Physical education teachers’ professionalization: A review of occupational power and professional control

Abstract

This article reviews research on physical education (PE) teachers’ professionalization considering their relative position at schools and in the community as well as their control over the lesson formation. The position considers issues of prestige, status and esteem while lesson formation regards constitutional, organizational and physical frames. Despite limitations connected mainly to cross-country generalization issues, some major tendencies can be described. In relation to prestige there is a shortage of qualified personnel, while portraying status, signs of marginalization and isolation at schools can be showed. Depicting esteem, PE teachers’ own perceptions are rather positive, while pupils, colleagues and parents show some mistrust. Focusing on constitutional frames, PE teachers’ role in curriculum implementation is complex. The impact of organizational frames is obvious as available teaching time for PE is eroded. The issue of physical frames is serious as a gap exists between curriculum and facilities, equipment as well as available educational material.