The Effect of Professional Development on Physical Education Instruction in Middle Schools

Abstract

Thirty middle school physical education teachers in the southwestern United States participate in a research study of professional development opportunities and deficiencies in a field not driven by high-stakes testingThe importance of professional development and the positive effect it can have on teaching and learning has been accepted for a number of years. The National Middle School Association (now Association for Middle Level Education [AMLE]), in This We Believe: Keys to Educating Young Adolescents (2010) specifically lists ongoing professional development as an essential characteristic of successful schools for young adolescents. Holland (2005) suggested that time engaged in professional development correlates significantly with the instructional practices of teachers, thus impacting school success and teacher satisfaction. But with ongoing budget cuts and the multitude of other challenges currently facing schools (i.e., working with an increasingly diverse population of students and cultures, integrating new technology, and meeting demanding academic standards and goals), observers continue to stress the need for teachers to build up and diversify their experiences and educations. Emphasizing the need for professional development, Mizell (2010) stated, Educators who do not experience effective professional development do not improve their skills, and student learning suffers (p. 6).As recently as ten years ago, however, few middle school teachers received training to work specifically with young adolescents, whether in teacher training or in professional development (Flowers, Mertens, 8c Mulhall, 2002). This development implied that while most knew their content, they were not knowledgeable in the intricacies of working with their young adolescent students. Currently, 46 states require either a license/ certificate or an endorsement to teach in middle grades (AMLE, 2013). While this trend toward specialization should yield some level of familiarity with young adolescents on the part of the license holder, it by no means guarantees an understanding or commitment to best practices when working with this age group-particularly since states change their licensure requirements regularly. Regardless of the area of emphasis or the model of professional development employed, the core purpose of professional development is to improve student achievement and academic growth (Hough, 2011); such goals for professional development rarely address increased understanding and responsiveness to the myriad developmental changes of middle school students.Professional development for physical education teachersIf professional development focuses on pedagogy and instructional strategies designed to improve student achievement and academic growth (i.e., standardized test scores), how are content areas that are not subjected to high-stakes testing affected? More specifically, what sort of professional development is available to and used by middle grades physical education teachers?Research findings have demonstrated that physical education is considered less valuable than other content areas; furthermore, many physical educators feel isolated, with limited or no access to resources, and they often find themselves struggling to win consideration as legitimate professionals (Lux, 2010). These feelings and lack of support can often lead physical education teachers to believe they are simply doing some kind of organized childcare, thereby merely giving other teachers a break from the students, rather than engaging students in the kind of exploratory, social, kinesthetic education so essential for young adolescents.Not only is professional development through standard methods a key to professional growth, but membership in a professional organization offers imperative benefits. Kauchakand Eggen (2008), in their examination of career-long professional development, recommended joining a professional organization as one of the first steps in a new teacher's professional growth. …