When thinking about the purpose of education, it’s important to realize that education is dynamic and variable, it’s not a static or stagnant thing. As educators, one of our main goals should be to assist students in becoming skilled and knowledgeable in many areas. It’s important that the students we encounter daily leave our care with the skills they need to go out into the real world and live life every day. This is vital because, in the end, every student we encounter will leave school and will have to be able to function in the world: it’s our job to prepare them for that. In the world of physical education, learning the basic skills of sports can be helpful in both social and physical aspects of life. By acquiring the skills to play sports and work as a team, as well as just learning about sports in general could potentially create opportunities later down the line. Having common interests and goals with those you interact with will lead to a more happy, productive and well balanced life. I know from personal experience that enjoying sporting events with friends and being on a winning baseball team with people who want to win is an experience that only shaped me for the better, both socially and physically. Whether it be joining the local sports team with friends trying to win the championship, hitting baseballs for exercise at the batting cages, closing a business deal on a golf course, or just enjoying a sporting event with some friends and family, physical education can greatly benefit a person in becoming a well rounded individual. For me, instilling confidence in my students is also very important as an educator. Many times, students may lack confidence in and out of school, and it goes unnoticed.. Making sure that students have confidence in themselves in school and after leaving school will allow them to be the best version of themselves. Confidence enables people to try more things and to be more outgoing, which will greatly benefit students in and out of the classroom. Within physical education, having confidence in oneself can lead to improved participation and increased skill development, which only helps the student be a healthier person overall, both emotionally and physically. Another objective of education is to get students to actually enjoy their education. Every day, even after our formal education is complete, we are learning and growing. At a young age, as educators, it’s our job to instill a desire and enjoyment for learning in all of our students. This will allow for people to constantly grow and develop into better people. Whether it be in the classroom, on a sports team, at work or in our personal lives, learning is a valuable lifelong skill. Lastly, the most important purpose of education to me, is to make sure that through our education, students feel a sense of peace and happiness both during and after their formal education is complete. Whether we are going to work, going to school or partaking in our own personal hobbies, having peace of mind is the most important thing for all people, especially for students who are still growing and dealing with the stresses of the future. If we make sure that, through our education, students find some form of happiness and peace within themselves, we will be leading them down a more positive path and we will be setting them up for a happier future. This is precisely the reason that I am going into education. Being someone who has struggled with being the happiest of people and being someone who doesn’t always have the most confidence in himself, I want to make it a goal that every student that passes through my class gets some enjoyment and is given a boost in confidence, whether that be confidence academically, physically or emotionally. I’m going into physical education, so I know that I’ll be taking students in during the day to be physically active, which is one of the most important aspects of mental happiness. By instilling students with the knowledge to take care of themselves and by giving them the skills to be a well rounded person, I know that we will be preparing students for a productive, fulfilling and most importantly, a happy life.
Because my philosophy is rooted in emotional care rather than straight knowledge, I’ll be sure to focus on my students’ participation, attitude and well being as opposed to just their grades - that is not to say that grades and progress don't matter. Being in the field of physical education, I know that I can show care for my students and their physical well being by teaching them about their own bodies, giving them the knowledge to participate in a group capacity and by giving them tools to feel confident, in and out of my class. I know that not all students will be equally skilled in terms of physicality, but that will not matter in my class. Physical education class is a time for all students to take part in healthy activities and to feel good about themselves, so I’ll make sure that, regardless of skill, each student is given the same treatment, instruction and opportunity. My students can also expect someone who will be there for them. They can expect that I’ll be free before, during and after the school day, as well as willing to help with things outside of the scope of education. As physical education doesn’t necessarily focus on a book-based curriculum like most classes, it’s a good break from the possible stresses of that book-based curriculum. That being said, I want my students to view me and my class as a positive, stress free time and as a good opportunity to better themselves, both mentally and physically. In that regard, physical fitness is always changing, which is one of the things I will do as an educator: I will keep up on the most recent ways to better the body and mind so that I can share these skills and lessons with my students. Whether that be the best mechanics for sports that we play, the most efficient exercises or a way to improve mental health while at school, I will always be looking for ways to improve as an educator and for ways to improve how my students benefit from my class. A crucial part of safety in physical education is the equipment. I will keep the equipment up to date and always make sure it is properly set up for use in whatever school I work at. I’ll also stay educated on the most recent exercise and fitness regimens so that I can best teach and prepare my students for a healthy life. Lastly, a major issue in some schools are attitudes from class to class. I will make sure that I’m always collaborating with my fellow colleagues to ensure the happiest, healthiest and most conducive learning environment is given to the students.
With that being said, I would also hope for and expect from my students that they give the same effort back. There are minimal assessments and lectures in a P.E. class in relation to other disciplines, so of course, the expectations will differ from a conventional classroom. Outside of the curriculum of P.E. I’ll expect my students to participate in physical activity, to respect all other students in the classroom and to respect the school, whether that be the teachers or the equipment. Of course, I’ll explain proper and safe use of any and all pieces of equipment that we use during class time so that all students are informed and kept as safe as possible. Other than those more serious things, my students will be expected to do only one more thing: enjoy their time in my class. If there is one lesson that I’d like my students to take away from my class, I’d like it to be that physical education is an important and enjoyable part of life, and that there are many ways to remain a healthy and happy person throughout your life. I don’t want my class to be just another class. I want students to take these skills, whether it be a sport skill or team work skill, and use it in their everyday lives. When it’s all said and done, I want former students of mine to fondly remember the enjoyment and knowledge they gained in my class. More importantly, I want them to be able to go out into the world, using the many lessons and skills acquired from their formal education, and live their happiest, healthiest life.