Divergent Professionalism in Inclusive Physical Education

Abstract

Within teacher and educational assistant (EA) preparation programmes and professional development (PD), there are gaps in instructional content and professional separation (i.e., a lack of physical interactions and social engagement). Preparing teachers and EAs separately along with inadequate dialogue on roles, unpacking assumptions of inclusive physical education (PE), and learning how to collaborate result in teacher and EA divergence. When teachers and EAs are not educated and afforded opportunities to collaborate, there is no shared vision, limited communication, and continued ableist practices in PE. The issues that occur from this divergence impact student experiences and lead to hierarchical expertism, inequalities, and marginalization. In this chapter, I will first identify inactions and separation of teachers and EAs found within preparation and PD, and second, discuss how intentional collaborative efforts through communities of practice and a lens of relational ethics can support preparation and PD, breaking down hierarchical teacher expertism towards more convergent actions in practice, ultimately aiming to centre and improve student experiences in PE.