Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Primary School

Both Maynard and Furlong and Booth have put forward the view that before one can begin to plan the school-based experience of trainee teachers, and consider the role of mentors within that process, then one ought to:

…begin with the trainees’ perpective…. (Maynard and Furlong, 1993, p. 71)

—and:

…reconsider ITT in the light of the experiences students receive in schools. (Booth, 1993, p. 193)

This chapter attempts to provide an insight into the school-based experiences of primary trainees as far as the teaching of physical education (PE) is concerned, with a view to raising a number of issues that might enable both ‘partners’ in the teacher training process (school and higher education institution) to develop initial training courses in PE that will provide the primary generalist trainee teacher with the knowledge, experiences and support to enable them to feel confident about the teaching of PE as a newly-qualified teacher (NQT).