Physical Education Teacher Education (PHET)

• The Physical Education Teacher Education (PHET) program is designed to prepare students to teach physical education in schools K-12 as well as to continue their studies at the graduate level in kinesiology and health. This program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTBS), Wyoming Department of Education.

• The process of getting a secondary education degree is designed to help prepare student to become teachers. Helping students to choose a major topic and graduate with the ability to teach at a upper level.

• There are two departments in the Kinesiology department, and one of them is the Physical Education Teacher Program which has competitive admissions which is limited to 20 students per year. Overall there are 450 students in the Kinesiology program.

Within the education department the exact number is unknown, however education is one of the most prominent departments at the university.

• The website did not specifically address the class size of an average PHET class; however, the average class size of an undergraduate class at the University of Wyoming is 29 students. Because only 20 students per year are admitted into the PHET major, it would stand to reason that the maximum number of students in major-specific courses would be no more than 20. The website also did not include pictures of students in class, nor did it include any instructor quotes.

• Some of the required courses that a student majoring in PHET take include Teaching Lab I and II; Assessment in Physical Education; Teaching Reading in the Content Area; Teaching Methods in Physical Education; Physiology of Exercise; Lifespan Motor Development; Sport Psychology or Exercise Psychology; Biomechanics of Human Movement; Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries; Understanding Skill Acquisition for Teaching; Curriculum Development in Physical Education; School Administration for the Health Sciences; Student Teaching. The link to the Program of Study and 4-Year Plan for PHET can be accessed at http://www.uwyo.edu/kandh/undergraduate-studies/undergraduate-programs.html

• One group recommended to join is the PETESA (Physical Education Teacher Education Student Association) whose purpose is the promotion and enhancement of knowledge pertaining to Physical Education, Health Education, Recreation and Dance. A benefit to joining his group is to get a sense of all of the domains of Physical Education. A second student organization is PEK (Phi Epsilon Kappa) whose purpose is a de-facto fraternity for individuals who are going into exercise and Physical Education careers. They promote community service, charitable endeavors, and student research. Joining a professional organization is a good way to build a resume and a way to learn to interact with other professionals with similar career goals. A final student organization associated with the PHET program is EIM-OC (Exercise is Medicine) which put things learned in classes into practical use. The group puts on exercise activities on campus to educate their fellow students, and promotes education about healthy lifestyles and activities to the student body. This is an excellent way to practice teaching skills prior to student teaching.

• A physical education teacher education major understands physical education content and disciplinary concepts related to the development of a physically educated person. A physical education teacher education major understands how individuals learn and develop, and provides opportunities that support their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. A physical education teacher education major understands how individuals differ in their approaches to learning and creates appropriate instruction adapted to these differences. A physical education teacher education major uses and understands individual and group motivation and behavior to create safe learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

• I believe that the most common problem associated with this major is that it is listed in two separate locations- both in the College of Education section and the Kinesiology and Health Promotion section. This was a little confusing to me as a prospective student. Another misconception has to do with the Program of Study sheets on the website. If the course is listed is it a General Education Course or a Required Course? This could use some clarification.

f. Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions associated with the PHET program is that individuals in this major will be able to teach Health in addition to teaching PE courses. In order to teach Health classes students are required to take additional coursework in order to receive a Health Education Endorsement. This course work is necessary so that the prospective educator can take the NTE (National Teacher Exam) specific test for Health education and add the endorsement to their license. Likewise, students wanting to coach sports must take additional coursework and gain field experience to gain endorsements in coaching.