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JOPERD • Volume 78 No. 9 • November/December 2007 M uch of the focus for physical education teachers relates to the curriculum and each individual lesson that is taught. It is important, however, to advocate for another aspect of the program that teachers are trying to promote: physical activity outside of the physical education classroom. With the limited amount of time for physical education, students cannot reach the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity (National Association for Sport and Physical Education [NASPE], 2004b). To make up the difference, physical educators need to help promote, facilitate, and model opportunities for students to be active outside of class. The Healthy People 2010 goals state that individuals should increase their daily physical activity levels and increase their quality of life through physical activity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000). These goals can be reached by combining the efforts of physical educators with the efforts of other school and community professionals. This article provides suggestions for physical educators to help students, their friends, and even their families to lead a physically active lifestyle and make healthy choices outside of the physical education program.

This study examined the choices made by adolescent girls in physical education classes when allowed to choose from among a variety of walking activities. Following the TARGET (Epstein, 1988; Treasure & Roberts, 1999) structures, nine walking activities were created to reflect one of four themes: social, exercise/fitness, game-like, or competition. Participants were 570 girls from 21 intact 7th and 8th grade classes from five schools in two school districts. Every 3 days for 9 days, students chose from a list of three activities representing a combination of the four themes. They were significantly more likely to choose (a) a social activity over two exercise and fitness activities; (b) either a game-like or competitive activity over an exercise/fitness activity; and (c) a social activity over a game-like activity or a game-like activity over a competitive activity. Adolescent girls may benefit from activities that are designed to be social, game-like, and/or competitive.

(2004). Fitness Scavenger Hunts for Middle School Students. Strategies: Vol. 17, No. 6, pp. 13-15.

Expertise in teaching has received considerable attention, and its knowledge base is growing steadily (Berliner, 1986). Researchers have used a theoretical framework rooted in cognitive psychology, viewing teaching as primarily a complex cognitive skill (e.g., Borko & Livingston, 1989). Research designs typically have included comparisons of teachers categorized as either novice or expert. Classroom studies showed that expert teachers interpreted and recognized classroom events with greater speed and accuracy. Expert teachers actively planned and taught organizational and managerial routines early in the school year (Berliner, 1986, 1988; Brooks & Hawke, 1987; Carter, Cushing, Sabers, Stein, & Berliner, 1988; Leinhardt & Greeno, 1986). Research on physical educators" thought processes indicates similarities between those labeled expert (or more experienced) or novice physical education teachers and classroom teachers (Ashy, Howell, & Lee, 1989; Griffey & Housner, 1991;HousnerG Nelson, 1988; Sherman, 1983; Sherman, Sipp, & Taheri, 1987). Griffey and Housner (1991) were the first to compare not only the thought processes of inexperienced and experienced teachers but also their in-class behavior and that of their students. Findings on thought processes reiterated those from the research literature. Behavioral differences were limited in that experienced teachers spent more time lecturing, and their students spent more time receiving this information and initiating talk. Silence/confusion was more dominant in classes taught by inexperienced teachers.

This study sought to determine the effects of three teacher supervision patterns on student on-task and practice skill behavior. Three experienced physical education instructors and 3 off-task junior high school males served as subjects. An alternating treatments design was used to study the on-task behavior, total practice trials and appropriate practice trials under three supervision patterns: (a) close with feedback, (b) distant with feedback, and (c) distant with no feedback. Under the active supervision patterns (with feedback), teachers issued specific skill feedback to target students at a minimum of 0.5 per minute. Findings indicated that when the treatments were successfully implemented, (a) the percentage of on-task behavior was significantly higher during active supervision for two target students and (b) mixed results were produced for total practice trials and appropriate practice trials across all three treatments.

The controversial “Common Core” standards in English and mathematics are focused on curricula that will lead to higher levels of learning, and better prepare student for success in society. What is the correlation between the Common Core and physical education? Do enhanced learning practices in English and mathematics identify closely with the “physical” aspect of our profession? This article explores answers to these questions.

The analysis of teaching behavior in t he teaching-learning environment i s an important process i n evaluating and improving those behaviors. I n recent years researchers have tu rned the i r attention t o observing the teaching behaviors of coaches i n the athletic sett ing i n order t o better understand t he science of coaching. The purpose of th is art ic le is t o introduce and discuss a systematic observation instrument for collecting data on coaching behaviors. This observational system, called the Arizona State Universi ty (ASU) Observation Instrument, is designed mainly f o r observing the behaviors of coaches, b u t could also be used f o r observing teachers i n physical education settings.

(1978). Learning Environments to Create Lifelong Enjoyment of Physical Activity. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 44-44.