Physical Education Teacher
Who Is A Physical Education Teacher?
Physical Education (PE) teachers are responsible for imparting physical training and education to students. This involves organising different types of games as well as activities that help students enhance their physical strength and fitness.
If you choose to become a PE teacher, you will help students attain physical fitness as well as become mentally stable and strong.
PE teachers also help students with overall wellness programmes. Recently, they have started including nutritional and health-related topics in their curriculum.
Roles & Responsibilities
Organising activities, sports events and other physical training programmes. As a PE teacher, you will have to conduct co-curricular activities in the form of sports for students. This also means arranging programmes as per the curriculum laid down by the school. Most schools have events like Sports Day, Parents Day, Annual Day, etc. These may include activities such as lemon and spoon race, hurdle race, tug of war competitions, as well as games like football, basketball, cricket, etc. As a PE teacher, you will be expected to monitor and coordinate these activities.
Introducing new ideas and a diverse sports curriculum. Teaching physical education has gone beyond the traditional approach of teaching basic games and physical activities. Today, a diverse range of games are included in the curriculum, and it is up to you, as a PE teacher, to know the latest updates and make important inclusions in your curriculum. For instance, you might decide to include exercises like Zumba, Pilates or water aerobics in your lesson plans.
Emphasising theoretical foundation. This means introducing books, articles and other types of academic literature to enhance the students’ knowledge of physical education. While most of your work involves practical training, you can also help your students gain theoretical knowledge by recommending reading material on healthcare, exercise techniques and nutrition.
Instilling teamwork and sportsmanship among students. As a PE teacher, you have to help your students maintain healthy relations while working together. This means teaching them to be united and standing up for one other. You will also have to teach them about accepting defeat with dignity and avoiding negative emotions like jealousy.
Arranging the required equipment and facilities for students. Apart from planning lessons, you will also have to arrange for the equipment needed for those lessons. Purchasing new equipment and maintaining it would be your responsibility. For instance, you should know if the cricket team needs new bats, or if there is a need to purchase more footballs, basketballs or badminton racquets.
Arranging sessions, seminars, conferences and guest lectures about the importance of physical education. You will invite guests or famous personalities from time to time and organise workshops that teach your students about nutrition, developments in physical training, etc. Guest speakers can motivate your students about a particular sport. You might also arrange for awareness workshops like anti-drug campaigns.
Take the Mentoria career assessment test, to find out how well-suited you are as a Physical Education Teacher.
What Skills Will I Need To Have To Do This Job Well?
As exciting as this sounds, there are some things you’ll need to learn to do the job right:
TEACHING AND INSTRUCTING SKILLS
You will instruct your students on playing a particular game or performing a specific activity. Right from introducing them to a particular exercise or sport to teaching them techniques to perfect it, your teaching skills will play an important role.
PHYSICAL FITNESS
You must’ve heard of the saying ‘practice what you preach’. Students need to look up to you for the values you’re teaching them and learn by example. Hence, your physical fitness is just as important as theirs.
INTERPERSONAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Each student learns differently, and it is up to you to get them interested in the activity and learn the correct way to do it. This is where your interpersonal and communication skills will come handy. You will also be in touch with parents/guardians and update them on the performance of the student, suggesting improvement areas and different ways to work on those areas.
IMPARTIAL AND MOTIVATIONAL SKILLS
Not every student who attends your class will have a natural affinity towards physical fitness. You will have to motivate them, understand their limitations and find the best way to help them be on par with the rest. This also means encouraging students who don’t like sports and find fun ways to get everyone involved in the activity.
What Will My Workplace Look Like?
PE teachers work in both private and public schools. You get to work outdoors and indoors, depending on the nature of the activity. For instance, you might conduct Zumba or aerobics indoors, while sports like cricket and football can be arranged on open grounds. Some schools also have indoor stadiums to conduct such sports.
You might also conduct summer camps or seasonal adventure programmes. This will require you to travel as well.
You might choose to teach simpler activities at a junior level or more intense sports at a senior secondary level. You could also act as the coach for specific sports teams in schools.
What Is My Scope For Career Growth As A Physical Education Teacher?
While there are several job opportunities for PE teachers, your growth depends on the skills you bring to the table. Apart from physical fitness, a basic understanding of computers will help you get promoted to a managerial role. You will also have to attend workshops, seminars and other educational platforms for PE teachers. This enables you to develop your skill-set and advance your knowledge about existing opportunities in the field.
An advanced degree will help you move on to specialised fields like physical therapy, sports medicine, educational leadership, fitness management, etc. Some PE teachers with an excellent sports achievement record also move on to become coaches for various state and district level teams.
Thinking of a career as a Physical Education Teacher? Take the Mentoria assessment test & talk to our career counsellors to get personalized step-by-step guidance for your future career path.
How Much Will I Get Paid?
The exact number depends on the type of institution where you are employed. It also depends on the years of experience you are armed with. We can give you a general idea.
A PE teacher earns between INR 1,80,000 to INR 5,40,000 per annum on a general range in India. This will, of course, increase with experience.
Okay, I'm sold. This is amazing 4-Step Career Roadmap
STEP 1: Class XI-XII/Junior College
You could choose any stream at this level, although science would be a preferred option. We recommend pursuing physical education as a subject.
STEP 2: Graduation
The primary requirement is graduating in a subject that offers knowledge about health and fitness related issues. There are various Bachelor of Science (BSc) programmes that cover physical education training. You could also specialise in subjects related to exercise physiology, health teaching methods as well as applied physical education.
Licensure is an important step after graduation and a prerequisite for private and public schools.
Your qualifications will vary as per standards set by the institution you apply to. If the curriculum is advanced, a master’s degree might be necessary.
STEP 3: Land a Job
Once you complete your graduation and get your license, you should be able to find a job at certain institutions.
Congratulations, you are now officially a PE teacher!
STEP 4: Post-graduation
A master’s degree is important for career advancement as a PE teacher. It improves your chances for promotion and helps you get an increase in salary. A master’s degree can be pursued in any relevant field of physical education.
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