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Physical Education Degrees in Vermont

If you’re interested in becoming a teacher, there are many routes that you can take to have a positive effect on students’ lives.

If you are a healthy person and interested in improving health and living standards in Vermont, you may find your calling as a physical education teacher. Children of all ages receive physical education in schools, and a highly trained PE teacher can help kids develop habits that last their entire lives.

Role of Educators with a Physical Education Degree in Vermont

Wondering if you would be a good fit for the field of physical education? Learn more about state requirements by contacting teacher training programs in Vermont.

Vermont educators are focusing heavily on the need for strong physical education programs in their schools. For that reason, you may benefit from the support of groups like Vermont Action for Healthy Kids. This group aims to create healthier schools and improve academic success by ensuring that kids have access to physical activity and healthy food.

As a student and as a new professional, you may benefit from these initiatives and use them to direct the goals of your daily teaching work. You may also connect with experienced physical education teachers and administrators.

If you’re ready to learn how to teach physical education to elementary, middle, and high schoolers, find out if this is the career path for you.

Contact Vermont schools for more information on PE teaching degrees.

Getting Your Physical Education Degree in Vermont

So, you are ready to earn a physical education degree and do your part to improve Vermont’s future. First, you have to learn how to become a PE teacher in VT.

If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you may be considering Master’s degree programs or alternative certification paths.

However, if you do not have a Bachelor’s degree, an undergraduate teacher education program is the way to go. Over a period of approximately four years, you study physical education theory, learn teaching techniques for students of different ages and skill levels, and put your skills to work by gaining experience in local physical education classes.

Although you do take many courses that are unique to the field of physical education, you also take courses that are applicable to the field of teaching as a whole.

The courses listed below are commonly required in Vermont education programs.

Physical Education Courses in Vermont

  • Concepts of Fitness and Skill Performance
  • Foundations of Teaching Health and Physical Education
  • Motor Learning
  • Designs for Fitness
  • Teaching Rhythm and Dance
  • Adventure Education
  • Teaching Games and Movement
  • Curriculum and Instruction in Physical Education

As noted, you should be ready to work in local schools to get ready for your teaching career. A growing number of programs are starting to require first-semester teaching experiences, as this allows students to verify that they want to go into physical education and shows instructors which students have potential in this field.

All of the experience you get as an undergraduate student culminates in your student teaching semester. To end your education, you spend one semester in an assigned elementary, middle, or high school. You should build a strong connection with your supervising teacher and learn how to bond with students. To succeed as a student teacher, you should be able to independently teach and assess students.

When your education is behind you, you still have to become licensed before you can start working as a teacher. All application materials go through the Vermont Agency of Education. The licensure exam required by the Vermont Agency of Education is the Praxis II Physical Education Content and Knowledge test.

Working with a Physical Education Degree in Vermont

In Vermont, physical education teachers are licensed to teach all grades between preschool and 12th grade. The future of your career depends a lot on where you secure work in Vermont.

In terms of job outlook, there is not much difference between secondary schools and elementary schools. O*Net expects the job outlook for elementary school teachers and secondary school teachers to remain stable through 2024 (2016).

Furthermore, average salaries are very similar at different levels of teaching. The average salary for a Vermont elementary school teacher is $54,750 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). The mean annual income for a secondary school teacher is $54,240 (BLS, 2016).

No matter which grade you teach, don’t lose sight of how important your work is. Every hour you put into a child’s education affects them for years to come. By remembering the importance of your job, you can make the most of every lesson.

Start working toward a degree in physical education today. Compare Vermont schools below and get in touch with those that fit your needs.