar in a College of Education or Science, in a Department of Human Movement Studies or in a Teacher Education Department is not the central defining characteristic of progressing your career. What matters is that the conditions of your department, the attitude of yourself and your colleagues and the priorities of the department align with your capacities and interests (Casey & Fletcher, 2012). The onus is then on all academics with mentors to regularly review and seek to enhance that alignment.…”

Paying the piper: the costs and consequences of academic advancement

“…This reflective diary, which at the time of analysis contained more than six years (2190 days) of daily reflections, offered a space in which to generate a narrative of his diverse experiences working in the university environment. Elsewhere (Casey & Fletcher, 2012;Fletcher & Casey, 2014), we have described how our respective reflective diaries serve as an archive or 'literature of place' (Kelly, 2005). Ham and Kane (2004) suggest that reflective diaries and other forms of self-generated data act 'as an ongoing stimulus to even more data ' (p. 114).…”

“…Of these, most were concerned with the nature and extent of preparation to become teacher educators, either in postgraduate programmes or in the early moments of their academic careers (cf. Casey & Fletcher, 2012;Dodds, 2005;Fletcher & Casey, 2014;Lee & Curtner-Smith, 2011;Parker, Sutherland, Sinclair, & Ward, 2011;Williamson, 1993) with few exploring experiences beyond induction.…”