Insideness and outsideness

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide an authentic and legitimate voice to the physical education (PE) specialist teacher in the primary school and to give an insight into professional knowledge. An autoethnographic approach has been used to invite readers to enter my world of the primary PE specialist teacher and observe and respond to its social and cultural practices. Teacher professionalism as a cultural practice is defined, perceived and enacted in different ways over the three years I spent as a primary PE specialist teacher. The places and spaces in which primary PE operates are investigated using the conceptual framework of Relph's Place and Placelessness. I found myself both in and out of places and spaces that raised questions about the role of the primary PE specialist teacher, the issue of non-contact time in Queensland schools, the influence of performance cultures and the possibility (or not) for enacting an activist democratic professionalism.

How Do Specialist Teachers Practice Safety Lessons Exploring the Aspects of Physical Education Safety Lessons in Elementary Schools

“…Limited contact with students: Classroom teachers vs. specialist teachers Subject specialist teachers in each country have long and complicated histories, but their profession has emerged to enhance the teacher professionalism frequently mentioned in elementary education (Barney & Deutsch, 2012;Brooks & Thompson, 2015). Although specialist teachers were introduced to provide quality subject classes to students, the research participants reported that specialist teachers play a minor role in the safety of students' PE classes.…”