Physical Education Degrees in Arkansas
With today’s students spending close to 40 hours per week at school, it is more important than ever for students to have their full range of needs met in a school setting. This includes the need for physical activity, which may not always be prioritized for students at home.
When you become a physical education teacher, you are not just teaching students the rules of games and making sure they get outside every now and then. You are creating healthy habits, strong morals, and a sense of sportsmanship that can last their whole lives.
Role of Educators with a Physical Education Degree in Arkansas
If you are passionate about the value of exercise and the need for teamwork, becoming a physical education teacher could be the right move for you.
Contact physical education colleges in Arkansas to discuss your degree options.
The physical education community of Arkansas is extremely large and diverse, encompassing teachers, students, and parents. This gives you a great support base that’s full of people who value the work you do. A local fundraiser, Kids Run Arkansas, aims to raise money for physical education programs, buy equipment, and meet initiatives to get kids active. The most recent run accumulated $9,000 for physical education programs all over the state.
By learning how to become a PE teacher, you can become part of this community and benefit from it, coming up with creative solutions to issues and challenges in your district.
Ready to find out how you can reach your goal of becoming a teacher? Use the list of Arkansas schools for physical education teachers below to contact programs near you.
Getting Your Physical Education Degree in Arkansas
Before you can start teaching physical education classes all over Arkansas, there are many educational milestones you have to meet. Consider earning a Bachelor’s degree in education—this is the most straightforward path to teacher licensure and certification in Arkansas.
If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you may complete an alternative certification program to save time and get your license. Furthermore, there are Master’s degree programs for those who have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
Your curriculum must meet the state requirements for a teacher preparation program. That’s why you have to learn how to work with both elementary school students and secondary school students.
As you build these skills, you may take classes like:
- Principles of Personal Health
- First Aid and Safety
- Strategies for Teaching Health Education
- Secondary Teaching Skills
- Elementary Teaching Skills
- Human Anatomy
- Human Physiology
- Educational Psychology
- Organization and Administration of Physical Education
- Physical Education for Teachers of Young Children
- Evaluation in Physical Education
- Motor Skills Development
In any teaching specialty, experience is essential. By the time you graduate from a physical education program, you should understand the learning goals at each grade level, be able to create lesson plans that address these goals, and be able to teach effectively to each student’s learning needs.
In the early part of your education, you may complete fieldwork courses that take you into gym classes at local schools. To finish out your education, you should be assigned to a local school. You spend an entire semester at the school, teaching courses, creating plans, grading students, and generally applying everything you’ve learned as an education student.
Your performance as a student teacher may help you secure job opportunities before you even graduate. Your student teaching time should show you the importance of physical education and how gym class can help students have an overall better experience in school. As you learn how to connect with students and help them succeed, your hard work can pay off.
Once you have earned your Bachelor’s degree at an accredited school, you can use it to become a licensed gym teacher. This process goes through the Arkansas Department of Education. They run a thorough background check and verify your completion of their training requirements.
For physical education certification, you must pass the Health and Physical Education Content Knowledge Praxis II exam. The quicker you start your training, the more quickly you can begin working. Request information from the schools listed below to begin.
Working with a Physical Education Degree in Arkansas
As a physical education teacher, you may work with specific grade levels or teach classes throughout the district to make the most of your time. It’s more common for physical education teachers to run classes in multiple schools and grade levels in smaller districts that may not be able to afford separate gym teachers for each facility.
Your income may be reliant on what level you teach and which district you work in. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that elementary school teachers earn an average salary of $45,120 per year in Arkansas (2016). Statistics indicate that secondary school teachers earn an average of $48,600 per year (BLS, 2016).
The job outlook in Arkansas is very positive. From 2012 through 2022, you may see a 16% boost in elementary education teaching jobs (O*Net, 2016). During this time, job openings for secondary school teachers may increase 9% (O*Net, 2016).
Working closely with other education and health professionals can help you get established in your chosen industry. The Arkansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance keeps members updated on legislation, programs, and networking opportunities.
A degree in physical education can help you become part of the movement for better health in Arkansas. Reach out to physical education programs to get started.
