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Elementary Classroom Teachers Attitudes and Perspectives of Elementary Physical Education David Barney and Joe Deutsch Abstract Physical educators have long proclaimedthat physical educationclass is an importantacademic disciplinelo a students 'education. With learning objectives takingplace in the affective, cognitive andpsychomotordomains. Yet, physicaleducation has been marginalizedin today'ssociety. One way to gain support of physical education is getting supportfrom other educators. The literaturesuggests that teacher's need to promote their programs to gainsupportand lose the marginalitytag that has been place on physical education. For this study the researchers surveyed elementary classroom teachers (n=219). The survey consisted of seven questions, and of the five questions the classroom teachers were asked to further explain their responses to the survey question. The purpose of this study was to obtain and better understand elementary classroom teacher's attitudes and perspectives regardingelementary physical education. Generally, elementary classroom teachers attitudes were positive towards elementaryphysical education. For many years physical education has professed to educate a student in many ways. These claims of educating students in physical education are found in the affective, cognitive and psychomotor domains. For example, in the cognitive domain students learn to focus on the acquiring, comprehending and evaluation of knowledge. Such as learning values, strategies, skills and safety in certain activities. In the affective domain, students' develop attitudes and

appreciation for participation in physical activity. This encompasses fair play, sportsmanship and cooperation with classmates during an activity. And finally, in the psychomotor domain students learn locomotor skills to serve a lifetime. Such skills as throwing, catching, striking, kicking are taught throughout the curriculum (Lumpkin, 1998). Day in and day out, physical educators witness the preceding take place in their classrooms. In some cases, outside the gymnasium or playing field, classroom teachers have a limited knowledge of physical education as an academic discipline. Because of this limited knowledge, classroom teachers may not understand how physical education benefits the individual student. In some cases, physical education as an academic discipline, is being shortened in the amount and length of time students are in physical education class, or are being reduced in the number of days during the week that the students meet with a qualified physical educator. In some cases, physical education class is completely being eliminated from a students' education (Carlson, 1994). Even though physical education is an academic discipline, it has not been given the respect it deserves in the school setting and among the general public. The literature has alluded to the fact that physical education has and is marginalized as an academic discipline. Johns & Dimmock (1999) discussed how physical education is marginalized in Hong Kong. Probably the main topic that came from this study was that physical education is a "less academic subject" compared to the other subjects in school. The study also implies that physical education does

not prepare a child for the real world. It was noted that parents and administrators have marginalized physical education. Parents feel that physical education is unimportant and not on the level of other academic subjects. Because of this mind set, the parents feel that if their child is involved in a physical education class it will negatively affect their child's academic grades. The administrators feel that physical education helps produce successful sport teams, raise the schools reputation and that it helps maintain discipline in the school. The authors found that administrators were more willing to allocate as much time as needed for such subjects as math, science and languages. Another facet of marginalizing physical education in Hong Kong is the problem of space for physical education classes. One physical education teacher in Hong Kong reported that the average size of his classes is 100 students with a working gym space the size of half a regulation size basketball court. This dilemma forces physical education teachers to take there classes outside. The problem being that there are high levels of pollution with extreme humidity. One last means for marginalizing physical education in Hong Kong was the lack of equipment for student to use during class activities. The authors made a point that the equipment that is in the school is either broken, or not satisfactory for student use. Because of the lack of respect physical education has in the educational community, it is one of the first content areas to be eliminated. Cook (2005) discussed how elementary physical education has been eliminated from an elementary school in the Pacific Northwest. For this reason parents and others in the community of this above mentioned elementary school have held fundraisers sponsored by the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) so that they can raise enough money to support a physical education teacher in the school. The author finds it interesting to note that even though some schools are losing physical education classes, logic should dictate that

physical education programs should expand faster then the waistlines of today's youth. Not everything in the literature has a negative tone regarding the status of physical education in the public schools. There are ways that physical educators can promote physical education for the purpose of keeping it in the schools. Rovegno (1996) discussed tactics in which an elementary physical educator used to empower and strengthen herself and her program. They were: 1) she promoted the philosophy of her program. For example, every student being successful, social development or all students being active during class, 2) she demonstrated how physical education fits into a child's education and how it can be integrated into other academic subjects, 3) she had an outstanding program that represented the overall mission of the school, 4) she advertised her program in a central part of the school for everyone to see, and 5) she was an active participant in school wide activities and committees, thus giving her an opportunity to discuss her program with the administrators and classroom teachers. For these above mentioned reasons physical educators need to gain as much support as they can to show to administrators and parents the value of physical education on a students overall education. The purpose of this study was to obtain and better understand elementary classroom teacher's attitudes and perspectives towards elementary physical education, and thus help garner support for elementary physical education. Methods Subjects Elementary classroom teachers (N=219, 205 females and 14 males) from three states (North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah), comprised of 18 elementary schools participated in the study. Teaching experience of the participants ranged from 34 years to the first year of teaching. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the university approved the study. Participants gave their informed consent to participate in the study.

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A review of literature failed to identify an instrument related to classroom teacher's attitudes and perspectives towards elementary physical education. As such, the researchers constructed a survey from discussions that were held with elementary classroom teachers and elementary physical educators dealing with physical education in the public schools. The researchers constructed a survey of seven statements. Six statements had a 5-point Likert scale (l=Strongly Agree, 2= Agree, 3= Neutral, 4= Disagree, and 5= Strongly Agree) and one statement was a yes/no statement. To establish content validity, the researcher had 5 experienced elementary classroom teachers along with 3 highly qualified and experienced elementary physical educators review the survey, and found the statements from the survey to be valid. For the seven statements used in this study, five statements asked the participants to explain their answers. The purpose of having the classroom teachers give an explanation on the given statement was to better help the researchers understand their attitudes and perspectives towards elementary physical education.

The Physical Educator Data Analysis The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) 14.0 program. Percentages were used to reflect the classroom teacher's responses for each item being analyzed. The other method of data analysis were analyzing teacher responses to the questions from the survey. The researchers read and re-read the data until common themes became evident (O'Sullivan & Tsanaridou, 1992).

Results Tables provide percentages of classroom teacher's attitudes towards physical education class, Table 1 by state and Table 2 by gender. For statement 2, classroom teachers in all three states strongly agree (Oklahoma 95%: North Dakota 78%: & Utah 91%) that physical education is important for the students. Statement 3 asked classroom teachers if physical education makes a valuable contribution to a students' overall education. A majority of the classroom teachers from all three states felt that physical education makes a valuable contribution to a students' overall education. A statistic or note from this statement, is that only 1% of the Procedures classroom teachers in Utah strongly disagreed that For this study, the researchers contacted the physical education makes a valuable contribution superintendent or the assistant superintendent to a students overall education. Looking at Table regarding the study and secured permission to 2, it clearly indicates that the 1% that strongly administer the survey to the teachers in their disagreed were female classroom teachers. school districts. After permission was secured, Question 4 asked classroom teachers if they the researchers proposed their intentions to the thought the skills and knowledge the student's principals at each school. After receiving per- learned in physical education class are going to be mission from the principals, the next step was to important for them throughout their lives. Once place the surveys in the classroom teacher's mail again, a high percentage of classroom teachers in box. From the schools that participated in the Oklahoma (85% strongly agreed) and Utah (70% study, 70% of the surveys were returned. Within strongly agreed) feel that the skills and knowledge two weeks the researchers collected the surveys learned in physical education will be important from those teachers that participated in the study. throughout their lives. While the classroom After the surveys were collected, they were teachers in North Dakota had a high percentage of analyzed. Results for this study are reported as classroom teachers that agreed with this question, percentages and as the classroom teacher's 15% of the teachers were neutral regarding this comments. question.

Table I Percentagesof Classroom TeachersAttitudes Towards Elementary PhysicalEducation 1. 1 personally know the physical education teacher in our school? Utah North Dakota Oklahoma 94% 75% 93% Yes 6% 25% 7% No 2. I believe the students' physical education class is important for the students? Explain your answer. SA A N D SD

Oklahoma 95% 7% 0% 0% 0%

North Dakota 78% 22% 0% 0% 0%

Utah 91% 9% 0% 0% 0%

3. 1 believe that physical education makes a valuable contribution to a student? Utah North Dakota Oklahoma 79% 68% 84% SA 14% 27% 15% A 6% 5% 1% N 0% 0% 0% D 1% 0% 0% SD 4. 1think the skills and knowledge the students learn in physical education class are going to be important for them throughout their lives? Please explain your answer. Utah North Dakota Oklahoma 70% 57% 85% SA 30% 28% 15% A 0% 15% 0% N 0% 0% 0% D 0% 0% 0% SD 5. My elementary physical education experience as a child was a positive experience? Please explain answer. SA A N D SD

Oklahoma 42% 27% 14% 13% 4%

North Dakota 32% 39% 20% 7% 2%

6. I feel that students learn better after returning from physical education? North Dakota Oklahoma 55% 48% SA 25% 28% A 14% 22% N 6% 2% D 0% 0% SD

Utah 35% 18% 26% 14% 7% Please explain your answer. Utah 44% 33% 14% 3% 6%

7. If there was no physical education teacher in your school, I feel confident enough that I could teach my students an effective physical education lesson? Please explain your answer. Utah North Dakota Oklahoma 14% 9% 6% SA 33% 27% 10% A 12% 16% 22% N 29% 34% 40% D 12% 14% 22% SD

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118 For question 5, classroom teachers were asked if their elementary physical education experience was positive. Between the three states, the majority of the classroom teachers had a positive experience in elementary physical education, while not a significantly overwhelming majority. Interestingly, 4% of the classroom teachers in Oklahoma, 2% in North Dakota, and 7% in Utah strongly disagreed with this statement. Yet, Table 2 indicates that the male participants in this study strongly agreed or agreed with this statement. Question 6 asked classroom teachers if students learn better after returning from physical education. Again, a large majority of the classroom teachers either strongly agreed or agreed with this statement. At the same time, some of the classroom teachers disagreed with the statement. In Utah 6% of the classroom teachers strongly disagreed with the statement. Interestingly, Table 2 indicates that 50% of male teachers were neutral. Finally, question 7 asked classroom teachers if there was no physical education teacher in their school, would they feel confident enough to teach an effective physical education lesson. A majority of the classroom teachers in Oklahoma and North Dakota felt that they could not teach an effective physical education lesson. The classroom teachers in Utah were pretty much split if they could teach an effective physical education lesson. The other data results from this study were the responses the classroom teachers had from five of the seven statements from the survey. The following are the responses from the classroom teachers. When classroom teachers were asked (Question 2) if they believed physical education class was important for their students, some classroom teachers responded with such comments as "it can help students with the obesity problem", and "P.E. can help students to learn other things like social skills, teamwork, communicating with others and problem solving." Other responses to this statement included "P.E. can help students to have a healthy lifestyle", and

The Physical Educator "It gives the students a chance to get out and release some energy." Classroom teachers were asked (Question 4) if the skills and knowledge students learn in physical education class are going to be important for them throughout their lives, they responded in an positive manner. Some of the responses the classroom teachers gave were that students will learn the skills and knowledge that will encourage being physically active throughout their lives. Other classroom teachers responded by saying that students would learn sportsmanship, working with others, discipline, strategies in games, and problem solving. When classroom teachers were asked (Question 5) if they had a positive elementary physical education experience, both the positive and negative were expressed. For example, some of the negative comments were, "I had a jerk for a PE teacher", "All I remember was running and dodge ball", "My teacher berated rather than encourage", and "Dodge ball- fat kid- no encouragement, no variety of activities." Some of the positive comments were, "I'm 50 years old and Mr. Brown taught the joy and fun of exercise", "Favorite time in school", "I loved PE and continue to stay active", and "I loved the games and having the opportunity to get out of my desk and move." Classroom teachers were asked (Question 6) if their students learn better after returning from physical education, their comments, for the most part, were positive. For example, such statements like, "students are more alert", "students seem to be more focused", and "got their wiggles out", were mentioned. Still there were comments from the classroom teachers that felt otherwise. Some classroom teachers said that "It took a couple minutes to calm down" and "The students were tired and sweaty, still thinking about the games they just played in." And finally, classroom teachers were asked (Question 7) if there was no physical education teacher in their school, would they feel confident

Table 2 Percentagesof Classroom Teachers (Gender)Attitudes Towards Elementary PhysicalEducation 1. I personally know the physical education teacher in our school? Female Male 88% 93% Yes 12% 7% No 2. I believe the students' physical education class is important for the students? Please explain your answer.

3.

4.

Female Male 90% 86% SA 10% 14% A 0% 0% N 0% 0% D 0% 0% SD I believe that physical education makes a valuable contribution to a student? Female Male 80% 71% SA 17% 29% A 2% 0% N 0% 0% D 1% 0% SD I think the skills and knowledge the students learn in physical education class are going to be important for them throughout their lives? Please explain your answer. Female Male 76% 71% SA 20% 29% A 4% 0% N 0% 0% D 0% 0% SD

5. My elementary physical education experience as a child was a positive experience? Please explain your answer. Female Male 38% 51% SA 29% 27% A 17% 15% N 12% 7% D 4% 0% SD 6. I feel that students learn better after returning from physical education? Please explain your answer. Female Male 50% 50% SA 30% 0% A 16% 50% N 3% 0% D 1% 0% SD teacher in your school, I feel confident enough that I could teach my students education no physical was 7. lfthere an effective physical education lesson? Please explain your answer. SA A N D SD

Male 7% 50% 21% 15% 7%

Female 8% 16% 18% 38% 20%

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120 enough to teach an effective physical education lesson. From the teachers that responded to this question the tone was "no, I could not do it." There were a few teachers that felt they could do an adequate job. Yet, quite of few of the classroom teacher said, "No way, I wouldn't do the lesson justice", and "I couldn't do it, it helps me appreciate Mrs. Smith (pseudonym) and the job she does." Discussion The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of elementary classroom teacher's attitudes and perspectives towards elementary physical education. The results of the data gathered from this study show that classroom teacher's attitudes and perspectives toward elementary physical education were positive. The first question of the survey asked classroom teachers if they personally know the physical education teacher in their school. Between the three states, over 90% of the teachers in Oklahoma and Utah personally know the physical education teacher. Now, how well the classroom teachers personally know the physical education teacher was not known from this study, yet a large majority of the classroom teachers know the physical education teacher in the school. Because a majority of the classroom teachers know the physical education teacher in their school, there is a good chance they have an accurate picture of what goes on in the gymnasium/playing field during physical education time, as they talk in the halls or in the faculty lounge. Also, because they know what is happening during physical education time, the classroom teachers appreciate and better understand the work they are doing. If the classroom teachers know the physical educator, then their statements carry some weight in the fact that they have knowledge or understanding of what is happening in the gym and playing field and are not making assumptions about physical education for the students. Along the same line of thought, question 7 of the survey asked the classroom teachers if they could teach an effective physical education lesson, and from their responses many of them could not teach an

The Physical Educator effective physical education lesson. The data appears to indicate that because they know the classroom teachers it is hoped that they understand and appreciate the importance the physical education teacher plays in the school and to the students. It was the researcher's hope that this question would cause the classroom teacher to pause and think that teaching a physical education class is important for students and at the same time teaching physical education is not a "role out the ball" method of teaching elementary physical education. Elementary physical education is an opportunity for students to learn and develop skills that can last a lifetime. Another point of support, the classroom teachers give to elementary physical education, is that they believe that physical education is important for students. Once again, over 90% of the classroom teachers in Oklahoma and Utah feel it is important for students. Many of the classroom teachers responded to this question with statements that dealt with how physical education could help combat the obesity problem in our country. At the same time, classroom teachers feel that physical education could encourage students to have an active lifestyle or to be physically active. Question 4 of the survey asked classroom teachers if they thought the skills and knowledge students learn in physical education class are going to be important throughout their lives. Of the classroom teachers in Oklahoma and Utah, 100% either strongly agreed or agreed with this survey statement. Surprisingly, 15% of the classroom teachers in North Dakota were neutral in their responses. Thus, they weren't completely in agreement with this statement. Many of the teachers made statements such as "students learn how to play a game and learn the rules of the games". Also, the classroom teachers stated, "students learn about life long fitness", and "having a healthy lifestyle." They said "students can problem solve, which encourages communication with each other". These teacher statements are in line with John Dewey's educational philosophy or ideas of progressive education. Dewey

felt a child-centered approach to learning emphasized children taking an active role in their learning, as opposed to having a teacher convey to them the knowledge they need to know (Wuest & Bucher, 2006). Given these responses to this survey statement, the classroom teachers' responses align with Standard 2 (Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities), Standard 4 (Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fitness) and Standard 5 (Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings) of the National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE, 2004). With these responses to this survey statement, the classroom teachers are reaffirming what physical educators have been professing for many years. When classroom teachers were asked if they had a positive experience in elementary physical education, the majority did. Many of the teachers stated that they "loved PE" and "It was fun to be physically active." One teacher stated, "I owe my self-confidence, fitness and much more to my Even though a successful PE experience." had a positive teachers classroom the of majority education, physical experience in elementary there were some that felt differently. Some classroom teachers stated that the teacher negatively affected their elementary physical education experience. For example, one teacher said her teacher was "mean". Another teacher plainly put it this way, "Had a jerk for a PE teacher." Another factor that negatively affected some classroom teachers was the lack of variety in the curriculum. One teacher recalls "running and dodge ball." Another classroom teacher stated that she was tired of only playing dodge ball and having "no variety of activities." Whatever the experiences the classroom teachers had when they were in elementary physical education, they do affect their attitudes and perspectives towards and for elementary physical education, and there importance in a child's education. And finally, classroom teachers were asked if their students learn better after returning from

physical education. This question is subjective in nature. There was no objective measure used in this study for this question, yet, over 75% of the teachers from the three states felt that students learned better after they returned from physical education. Many of the classroom teachers stated that the students were "more alert", "more focused to learn", and one teacher said that the students appear to "be refreshed." Another teacher stated, "I don't know that they learn better. I do know that they are more willing to sit and listen to discussion and stories." These findings were similar to what Sparkes, Templin, & Schempp (1993) found in their study where teachers felt that physical education was good for students to "let off steam" and that students sort of wore out and were more manageable in class. Now, if there were any negative comments from this statement, some classroom teachers stated that students had to take more time to "calm down after coming from physical education" and "the students were hot and sweaty." One interesting point noted by the researchers from this statement came from a number of classroom teachers that stated that students that had physical education in the afternoon tended to return back to class "more wound up." Analysis of the data suggests that a majority of elementary classroom teachers have positive attitudes and perspectives for and towards elementary physical education. Classroom teachers in this study indicated that physical education is important for students throughout their lives and that physical education plays an important role in a students' academic education, including assisting students in the learning process. The findings from this study help provide support for elementary physical education and physical education in general, as an important academic component of a students' education. These findings can be used to gain or maintain support from administrators and parents, regarding the importance of physical education in a students' education. Recommendations The results from this study suggest that elementary classroom teachers generally have

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122 positive attitudes and perspectives of and for elementary physical education. Still, physical educators need to continue to promote their programs to everyone they come in contact with. In this case everyone should be classroom teachers, parents and administrators. Revegno (1996) suggested that physical educators serve on school committees. This gives the physical educator and opportunity to interact with other teachers, administrators. and in many cases with parents. As the physical educator serves on these committees, there will be opportunities to present what is taking place in the gym or on the playing field. Also, physical educators should make it a point to schedule an appointment with the principal at the end of the school year. During this appointment the physical educator can promote their program to the principal by reviewing the highlights that took place in the gymnasium or playing fields. Another method physical educators can implement to promote their program is during parent/teacher conferences. It is during the parent/teacher conference that the physical educator can tell the parents what is taking place in the gym or playing field. For example, the physical educator can describe grading policies, curriculum units that their student will be participating in, classroom rules, the national standards and if the physical educator has in their possession heart rate monitors or pedometers, they can discuss how they are implemented into the class activities (Barney & Mauch, 2003). All of these are recommendations physical educators can employ to improve classroom teachers, parents and administrators attitudes and perspectives of elementary physical education. Implications of the Study After analyzing the data and reviewing the teacher responses, some interesting implications for physical educators can be gleaned from this study. First, it is so important to make every child's elementary physical education experience a positive experience. It appears that a majority of the classroom teachers had a positive experience in elementary physical education, yet still there were

The Physical Educator a certain percentage of classroom teachers that had a negative experience in elementary physical education. Physical educators should be reminded that the students they teach will grow up to be parents, teachers, school board members and voters. If a student had a negative experience in elementary physical education, there will come a time when they will be in a position to decide if physical education should be eliminated from a child's education. Those bad experiences could greatly affect how they decide the fate of physical education in their community schools (Aicinena, 1991). Another implication from this study is the importance of promoting ones' physical education program in the schools and community. This topic has already been discussed. The bottom line is that physical educators cannot be shy about the positive impact they are having in the gymnasium or playing fields, almost to the point of being a salesperson for their programs. They need to sell their programs to teachers, parents, administrators, community leaders, government officials, and state board members. And as this takes place, the importance of physical education's place will be firmly planted in the minds of teachers, parents and administrators. Thus, helping physical education in general, shed its tag of marginality.

REFERENCES Aicinena, S. (1991). The teacher and student attitudes toward physical education. The PhysicalEducator,48, 28-32. Barney, D., & Mauch, L. (2003). Making the most of parent/teacher conferences. Strategies, 16, (6), 13-14. Carlson, J. (1994). Elimination, rejection, exclusion ... moral realities in children's physical education. Proceedings of the teaching todaymeeting tomorrow's outcomes: preparing children to be physically active in the 21st century, National Conference of Teaching Elementary Physical Education. LaCrosse, WI., 1-2. In Human Kinetics.

Cook, G. (2005). Killing pe is killing our kids the O'Sullivan, M., & Tsangaridou,N. (1992). What undergraduate physical education majors learn slow way. Education Digest, 71, 25-32. during a field experience. Research Quarterly Johns. D.P., & Dimmock, C. (1999). The marginExercise and Sport, 63 (4), 381-392. for alization of physical education: Impoverished 1, (1996). Confronting marginality: Rovegno, curriculum policy and practice in Hong Kong. Political tactics contributing to teacher emJournal of Education Policy, 14 (4), 363-384. powerment and centrality. Research Quarterly Lumpkin, A. (1998). Introduction to physical Exercise and Sport, 67, A73. for education, exercise science, and sportstudies. A.C., Templin, T.J., & Schempp, P.G. Sparkes, Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Exploring dimensions of marginality: (1993). National Association for Sport and Physical Reflecting on the life histories of physical Education. (2004). Moving into the future.: education teachers. Journal of Teaching in National standards for physical education. Physical Education, 12, 386-398. (2nd ed.). Reston, VA: Author. Wuest, D.A., & Bucher, C.A. Foundations of Physical Education,Exercise Science, and Sport. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Dr. David Barney teaches at Oklahoma State University and Dr. Joe Deutsch is a faculty member at North Dakota State University.

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TITLE: Elementary Classroom Teachers Attitudes and Perspectives of Elementary Physical Education SOURCE: Phys Educ 66 no3 Fall 2009 The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is prohibited.