Britney Buyas

Philosophy Paper
Physical education has the potential to impact society on numerous, positive levels. A
successful physical education class will provide students with the knowledge to be involved in
and understand the value of a physically active lifestyle. Thriving individuals are essential in
order to promote growth in society, and these individuals are molded through their experiences
and education. Physical education is valuable to the longevity of our society and equally as
important as traditional subjects. There is a positive correlation between higher education and
health for this reason: people must take care of themselves physically and mentally to be truly
successful, and they must have the skills and power to know how to succeed (Donatelle). The
content provided in physical education will impact students for a lifetime when delivered
appropriately. As a physical educator, it is my mission to offer students authentic learning
experiences to endorse physically active and healthful lifestyles at a young age that will be
carried out into a better, more productive society.
As a physical educator, I am responsible for teaching students the fundamental skills
necessary to lead a physically active lifestyle, but these skills are beyond locomotor movements
and game strategies. Students will find a purpose for why and how they are learning the content
provided in physical education through authentic learning experiences. The learning process
value orientation focuses on providing physical education students with the power to understand
their individual learning processes and realize the relevance and significance within their choices
and actions. By using this focus it is also possible to incorporate other important skills by
providing students opportunities to demonstrate responsibilities, problem-solving, and goal
setting.

I would use models such as The Skills Theme Approach, Teaching Games for
Understanding, and the Sport Education: Authentic Sports Experience to base my curriculum
depending on the grade level and age-related appropriateness of my students. These models can
each be centered to provide students with opportunities for understanding. By incorporating a
Skills-Theme Approach with elementary students, I could provide them with opportunities to
use a skill we are developing in different ways. For example, while teaching students to underhand toss, they can be given the autonomy to choose different extensions or refinements such as
larger/smaller/irregular objects to toss. Through this experience they will be given the
opportunity to decide what works the best for them and why which will help develop their
individual learning process.
A similar idea could be carried over with middle-school or junior high students by
incorporating Teaching Games for Understanding or Authentic Sports Experience.
Throughout these models, students will be able to discover ideas independently. The sport
education model will also provide opportunities for students to demonstrate personal and social
responsibilities necessary to contribute to society by taking a leadership role within small teams
and working together to accomplish their goals. Whereas, Teaching Games for Understanding
allows students to think critically by intertwining the skills and concepts they have been exposed
to in more genuine situations. For example, if students are learning net games, they will have the
skills to complete the tasks, but must choose what strategies to use in order to be a successful
player in the game (Lund, & Tannehill, 2005).
I also support the learning process value orientation because students value knowledge
that they figure out themselves and they feel a stronger sense of accomplishment through
authentic learning. As a physical education teacher it is my goal to provide students with these

opportunities as often as possible. Ultimately, the learning process is an analogy for life.
Individuals can be provided with limitless skills, but if there is little understanding on how or
why to use them, then what is the point of learning? By taking students through the learning
process, I also hope to enhance all other aspects of their life in order to cultivate physically
literate individuals for the future of society.

Donatelle, R. J. (n.d.). My health.

Lund, J. L., & Tannehill, D. (2005). Standards-based physical education curriculum
development. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.