Successful Practices of Novice Urban Physical Education Teachers

Abstract

Purpose: Guided by the cultural relevance cycle, this study examined experiences of two novice physical education teachers in urban schools. We focused on successes that teachers encountered while navigating their novice years. Methods: Two purposefully sampled participants completed five journal entries and five semistructured interviews lasting between 45 and 90 min each. To promote trustworthiness, we utilized multiple coders, a peer debriefer, and triangulated data from multiple sources. Participants reviewed themes and responded to researchers’ interpretations. Results: We present the results through three major themes. The first theme involves knowledge of students and community. The second theme describes belonging in the school and community, and the third theme discusses curricular realignment. Discussion and Conclusion: By focusing on elements that empowered novice teachers to find success, initial teacher preparation programs and in-service teacher mentoring programs in urban school districts might identify teaching experiences that may contribute to novice teacher retention.