The purpose of this research note is to introduce and overview both the teaching and research applications of autobiographical essay writing. Grounded in occupational socialization theory and teacher reflection, the authors propose that autobiography can be a powerful tool in helping preservice and in-service teachers more deeply reflect on their…

Purpose: Grounded in self-determination theory, this study examined factors of secondary early field experiences that preservice teachers consider significant and how these experiences impact them as educators. Method: Preservice teachers (N = 13) completed two 10-week early field experiences, one at each level--middle school and high school. Data…

Scholars have identified Physical Education (PE) as a marginalized subject within schools. This may lead to feelings of isolation, marginalization and reality shock and may end in washing out of best practice or exiting from the profession altogether. Some Physical Educators choose to leave the K-12 classroom and pursue a career in teacher…

Many adolescents lack the requisite physical preparation for sport participation and PA. Multi-sport participation and resistance training during youth (age 5-11) and adolescence (age 12-17) years can positively affect physical activity levels, health outcomes, and promote long-term athletic development (LTAD). The National Strength and…

Purpose: Building on research surrounding the occupational socialization of physical educators, scholars have begun asking questions about how physical educators are socialized within graduate programs both at the master's and doctoral levels. As a part of a larger longitudinal investigation, the purpose of this study was to understand how…

The purpose of this study was to understand the unique stressors faced by physical educators working in New York City schools. Participants included 34 New York City physical educators who participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences teaching in an urban context. Qualitative data analysis resulted in the construction of four…

This article provides a brief overview of teacher/coach role conflict and possible implications if inappropriately managed. Following this, the authors provide suggestions on how to prepare pre-service teachers (PSTs) to manage this conflict by outlining coursework to be included in physical education teacher education programming and practical…

Few can argue the marginalized status of physical education in today's schools, making the advocacy skills of physical educators and preservice teachers (PSTs) increasingly important. This article will describe how visibility and relationship building can be utilized as advocacy efforts. Following this, we will provide suggestions for how to…

Lawson (1983a) offered that an individuals' experiences as students in schools are significant in shaping their views of teaching. Pajares (1992) argued that a teacher's perceptions of the classroom are a product of their experiences as students. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical education (PE) pre-service…

The affective domain can be difficult to teach and define and is underactualized in Physical Education (PE) and Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE). Through the lens of Occupational Socialization Theory (OST), affective domain issues are understood as more significant problems within the PE enterprise, starting with PETE faculty members'…

An educator's perception of teaching is often shaped by their personal experiences in the K-12 classroom as a student. These experiences can impact how they approach many aspects of the teaching profession. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical education (PE) pre-service teachers and their conceptions of…

Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is comprised of knowledge of pedagogy, students, content, and environmental context. Physical education preservice teachers (PTs) initially develop knowledge of pedagogy followed by concurrent emergence of knowledge of students and content. Development of environmental contextual knowledge (e.g., political,…

Physical educators face many daily challenges in their work. Delivering culturally responsive programming that speaks to all students regardless of race, religion, nationality, gender, and motor abilities (Kozub & Hodge, 2014) is one of these challenges. Teachers who build a meaningful physical educational environment with skilled activities…

Researchers have begun using occupational socialization theory to understand the experiences of physical education teacher education doctoral students and faculty members. Comparatively little work has been done with graduate students pursuing research-focused masters' degrees. These programs can serve as pipelines into PhD programs and have…

Previous research has illustrated that physical educators feel their subject is valued less than others in the context of schools. However, to date, no instruments have been developed to measure physical education teachers' perceptions of mattering. This study sought to propose and validate the Perceived Mattering Questionnaire--Physical Education…