ABSTRACT
Focusing largely on the Australian context, this chapter explores the role of health and physical education (HPE) teachers' philosophies and pedagogies of health. We draw upon research findings and existing literature to provide insight into how health is often conceptualised by both generalist and specialist HPE teachers, and the implications this might have for student learning. After making reference to the Australian policy and education contexts, we introduce the concept of ‘philosophies’ as a means to understand teachers' perspectives and pedagogies as they relate to ‘health’ in HPE. We next illuminate three key ‘problems’ that characterise the ways in which HPE teachers come to understand and teach about health, including: (i) valued knowledge in HPE; (ii) the contested purpose of HPE; and (iii) privileged and marginalised bodies in HPE. Finally, we make suggestions about how teachers and teacher educators can respond to these problems, and thus find small and nuanced ways in their teaching practice to challenge dominant discourses of health and the body. We finish with some concluding thoughts and reflection points for consideration.
