Because states differ markedly in their approach to teacher certification, what a student has do to become certified as a physical-education teacher differs dramatically from state to state. Here are some of the Ways in which states differ:
1. Level of certification. The three main kinds of certification in physical education are K-12, which allows one to teach at any grade level; K-6, which specializes training and restricts teaching to the elementary school; and 7-12, which specializes training and restricts teaching to the middle and secondary schools.
Relatively few states have K-6 certification, whereas K-12 is the certification most commonly received by graduating physical-education majors.
2. Number of teaching specialties. States with many small, rural schools tend to require more than one teaching major, or a teaching major with one or two teaching minors. Thus, the newly graduated teacher is certified in more than one teaching area.
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This enables principals in small schools to utilize staff more effectively. In states with more consolidation and larger school districts, the trend has been toward certification in only one subject area.
3. Amount of field experience. There has been a strong trend in teacher education over the past several decades to increase the amount of contact that teacher candidates have with schools and students. This is typically done through what is called field or school-based experience.
These experiences range from observation through full-scale teaching. Some states require extensive amount of field experience prior to student teaching.
Other states require non. Thus, first-year teachers may differ dramatically in the amount of teaching experience they have received in their preparation programs.
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The actual curriculum that teacher candidates receive differs depending on how the state in which they prepare creates standards reflecting the differences that have described.
A student in a state that emphasizes K-12 certification, and that requires two teaching majors but no field experience prior to student teaching, receives a preparation very differ student teaching, receives a preparation very different from that of a student in another state who is working toward a K-6 certificate.
Where only physical education as a teaching area is required and where there is a strong emphasis on field experience.
What does his state require or allow? How do its requirements differ from those of neighboring states? What do you think would be the best approach to preparing teachers in his state?
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These are all interesting questions, discussion of which will quickly get him deeply involved in feelings about and points of view relative to teacher education.