A K-2 physical education handbook designed for use by elementary classroom teachers.

Abstract

A literature survey revealed a number of concepts and beliefs about physical education curriculum content, of which most were basically the same. There appeared to be very few studies on implementation of appropriate physical education curriculum by elementary classroom teachers. Classroom teaching was depicted as being the most ineffective method of physical education instruction due to lack of appropriate guidance. The literature implied that the "mastery learning" technique was the most effective and appropriate.

An unpublished three-year study on the status of elementary physical education in Tennessee revealed that on average 72 percent of elementary classroom teachers are required to conduct all or a portion of their students' physical education instruction. An average return of 83 percent of local education agencies surveyed furnished the data for this study. The study indicated that a comprehensive elementary physical educational curriculum handbook for classroom teachers would be of assistance.

Since the Tennessee Instructional Model was the major model used for instruction by Tennessee teachers, its format was used in writing the handbook. The handbook's content was determined by reviewing related literature, curriculum guidelines from other states, and elementary physical education curriculum content that had been mandated by the Tennessee State Board of Education.

The result of this study was the development of a comprehensive K-2 physical education handbook which included instruction in Identification of Body Parts, Spatial Directions, Balance, Eye-Hand Coordination, Eye-Foot Coordination, Locomotor Movements, Rope Jumping, Basic Non-locomotor Movements, Body Control Skills, Object Control Skills, Developmental Activities, Hoop Activities, Wand Activities, Stunts, Tumbling, and Rhythmic Activities.

This study lends itself to further research of effectiveness of handbook implementation.