Teacher (Physical Education)

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Work Tasks

• Help students develop skills, knowledge, and enjoyment of exercise and fitness
• Lead individual and team activities in sports, gymnastics, and dance
• Stress leadership, responsibility, and cooperation through physical activity
• Organize and coach sports programs
• Work in classrooms, gyms, and outdoors for private and public schools, colleges, universities, community recreation programs, adult education programs, and early childhood physical education programs
• Work with sports and exercise equipment, reference books, lesson plans, textbooks, computers, posters, projectors, attendance records, student grades, medical records, tests, evaluations, theories of learning and teaching, and the latest technology

Salary, Size & Growth

• $53,000 average per year ($25.50 per hour)
• A large occupation (225,500 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (2.9% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree from a school with an approved teacher training program, plus a period of student teaching
• Skills/Courses: Most states require a 4-year degree in the subject area(s) you will teach, courses on how to teach, and supervised student-teaching. In some states, the teacher training courses are included in the 4-year degree, and in other states a fifth year is required.
• Certification/Licensing: A certificate or license is required.