Career as Physical Education Teacher

A physical education or fitness teacher gives students instructions about sports, health, physical development, and proper nutrition. A physical education teacher has acquired a lot of knowledge about sports and health sciences. He/she teaches students various immunity-boosting sports games and physical activities for muscles and complete body health. Physical education teachers design the duration of their class so that it becomes more engaging and fun for students to involve in physical activities and exercise-based learning. 

A physical education teacher has to be physically fit as they instruct multiple classes about physical activities. They teach students both indoor as well as outdoor game activities. They teach the younger students how to play various sports activities and exercises. They are accountable for organizing the physical fitness classes that involve physical activities such as exercises and games, preparation and maintenance of gym equipment. A physical education teacher must possess a strong background in sports and communication. Effective communication skills are required to engage in communication with students and instruct them on exercises.  A physical education teacher generally holds a degree in the specialization of teaching exercise, physical science, physical fitness or related subjects with a duration of four years. Many physical education teachers serve as faculty advisors for student clubs in schools.

Adequate distribution

A physical education teacher holds the responsibility to provide adequate sports equipment to each child so it gets sufficient for everyone. Physical Education teachers should make sure that every student is getting a chance to play and participate in activities.

Time management

A physical education teacher has to manage his time while instructing students and engaging in conversation with students to make them familiar with the importance of physical health. Inadequate time management can lead to decrease in the number of students.

Planning activities

A physical education teacher has to plan activities that involve maximum participation in the practices. He/ she needs to segregate the students according to their interests in sports. Activities that come under Physical Education are jumping rope, playing soccer, lifting weights, day to day activities such as walking and running.

Structuring

A physical education teacher has to structure the class to ensure the students are physically fit to learn more practices and exercises. Physical education teachers need to tell the importance of fitness and sports so that students can participate more and more in the activities.

Informing

A physical education teacher has to communicate with other class teachers and inform them of the needs and benefits of adding small physical activities to the school day. Physical education teachers need to inform the students if any activity is going to take place in the coming days, so that students can prepare themselves accordingly.

Nutritionist: The science that investigates physiological and metabolic responses of the body towards food and diet involving the causes, treatments, and prevention of diseases is known as nutrition. A nutritionist is a professional who directly deals with the people and suggests to them the best diet plans to improve their metabolism and cure diseases caused by under or overdose of some nutrients in a regular diet.

Aerobics Instructor: An aerobic instructor trains and assesses people of different age groups, abilities and sports professionals in the best practices of aerobics. He/she provides guidance and helps clients to attain physical fitness and maintain it. He/she choreographs or sets music to aerobic exercises to moderate low and high-intensity exercises.

Athletic Coach: Athletic coaches give instructions and guide athletes to prepare for competition. Coaches guide athletes with the best practices to play individually and in a team. Sports such as football, basketball, hockey, baseball, tennis, soccer and golf require team spirit for healthy competition. Athletic coaches instruct the best practices of team spirit for effective and healthy competition. Athletic coaches are considered experts of their sports in terms of strategies, techniques or rules of the sports.   

The work schedule of physical education remains the same every day. Either physical education teachers instruct in a gymnasium or outdoor recreation areas of the school. Either they work in offices or attend school meetings. During summer break or mid-session break, they plan fitness classes for students and teachers as well.  Physical education teachers often stay busy in their offices completing paperwork. A physical education teacher’s responsibility includes maintaining and moving fitness equipment. Physically fit teachers are considered role models of students. 

Their responsibilities also include duties such as supervision of lunchrooms and hallways during recess. Sometimes they may also perform bus duties if required. They attend faculty meetings as well as parents-teachers meetings. 

Does Physical Education Teacher require travelling?

Likely

A physical education teacher may occasionally require traveling. The purpose of traveling is to ensure the participation of students in sports competitions with students from other schools.

Employment Shifts

Full Time

A physical education teacher works full time as per the school’s regular schedule. The career does not bring choices of part-time, hourly basis, work from home, or on-call work in the employment shift. A physical education teacher works from early morning to mid-evening. Sometimes their work hours may stretch due to participation in sports competitions.

Employment Nature

Contractual, Permanent

A physical education teacher works on contractual as well as permanent terms. Most commonly, a physical education teacher is hired on contractual terms with a duration of one year.

Work Place

On-Field, Office

A physical education teacher works in an office and often stays busy in the completion of paperwork. He/she is hired in schools, gyms, and other fitness institutes to instruct the physical exercises and maintain fitness equipment. He/she works for seven hours a day and 35 hours a week. Their work hours may stretch during sports competitions with other schools.

Presence in Geographical Area

Semi-urban, Urban

The cities with a developed education system and awareness among parents about the complete physical development of their child ensure the employment of physical education teachers. Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Gwalior and other developing cities have flourished with employment opportunities.

Time Pressure

Not Likely

There is little to no time pressure in the profession. Physical education teacher is generally required to work six to seven hours per day and six days a week. The work schedule of physical education remains the same every day. Either physical education teachers instruct in a gymnasium or outdoor recreation areas of the school. Either they work in offices or attend school meetings.

Overtime Details

A physical education teacher works in an office and often stays busy in the completion of paperwork. He/she is hired in schools, gyms, and other fitness institutes to instruct the physical exercises and maintain fitness equipment. He/she works for seven hours a day and 35 hours a week. Their work hours may stretch during sports competitions with other schools.

Weekly Hours of Work

Min 35 Hours

A physical education teacher works in an office and often stays busy in the completion of paperwork. He/she is hired in schools, gyms, and other fitness institutes to instruct the physical exercises and maintain fitness equipment. He/she works for seven hours a day and 35 hours a week. Their work hours may stretch during sports competitions with other schools.

Learning skills: A physical education teacher should understand and learn the implications of new information for both current and future decision-making and problem-solving. To stay in a similar pace with rising industry patterns, learning should be an integral part of the education. Whether you are attempting to strengthen your skillset or want to be promoted at a greater position, learning is important to keep your skills sets updated and employable. Understanding how and where to learn easily in a career can help you to get to be more efficient in your work as a teacher.

Systems analysis: System analysis is essential because through the different tasks associated with doing the research, offers an opportunity for approaches within the framework. Through all of these numerous aspects, the effectiveness and efficiency of a system have been successfully improved or strengthened, and errors could be decreased in the end. A physical education teacher should be able to determine and educate students on how environmental changes, changes in conditions and operations will affect the outcomes.   

Social orientation: The social orientations are established from either the background of the family, or from socializing and the workplace culture. These orientations establish reasonable and fair attitudes toward others in the workplace. Orientation cultivates the esteem of teaching assistants and allows them to adapt to the learning environment. It leads to making instructional processes more efficient and successful. A physical education teacher should be able to perceive others’ emotions and reactions and understand the reasons behind such reactions.

Coordination: Coordination is the coordination, alignment, arrangement of the team members' activities to maintain the unity of operation in the fulfilment of shared objectives. Management intends to attain teamwork through its fundamental planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling operations. Teachers have to always be willing to listen to their students and also explain clearly small details. To present the content, the teachers require simplicity of thought and language. To communicate to their students, they ought to be able to split the complicated theories into simplified sections and shorter steps. A physical education teacher is required to effectively coordinate with others for adjusting actions with others' actions.

Compassion: Teachers should design regular empathy and compassion by admiring students on their achievements, asking for information regarding their weekends and vacation activities. Teachers should demonstrate sensitivity by eliminating classroom management strategies which embarrass or pressure students in a public place to tackle problematic activities. A physical education teacher should be compassionate to help people.

Persuasion: Persuasion and influence are indeed abilities of leadership or management but persuasion is not always about influence. Persuasion is to encourage others to do something you would like them to do. Influence on the other side is a part of your identity. A physical education teacher must have strong persuasive skills to make others change their mindset and behaviour.

Managerial skill: To be a successful expert in the field, an educator would need to improve management skills like teaching practice, classroom management, time management, interaction, student responsibility and self-learning management. A physical education teacher should be able to manage fitness equipment, motivate people, develop, and direct people for physical activities.

Deputy head: The role of the deputy's head is considered senior-most. He/she holds accountability towards the overall development and progress of students. He/she ensures students receive the opportunity to achieve their potential. He/she aims to build up enthusiasm in students to increase participation in sports activities

Headteacher physical education: The work responsibilities of P.E. headteachers include managing physical education staff within the school. They ensure regular and informative contact with the staff, pupils, and parents of pupils. They develop learning skills in students in consultation with deputy heads and other staff members. They help students pursue their interests other than academic activities

Curriculum leaders: The work responsibility of curriculum leaders involves the management of staff and resources, teaching, and learning activities. Curriculum leaders individually hold the accountability of curriculum development, IB implementation, and promoting students’ learning. 

Specialist leaders of education: Specialist leader’s role is considered mid or senior level depending upon the size of the institution. They work below the deputy head, headteacher, curriculum leader, and school business manager. It requires an experience of two years to become the specialist leader of a particular field or subject.

There is an expected job growth of 8 percent in recent years for the physical education teaching career. Parents are being more aware of their child’s overall development. They demand physical education teachers in schools for the overall learning and growth of their children.

The P.E. Teachers having an expert level knowledge of kinesiology and appropriate nutrition as per age-level have more lucrative opportunities in this career. The demand for physical education teachers is increasing with the increase in diseases caused by modern-day lifestyle and food habits. Nowadays, children are more prone to suffer from obesity and other diseases affecting their years of growth. The physical education teachers having a fit body are role models for their students. The employment rate in this sector is affected by the enrollment of students. More the number of enrolled students ensures more employment opportunities for physical education teachers.