Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Teacher training - primary - sports

24 replies

FillYerBootsSanta · 04/12/2013 11:49

Hello

In your opinion, please tell me what qualities you would like to see in your primary school sports teacher.

I will be embarking on my teacher training next year and would greatly appreciate input from parents at primary as to what your expectations are from your schools sports teacher.

Thankyou so much.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

treas · 04/12/2013 12:07

Someone not scared of competition and who doesn't make the children do dance all the time

Theas18 · 04/12/2013 12:15

"primary sports teacher" ...

Umm not sure as IIRC PE is taught by generalist teachers in state primaries isn't it?

I would dearly love a sports specialist teacher who can value the "PE dunces" as well as the stars. This isn't impossible but doesn't seem to happen much.

I've said before and I'll say again the PE teachers at the secondary school are my heros because my " PE dunce" (her term not mine) daughter went to gym club happily and voluntarily in year 7 ish and spent most of it trying a failing to master the forward roll- yet they kept it so she still wanted to go there.

Differentiation works OK I think in academic subjects but can it be made to work in competitive games. I don't see how?

(from a PE dunce who has only just found that swimming is sort of enjoyable as excercise umm 30yrs after leaving school!)

petteacher · 04/12/2013 13:22

Sad cooincidence just read in todays Times that a 12 year old girl died after gym fall Just how tragic is tha?

petteacher · 04/12/2013 13:24

We must try and keep a sense of proportion .The school said at the inquest, they would look into the practises.

petteacher · 04/12/2013 13:28

As an oldie, I would argue that COMPETITION is not for everyone. We also need good people who dont always need to win or compete. Poets, priests, writers, saints etc

CanIMakeItToChristmas · 04/12/2013 14:35

And teachers that recognise some children are scared of the swimming pool, high gym bars, etc. and not bully them into doing it. Yes encourage but show a little empathy!

lljkk · 04/12/2013 18:04

someone who doesn't try to play footie with them in flip-flops?

petteacher · 05/12/2013 10:33

MakeittoChristmas. I agree some PE teachers can be very forceful They need to watch it Any PEs posting here? Give us the lowdown please

OldBeanbagz · 05/12/2013 11:58

treas are your DC at school with mine? Dancing with girls is NOT A SPORT as far as my DS is concerned!

I would like to see a wider variety of sports being offered as there are plenty of girls who don't like netball and boy who don't like football.

DD was completely put off sport (netball was played obsessively) in Primary but is flourishing in Y7.

treas · 05/12/2013 18:31

No competition isn't for everyone but how will children find out it's not for them if they aren't allowed to have running races with winners and losers at sports day?

mrz · 05/12/2013 18:52

Personally never encountered a primary school sports teacher

ILoveRacnoss · 05/12/2013 19:19

Some primaries school do use coaches for PE during the class teacher's PPA cover. They do not usually have QTS though.

The qualities that I wish I had more of are:

Skills and knowledge of the rules in all the sports I am expected to cover.
Knowing how to encourage the ones who hate that particular sport.
Knowing how to stretch the ones who know far more than I do because they play that sport all weekend.
Gymnastics. All of it. It scares me!

saadia · 05/12/2013 19:23

Someone who has a good understanding of what is safe for children to do eg the correct way to do a forward roll or to land safely when jumping.

saadia · 05/12/2013 19:24

The pe teacher at my primary school used to be a high school teacher. He takes all the classes except Reception for PE and is brilliant.

desertgirl · 05/12/2013 19:31

we have primary school sports teachers in my kids' school - perhaps it is more common in either larger schools or private schools (we are in the ME, it's an international school)

Can't add anything very helpful, just mentioning that they obviously do exist

mrz · 05/12/2013 19:46

We have a PE coach who supports the class teacher when teaching PE but they aren't a Primary PE teacher

jo164 · 05/12/2013 21:18

I am a primary school PE Teacher - so we do exist :-) I did a BA(Ed) Hons degree in Physical Education and maths, and although all of our teaching pracs were done in secondary, nothing states that we aren't qualified to teach 4-11 age range. Admittedly I do teach in a private school, however I think having specialist teachers - not coaches, would be a great asset to any primary school.

Offer a broad range of sports including a balance of Games and PE activities such as gym, dance, swimming, fitness etc.
Offer competitive activities. Including some that are inclusive/not selected for on talent alone.
Differentiate well in class so every child feels that they have achieved something in your lesson.
If you are training to be a primary teacher, you probably won't get a huge amount of PE specific training - take extra courses/qualifications so that you are confident to deliver all areas, such as gymnastics/swimming.
Demonstrate that you value effort as much as achievement.

mrz · 05/12/2013 21:21

Primary schools do have teachers who have specialised in specific curriculum areas but in general a primary school teacher needs to be able to teach every subject.

juniper9 · 06/12/2013 00:01

I worked in a school where my PPA was covered by one hour of PE by a teacher who only taught PE, and one hour of music by a teacher who only taught music. It worked well- I had my classroom to myself and didn't have to plan or mark anything.

During my training I taught very little PE so when I came to have a class of my own, I was a bit panicky about how to do it. In all honesty, I still don't let them jump off tall things as I'm petrified someone will land on their head. I didn't do a PGCE either- I had 5 teaching practices in 4 years, so plenty of time in school.

MidniteScribbler · 06/12/2013 08:08

Dance is our most popular option at our school. It's certainly not considered a girls sport at all. I get begged to run lunchtime sessions all of the time, and it's often the boys that are the most vocal in their asking.

indyandlara · 06/12/2013 08:32

Where are you in the country? I'm in Scotland and have never taught in a school without a Primary PE specialist.

petteacher · 06/12/2013 11:44

Thanks for all the answers I am better informed now.

DeWe · 06/12/2013 12:00

Our juniors has a primary school sports' teacher.

In a lot of ways he is very much a Sports' Teacher. They're outside in all weathers, he's very enthusiastic...

But they do try a lot of sports. Over the years they do a selection of: football, tennis, golf, althletics, rounders, tag rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, gym... are the ones I know they've done.

He has several sports club, both before/after school and lunch time, which are open to all, albeit with some restriction of numbers. He either runs or has organised: circuit training, badminton, judo, cross country, football, girl's football, hockey, cricket, tennis, netball... Free or small charge depending.

Teams are picked from those that do the clubs regularly. So it doesn't fall to the best children who do the outside school clubs. For example my dd1, who is not sporty, has done several cross country competitions, and he's cheered her on for taking part and congratulated her. Two girls in her form who have run for the county did not take part in these because they didn't do the club.
He does try and encourage those that are good to take part, but doesn't ignore the less good ones at the same time.
He also picked dd1 to be one of his "sports' prefects" in year 6, they had a few little responsibilities to sort out equipment, he had a good mix of children from the sporty to the not-very-sporty-but-sensible.

Dd1 had a surprise (but very pleased) at secondary when she found the teachers there go inside at the threat of rain or a little cold.

petteacher · 07/12/2013 12:27

Sounds a great sports teacher. The sgt major ones need dropping (from a cliff) And it has been hinted that some teachers may prefer the good performers. (Across the board) I DONT MEAN LITERALLY

Even serious things are funny. Life as tragi-comedy? Oh yeads

HEADS DOWN.....if you are in HACKNEY (geddit?)

Flip