Exploring Touch in Physical Education Practicum in a Touchy Latin Culture

Abstract

Abstract:The decrease in touch has been explored in recent literature in relation to child protection discourses and no touch policies and it has been suggested that Physical Education (PE) has been weakened by the lack of touch. Significantly, the issue of touch has remained largely unexplored in Latin societies, which are characterised by an amplified tactile approach to people and comparatively little personal space. This paper examines how a group of pre-service PE teachers in Spain responded to, acted and negotiated touch with primary school students. It draws on data generated from body journals and the concepts of risk society, surveillance and moral panic. The findings indicate that touching school students is still common practice in Spain and was considered something positive. The influence of other individuals and certain spaces was also noted by participants, who felt more surveilled and distressed on particular occasions and some of them strategically introduced touch with students in a progressive manner. The results of the study invite us to reflect on the possibility of doing more harm than good by presenting topics about touch to pre-service teachers and how pre-service teacher educators may need to provide PE students with proper resources and understandings to successfully negotiate touch with school students.

‘I feel, therefore I am’: unpacking preservice physical education teachers’ emotions

“…Furthermore, participants were aware they were being observed and felt judged during the practicum, and this also manifested in their bodies. As demonstrated elsewhere (Varea et al, 2018), preservice teachers may feel surveilled during specific situations in the practicum. This can happen because some people (e.g.…”

“…The practicum lasted for 12 weeks (Varea, González Calvo, & Martínez Álvarez, 2018). During this period of time, the students were required to write about situations which they felt were significant regarding the embodied dimension of teaching, and to send their written reflections to their university tutor.…”

A Turning Point as an Opportunity to (Re)Think and Give a Voice to One’s Own Body

“…In 2014, when Gustavo started teaching a university subject related to the body and the teaching of PE, he commenced writing a "body journal". During the university course, students are asked to reflect on their bodily experiences during their practicum [36,37]. As Gustavo realised that the task would also be beneficial for him, he started his own reflective body journal.…”

“…However, I noticed myself being tired, depressed, and irritable during the last few days, and I guess I also transmit that to students. In Spain it is common for a teacher to have physical contact with students [37]. Even though physical contact has become associated with sexual intentions and/or connotations in prevailing social discourses [57], Spain has not yet been influenced by those discourses to a great extent.…”

“…Even though physical contact has become associated with sexual intentions and/or connotations in prevailing social discourses [57], Spain has not yet been influenced by those discourses to a great extent. The trusting environment in the classroom, together with the characteristics of a Latin society [37] naturalises hugs and physical contact between a teacher and their students.…”