Health and Physical Education Certification Emphasis
CERTIFICATION
The HPE Emphasis leads to certification in Pennsylvania and most other states, preparing a student to teach grades Pre K-12 in health and physical education as well as coach in a variety of settings. Students will also be prepared to earn a fitness certification endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
MISSION STATEMENT
The goal of the Health and Physical Education Teacher Certification Pathway in the Applied Exercise and Health option is to provide teacher candidates with practical opportunities to work with students in the Pre K-12 health and physical education setting.
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The goal of the Health and Physical Education Teacher Certification Pathway in the Applied Exercise and Health option is to provide teacher candidates with practical opportunities to work with students in the Pre K-12 health and physical education setting. Teacher candidates will be able to incorporate up-to-date content and methods to promote a physically active and healthy lifestyle for today’s youth. In addition, teacher candidates will develop instructional strategies aimed toward Pre K-12 students to encourage the practice and promotion of health, wellness and physical education. The concept of physical activity across the lifespan is the underlying framework of this certification pathway by encouraging youth to focus on and enhance their personal health and well-being. Completion of the Health and Physical Education Teacher Certification Pathway leads to a Level 1 Pennsylvania Teaching Certification that is also transferable across various states.
WHAT TEACHER CANDIDATES WILL LEARN
Understand the instructional and learning processes needed to deliver a high-quality and comprehensive health and physical education program that promotes skill acquisition, fitness, and wellness to Pre K-12 students.
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- Understand the instructional and learning processes needed to deliver a high-quality and comprehensive health and physical education program that promotes skill acquisition, fitness, and wellness to Pre K-12 students.
- Be able to engage Pre K-12 students in understanding and performing fitness-enhancing physical activities that contribute to disease prevention, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interactions.
- How to implement pedagogical content that emphasizes wellness, fitness, and behavior change in a Pre K-12 setting.
- How to implement pedagogical content that emphasizes skill acquisition that aligns with game categories and National Standards to promote lifetime activity.
- How to implement pedagogical content that emphasizes functional movement skills that create a climate of mastery and align with the National Standards.
- How to develop lessons and presentations utilizing health skills such as analyzing influences, accessing information, interpersonal communication, decision making, goal setting, self-management, and advocacy which align with the National Health Education Standards.
- How to implement developmentally appropriate health and physical education lessons using differentiated instruction, authentic assessment measures, and technology.
Requirements to Enter the HPE Emphasis – Teacher Certification:
Students will have to meet requirements mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Click the link below to access the form.
Suggested Academic Plan:
APPLIED LEARNING EXPERIENCES
A major component of the program is to provide students with a variety of hands-on and field experiences in both fitness and health and physical education settings. Students will engage in “learning lab settings” in a variety of courses in which they will engage in peer-to-peer teaching and observation activities. Additionally, students will engage in multiple field experiences. Students are placed in health and physical education and adapted physical education environments at surrounding school districts.
STUDENT TEACHING
Student teaching is the capstone experience of the program and allows teacher candidates the opportunity to apply the learned skills and techniques in an authentic Pre K-12 educational setting over the course of an entire semester. It provides the teacher candidate invaluable experiences working with children and adolescents in physical activity, fitness, health and wellness, classroom, and remote learning settings. Teacher candidates are prepared to teach Pre K-12, thus experiences in both elementary and secondary schools is required.
The teacher candidate must meet the prerequisites for Kines 495A and demonstrate pedagogical competence according to performance and professional dispositions rubrics/standards set forth by the program and The College of Education. A Kines 495A placement is at the discretion of the Kinesiology – AEH Option Program Director & HPE Student Teaching Coordinator.
- Career Paths
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Teach health and physical education in Pre K-12 Public or Private Schools
Coach youth and intercollegiate sports
Sport Performance – strength & conditioning and speed coach
Health Educator
Wellness Programs – Fitness Club Coordinator
Youth Fitness Programs
Parks and Recreation Coordinator
Community Wellness Program Director
Military Bases
Corporate Wellness & Private Business Wellness
Health Promotion
Public Health
CLEARANCES:
PA Child Abuse (Act 151)
PA Criminal History (Act 34)
FBI – Federal Criminal History
Tuberculosis Test
HPE Emphasis Faculty
Eric Childs, M. Ed., NSCA-CPT, NSCA-CSCS Instructor
Helene Monthley, Ph.D. Assistant Teaching Professor
Alison Weimer, Ph.D. Associate Teaching Professor
Nathan Zechman, M.Ed., NSCA-CPT Assistant Teaching Professor
Contact
Alison Weimer, PhD.
Kinesiology - HPE Program Director & Student Teaching Coordinator
268A Recreation Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-5780
email: axw206@psu.edu