Career Changes Among Physical Educators

Abstract

Physical educators experience several occupational constraints and a high risk of physical injury associated with a high attrition rate. Our investigation aimed at identifying the principal career reorientation factors among physical educators and reasons for their career changes. This research used semistructured interviews (n = 53) that were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. While younger teachers frequently invoked job precariousness, the more experienced teachers and those who made a transition toward other teaching functions put more emphasis on teaching problems, work conditions, and physical context. Those who transferred toward administrative duties insisted on their desire for a new challenge. Our study indicates that career reorientation is most often associated with job precariousness and the pursuit of new challenges, respectively, for younger and older physical educators.

Older Physical Education Teachers’ Wellbeing at Work and its Challenges

“…The possibility to influence one's working methods and arrangements was a prerequisite for physically and mentally meaningful work. The study provided parallel results with earlier study [42], where physical problems were not observed to be a significant factor determining older teachers' career change or retirement plans. In this study, similar to the earlier studies [42] the older PE teachers explained that physical restrictions and chronic injuries still made them reflect on a career change.…”

“…The study provided parallel results with earlier study [42], where physical problems were not observed to be a significant factor determining older teachers' career change or retirement plans. In this study, similar to the earlier studies [42] the older PE teachers explained that physical restrictions and chronic injuries still made them reflect on a career change. However, while study by Bizet et al [42] Concentrated on work ability of PE teachers, this study also studied the coping methods to deal with the challenges for PE teachers.…”

“…However, Hüseyin and Bijen [15] observed that very few PE teachers had serious health problems and that their problems were mainly related to musculoskeletal disorders and respiratory diseases. Bizet, et al [42] observed that experienced PE teachers also suffer from chronic injuries in later career stages. The growing work strain of older staff increases the probability of musculoskeletal problems, and especially chronic injuries are more common among older teachers [16].…”

“…Teachers' functioning is determined by their mental and physical capacities, which promote their coping with professional requirements [50]. Problems arise from PE teachers' physical problems near the end of their career [42]. Individual PE teachers' views on work ability vary and depend on the cultural context as well as the working environment and conditions of work [46].…”

Teacher Induction Pathway of Physical and Health Education: A Case Study

“…Furthermore, teachers who experience greater satisfaction appear to make the best teachers (Hung, 2012), and their students learn better (McCluney, Fallaize, & Schempp, 2018) and are more motivated (Ünlü & Filiz, 2019). Experienced PHE teachers' value job security, a task that allows for physical activity, a postive work climate and contact with students (Bizet, Laurencelle, Lemoyne, Larouche, & Trudeau, 2010). Their level of satisfaction varies from medium to high (Richards, Washburn, & Hemphill, 2017).…”