You don't have to keep score!: a teacher's journey to a new way of being

Abstract

Researchers in the field of health and physical education have long been concerned about the physical education experiences of female students in their middle and high school years. The purpose of this research was to examine how teaching a female only physical education class deepened my understanding of teaching female students in physical education. In an attempt to meet the needs and interests of female students, a girls-only physical education class was offered. This project used the principles of existential action research. Qualitative data collection methods used for this study included teacher journaling, descriptive “field notes” and a critical “friend”. The following themes emerged from this experience: autopilot, students looking for something new, opportunities for leadership or ownership, guest instructors, changing perspectives on teaching high school physical education, a positive classroom environment, and physical education and life. The findings are not intended to be generalizable to other physical education teaching situations. However, given that there are many ways of being a teacher in physical education, an approach focused on building relationships with students and meeting the needs and interests unique to each class may be more appealing to students. As a result of this research, specifically through the emergence of the themes, I believe I have gained a deeper understanding of teaching female students as it relates to their experiences in physical education.