School Principals’ Perceptions of and Expectations for Physical Education

Abstract

Previous research on school principals' thoughts, perceptions, and views about physical education (PE) is limited. Much of the interpretive work conducted with young in-service PE teachers, however, suggests that the majority of principals have a poor understanding of the subject's goals, pedagogies, and curricula; do not regard it as being on the same level as other academic subjects; and see little educational value in it other than to keep students under control and entertained while teachers of other subjects take a break (Curtner-Smith, 1997, 1999, 2001; Curtner-Smith, Hastie, & Kinchin, 2008; Lee & Curtner-Smith, 2011; O'Sullivan, 1989; Smyth, 1995). In addition, there is some indication that principals are more concerned about PE teachers' ability to coach extracurricular sport than their capacity to teach PE (Dillon, McCaughtry, & Hummel, 2010). Furthermore, principals with these faulty perceptions regarding PE are more likely to offer exemptions to the subject, even if they are trained physical educators themselves (Sims, 2003).Conversely, some research indicates that more enlightened and knowledgeable principals positively affect PE teachers' beliefs and curricula, providing that the teachers are innovatively oriented (Bechtel & O'Sullivan, 2007). Moreover, there appears to be a positive relationship between the extent to which principals support PE programs and the degree to which PE teachers follow state-mandated curricula and requirements (Sims, 2003).Given principals' obvious influence on the teaching of all school subjects and their duty to hold teachers accountable for delivering a high class curriculum, a potentially fruitful area for policy-oriented researchers hoping to improve the standard of PE is further investigation of how principals interpret, read, or perceive the subject (Curtner-Smith, 2009). The purposes of this study, therefore, were to (a) examine school principals' perceptions of and expectations for PE and (b) describe the factors influencing school principals' perceptions of and expectations for PE.Theoretical FrameworkIn prior sport pedagogical research, occupational socialization theory (Curtner-Smith, 2009; Richards, Templin, & Graber, 2014; Templin & Richards, 2014) has generally been used to explain the beliefs and actions of teachers (e.g., Curtner-Smith et al., 2008; Vollmer & Curtner-Smith, 2016). Within this study, however, we employed it in an attempt to explain school principals' readings of and expectations for PE. Specifically, in line with the thinking of Gore (1990), we explored how principals' beliefs about PE and the degree to which they value the subject were shaped by their acculturation (i.e., social and cultural influences prior to teacher education) and professional socialization (i.e., the influence of their formal teacher education and administrative training).Past research suggests that the views of key socializing agents including parents, siblings, and peers are responsible for shaping future principals' values during the acculturation period. This research also suggests that future principals' own schooling, particularly their experiences of PE and school sport, is a major influence on their beliefs about the subject. For example, experiences during this apprenticeship of observation (Lortie, 1975) could lead to principals forming the view that PE is either a high or low priority subject and deciding what constitutes good or bad pedagogical practice within the subject.Past research also suggests that future principals' professional socialization will have less effect on their values and beliefs about PE than acculturation will. Conversely, the degree to which future principals undergo specialist training in PE teaching during their initial undergraduate preparation, in any graduate work in a teaching field, and in administrative certification courses should increase the potential for alteration of beliefs about the subject that were formed during acculturation. …