QUALITY DAILY PHYSICAL E D U C A T I O N

Can Anyone Plan a Quality

Physical Education Program?
A Q&A Session with Dr. David Chorney

F or many years now, PHE Canada has advocated for

quality daily physical education. Has this advocacy helped
to ensure that all students from coast to coast receive quality
daily physical education? The answer is no, but should this
answer imply that the advocacy and behef that QDPE across
Canada for every boy and girl attending school is unattain-
able? Again, I say the answer is no. As a former teacher of only
physical education for seven consecutive years, I was fortunate
to have the support, understanding, and finances to Dr. David Chorney is an Assistant
implement a physical education program that benefited all Professor in the Department of
Secondary Education, Faculty of
students in the community in which I was employed. Did Education at the University of Alberta.
Teaching responsibilities and research
every one of the 450 students in my school have access to a interests include curriculum and
physical education class each day? No, they did not. instruction in physical education,
curriculum theorizing in physical
education, along with technology
What they did\\zvt was access to an intra- To be responsible for planning and orga- inte^ation in physical education.
mural program, a well-equipped and edu- nizing a school physica] education pro-
cationally stocked equipment room, and gram is a challenging, demanding, yet
an educated professional in the field of potentially very rewarding opportunity.
physical education who was hired for the Should one's view of teaching a single
intent of planning and teaching a pro- physical education class differ from one's ing the required skills, knowledge, or edu-
gram that followed the provincially-man- cational background to adopt such a
view of having the responsibility of plan-
responsible position. Thus, this single PE
dated curriculum. Could every student in ning an entire school physical education
class for which they are responsible may
my former school have received quality program? In each scenario children are at
take on a more recreational style. There
daily physical education? The answer is the heart of the matter and are the essen-
may be little emphasis on personal skill
yes; but numerous issues would have had tial component of why we, as teachers, are
acquisition or improvement and litde
to be addressed for this to occur. Is the even employed. The difference for some attention paid to appropriate assessment
location or age range of students where I people who are responsible for teaching and evaluation. The teacher might
taught physical education any diffèrent one physical education class versus having employ a programmatic approach using a
from other locations across Canada? No, the responsibility of planning an entire "sport model" style wheteby every student
but the issues of addressing and imple- school PE program is that they may not in class is asked to engage in warm up
menting quality daily physical education see the "big picture" or they have simply games followed by more traditional games
are the same. been assigned one PE class without hav- as the primary emphasis of the lesson.

12 PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

What does a typical physical education
program look like across Canada today?
Regardless of the children's race, colour,
socioeconomic status, or location, many
programs across the country have an eeri-
ly similar tone. Having discussed the
issues related to the field of physical edu-
cation and the teaching of physical educa-
tion with colleagues from across Canada
and abroad for almost twenty years, it is
apparent that many of the same issues and
concerns have been continuously raised.
These issues include:
• Too many PE teachers teach only tradi-
tional sports to all students year after year.
• Not enough attention is paid to help-
ing each student improve his or her
skills and to improving their personal
self-worth.
\NhQt does a typical physical
education program look like across
Canada today? Regardless of the
children's race, colour, socioeconomic
status, or location, many programs
across the country have an eerily
similar tone.
Assessment and evaluation are an after-
thought as opposed to an essential
primary goal in the overall planning
process.
Appropriate and detailed planning for
every PE class does not really occur;
provincially-mandated outcomes or
grade level stanclards are overlooked.
By devoting as much time and effort to
their coaching responsibilities as their
teaching responsibilities, teachers would
help many students to improve and,
subsequently, a better PE program
would likely result.
Some PE teachers never take their
students outside of the gymnasium for
their physical education classes. Many
physical education programs ignore
content focusing on dance education,
outdoor education, gymnastics educa-
tion, and non-traditional individual or
team activities.
The list of issues and concerns is lengthy
and I simply wanted to convey some of
my opinions, and those developed
through discussion with other profession-
als in the field. When someone within our
fraternity reads the aforementioned list of
concerns and issues, what do they think?
Are they offended? Do they agree? Do
they try to justify any of these issues and
concerns to make themselves feel better
about the job they are doing? Answers to
these questions vary even among PE spe-
cialists. Is it any wonder, then, that teach-
ers outside the field of physical education
are often unable to provide the type
of quality physical education that we
advocate?
The question goes deeper than whether a
quality d/iily physical education program
can be offered to all students across
Canada. The question may not even be
whether a quality physical education
program can be offered to all students
across Canada, since many schools
currently employ teachers with no
physical education background at all.
Rather, the question may be who is
running the schools physical education
SUMMER - É T É 2 0 1 0 1 3
program? And who is accountable for ¡fit is run by teachers with a physicai education
ensuring that physical education is being
planned for and taught as required by the baci<ground, educated in the pedagogy and iinowledge
province or territory within which the
within a respected PETE program, then hopefuily the list
school is located? If it ¡s run by teachers
with a physical education background, of aforementioned issues and concerns are irrelevant,.
educated in the pedagogy and knowledge
within a respected PETE program, then
hopefully tbe list of aforementioned is.sues
and concerns are irrelevant; hopefiilly
these teachers offer a quality physical edu-
cation program. However, if a school
physical education program is left to the
responsibility of teachers with no physical
education background and who have lit-
tle interest in improving their personal
knowledge base in the area, can we hon-
estly believe things will change in those
particular schools anytime soon?

Editor's Not« Dr. Chorney raises a number

of interesting and important questions in
this article. We invite readers to respond
to this article and offer their opinions or
reactions to the important issues raised.

Register as a Full Conference Delegate

(with accomodations) for a chance to
WIN an Apple ¡Pad!

National Conference
October 21-23, 2010
Ocioher The Westin Harbour Castle -Toronto, Ontario

21-23 2010 Delegates for this year's national conference will include
elementary and secondary teachers, administrators,
Toronio, Oniario health and physical education consultants,
public health professionals, recreation leaders,
and others interested in the health of children and youth«^.
For more information: "
www.phecanada.ca/toronto2010/eng/main.htm

PHE Canada

14 PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

Copyright of Physical & Health Education Journal is the property of CAHPERD and its content may not be
copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written
permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.