Health and Physical Education Teacher

About the Role

To develop in each student an understanding of the relationship of good body function and exercise; to motivate each student to cultivate physical fitness, hygienic habits, and good social and emotional adjustment; to discover and develop talents of students in physical achievement; to develop strength, skill, agility, poise, and coordination in individual, dual, and team physical activities and sports, in accordance with each student's ability.

Responsibilities

• Teaches knowledge and skills in physical fitness, health education, rhythms and dance, and individual, dual, or team sports, utilizing course of study adopted by the Board of Education and other appropriate learning activities.
• Instructs students in citizenship and basic subject matter specified in state law and administrative regulations and procedures of the school district.
• Works cooperatively with other physical education teachers in planning a balanced physical education program.
• Analyzes, demonstrates, and explains basic skills, knowledge, and strategies of formal sports, games, rhythms, and fundamentals of body movement.
• Provides individualized and small group instruction in order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of each student, to the extent feasible.
• May teach physical education classes for handicapped students, interscholastic athletics, or drill team to senior high students.
• Provides appropriate safety instruction and makes safety checks on equipment and field areas to ensure the overall safety of students.
• Maintains control of storage and use of school-owned property.
• Establishes and maintains standards of student behavior needed to provide an orderly, productive environment in the physical education areas.
• Evaluates each student's growth in physical skills, knowledge, and contribution in team sports.
• Maintains professional competence through in-service education provided by the District and in self-selected professional growth activities.
• Participates cooperatively with the principal or their designee to develop the method by which the teacher will be evaluated in conformance with District guidelines.
• Selects and requisitions uniforms, equipment, and instructional aids; maintains required inventory records.
• Communicates with parents and school counselors on student progress.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Superintendent or their designee.

Requirements

• Possession of appropriate degree with advanced coursework in physical education.
• Pennsylvania Instructional Teaching Certificate.

Skills

• Ability to speak clearly and distinctly.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively with other employees, students, and parents.
• Ability to apply basic arithmetic calculations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions for practical situations.
• Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or schedule form.
• Ability to coordinate activities with related and specialist staff.
• Ability to develop and maintain required records and reports.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers, parents, and the community.
• Good knowledge of procedures, practices, materials, and equipment required to provide appropriate learning experiences for students.
• Ability to work as a member of a team.
• Must be courteous and able to deal effectively with people.
• Must be cooperative, congenial, and service-oriented.
• Ability to maintain personal self-control in stressful situations.
• Ability to operate a personal computer and software.
• Ability to travel to more than one work location in the course of the day if assigned to an itinerant position.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to walk and talk or hear.
• Frequently required to stand and sit.
• Occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
• Some driving is necessary; light lifting – up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.
• Occasionally, yet essential to this position, the individual must meet deadlines with severe time constraints.

Work Environment

• The noise level is usually quiet but may be moderate to loud at times.
• Frequently required to interact with parents, public, and staff during and after the normal workday.
• Must exhibit good human relation skills including courtesy, tact, and patience.
• Works in and out-of-doors in moderately warm, cold, or inclement weather and may require adaptation of clothes and dress to the conditions or the use of "sun blockers".