Any aspiring Physical Education teacher has to have certain traits to be successful. PE teachers have to be good in the classroom, but they also have to be able to work with parents and other educators. Good PE teachers need to have a range of skills beyond knowing sports, including interpersonal skills, creativity, and more.
Personality Traits of the Best PE Teachers
Athletic Ability
It seems obvious, but having a healthy body is important for a PE teacher. Since PE teachers are telling students to make healthy choices, these adults have to model what they say to do. PE teachers don’t need to be star athletes, but having a positive attitude toward fitness and instruction is important to show students how living healthy can be enjoyable.
Teaching Ability
This is another trait that seems apparent, but a good Physical Educator needs to be able to educate. Being able to distill complex ideas into easily followed steps helps your students feel better about physical activity. Being able to teach also includes being able to recognize which students need more encouragement or a different way of explaining, and assessing learning.
Interpersonal Skills
Working with students, parents, and other teachers requires a range of interpersonal skills. Being a teacher means being a leader and role model to your students. A physical education teacher is a model of values such as leadership, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Treating the people around you with respect makes them more likely to respect you and your program.
Communication
Being able to communicate effectively is another important skill. Clear communication with your students helps them learn your lessons and keeps them safe. Communicating respectfully with parents and other professionals shows how you treat your students in your program. Effective communication builds a sense of community where students feel confident in their abilities. With greater confidence and support, students are more likely to embrace physical activity as a source of fun.
Patience and Adaptability
Patience and adaptability are important to a successful teaching career. Since not all students learn in the same way or at the same rate, it’s important to stay patient and have different approaches. It’s also important to adapt and modify lessons to include students of different levels and abilities. Some schools have no dedicated PE area, so being able to change your lesson plans to adapt to weather or available resources keeps your lesson plans on track.
Organization
As a PE teacher, you might be teaching students who have different ages, physical abilities, and learning styles. In addition, PE teachers often have to work in different areas or even multiple schools. Being organized keeps all of these needs together and easy to manage. Keeping the classes themselves organized keeps them flowing, limits downtime, and lessens chances for conflict and behavior issues. Any PE class involves students, physical area, and equipment, so keeping all of these things organized makes the entire class run smoothly and maximizes learning opportunities.
Creativity
Being able to adapt and find new activities keeps your classes entertaining and fun for everybody. You can find inspiration for your classes in television, music, and other classes. You can take ideas from all around you to make engaging and fun activities for students of all physical abilities. Having a variety of activities and outcomes keeps students engaged and interested in your classes.
Focus on the Students
As an educator, you need to make sure your students are learning. Being an educator means you need to have a passion for helping children learn skills they can use in their daily lives outside of the classroom. Working with children can be taxing, so keeping that passion going helps you make your classes instructional and fun. You also need to keep your students safe and secure during class, since they’re moving around and in large areas with different equipment.
More PE Teacher Tips & Inspiration
Becoming a PE teacher is no easy task for any aspiring educator. Being a role model, having professional skills, and creating a fun environment are all crucial traits to have as a great PE teacher. Keeping your time organized and communicating clearly to students, parents, and other educators also makes your job easier and more enriching.
