Within any educational setting, teacher-student interactions undoubtedly influence the learning environment, as they can increase or decrease instructional quality. As such, these exchanges can be framed as negotiations, which are interactions between teachers and students that are aimed at changing part(s) of a lesson. While teacher-student…

The aim of this article is to improve physical education (PE) teachers' knowledge about working with children diagnosed with cancer. Physical activity (PA) in this population is extremely important. Not only do these children have an increased risk of co-morbidities compared to healthy peers, but cancer treatment has negative effects on fitness…

Student motivation has been identified as important in supporting the learning, growth, and development of physical education students. A key construct that is housed within motivation is situational interest. Situational interest is an affective response that has been associated with enhanced levels of student engagement and involvement. The aim…

The purpose of this column is to provide strategies for physical education (PE) teachers/coaches on how to obtain weight and BMI readings discretely from their students. Continuing to acquire weight and BMI readings where the students can see and know their own readings, and the readings of their peers can lead to serious unplanned concerns. These…

In this story collected and shared as part of the OurStoryBridge online short-form oral history project from the Tremonton City Library in Tremonton, Utah, Parry recalls learning Shoshone history and culture from stories that his grandmother, Mae Timbimboo, told him. Parry recounts his excitement in elementary school when he heard that Shoshone…

Many students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) fall short of the recommended physical activity levels and experience challenges in physical activity and physical education settings. This article reviews factors that can improve the physical activity statistics of students with ASD, outlines the researched benefits of physical activity for…

This article discusses the professional development needs of beginning physical education teachers based on data extracted from the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey. The authors identified ways to enhance professional development in a manner that addresses the specific needs of both newly hired and veteran physical education teachers. They…

There are persistent concerns in the literature related to recruitment and retention of highly qualified teacher candidates who are capable of achieving contemporary goals and meeting the professional expectations associated with the delivery of quality physical education programs in schools. The purpose of this article is to provide physical…

Successful completion of the Board of Certification (BOC) examination verifies that an athletic trainer has the knowledge and skills associated with the entry-level practice of athletic training, but earning a terminal degree ''does not mean that the person holding this degree necessarily understands how to design, implement, assess, or even…

"Crazy-Proofing High School Sports" examines the often troubling high school sports phenomenon in two parts. Part one focuses on the problems facing educators, students, and parents as they struggle to make high school sports worthwhile. Few if any strategies for improvement in education are effective without first knowing what the real reasons…

This article addresses teaching for skill and knowledge competency in high school based on the National Standards and grade-level outcomes. The outcomes guide teachers away from a curriculum that emphasizes competition through team sports, which appeals to just the highly-skilled and competitive students, toward one that is inclusive of all skill…

Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of…

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the findings from a study of the professional lives of four physical education specialist teachers considered exceptional and to explain why they engage in their practice as they do. The issues of how teachers develop as well as how they change during their careers is emphasized. The…

In this article we explore aesthetic experience as an aspect of embodied learning with focus on the moving body. Our theoretical framework is mainly based on the work of John Dewey. In the first part of the article we identify our understanding of central concepts and draw some lines to their implication for physical education (PE). In the second…

A debate over the quality of teacher education programs has been ongoing for nearly 100 years. The most current round in this debate started with "A Nation at Risk" (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) and has escalated in recent years to involve an increasing number of participant-constituents, each of whom has voiced…