Practical Assessment for Physical Education Teachers.
by Sarah Doolittle
Physical Education Teachers, unlike classroom teachers, generally have not felt obliged to demonstrate student achievement of goals in a formal and systematic way. Instead, we often simply require students to attend classes and demonstrate good behavior. Thus, in order to earn physical education credit for graduation, students are graded on attendance rather than achievement, on participation rather than learning.
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Scott, this is interesting considering we seem to be in the age of accountability and data driven decision making.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a long time since I was a student in a PE class, but I remember having to demonstrate personal growth on certain tasks to be able to earn a certain grade in PE classes. I remember my PE teachers monitoring and recording our performance on tasks and activities 2-4 times a marking term and we needed to personally improve by specific amounts to get a grade better than a 'C'. If we wanted an 'A' in class we had to be able to increase our speed, or reps, or what ever we were working on during that term and do so by a specific percentage or predetermined value. I remember my PE teachers from Elem through HS doing something similar to this.
When did this change? Or did I attend a unique school system?
It seems you attended a "unique" system. Most schools grade on participation and attendance. Some of my colleagues are opposed to the approach that you describe...we at the high school level measure participation with heart rate monitors and the students grade is tied to the amount of time they achieve their THR. Our elementary teachers are reluctant to do something similar...most often stating that it is too difficult or time consuming.
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