Brookfield (1990), Brown (2002) and Weiner (2006) have advocated for the study of teachers' philosophies as integral to understanding motivation for teaching in urban settings. The purpose of this study investigates the teaching philosophies of 13 experienced urban elementary physical educators. Content analysis of the data collected from teachers indicated (a) these physical educators placed a greater emphasis on knowledge of students than pedagogical content knowledge, (b) had critical incidences that determined their philosophies, and (c) used cultural negotiation to enrich the lives of students. Discourse on urban physical education archetypes with implications for global instruction concludes the article. (Contains 1 figure.)