Playing to our Strengths: Leading Physical Education in Irish Primary Schools

Author(s):

Liam Clohessy(presenting / submitting)Richard Bowles Déirdre Ní Chróinín

Conference:

ECER 2016

Network:

18. Research in Sports Pedagogy

Format:

Paper

Session Information

18 SES 09, New Directions in Primary School Physical Education: A Multi-Country Perspective

Paper Session

Time:

2016-08-25

13:30-15:00

Room:

OB-E2.38 (ALE 4)

Chair:

Maud Hietzge

Contribution

This research investigated generalist classroom teachers’ experiences of teaching classes other than their own for physical education (PE) in Irish primary schools. Over the course of a twelve week intervention, three generalist teachers with additional PE expertise taught PE to three other classes within their respective schools. This research sought to answer the following research questions:

What are the leadership experiences of teachers with additional PE expertise (PE leaders) teaching PE to classes other than their own in primary schools?

Within this research Hargreaves and Fullan’s (2012) theory of professional capital provides a useful lens through which this study can be understood and interpreted. Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) contend that the powerful concept of capital is of vital importance to professional work, capacity and effectiveness within the teaching profession. They have identified this capital within education and the teaching profession as professional capital and contend that quality teaching is a product of three kinds of capital, namely human capital, social capital and decisional capital. Each of these three types of capital amplifies each other contributing to the overall development of professional capital and ultimately effective teaching. Professional capital is an appropriate theoretical frame for this research as the core values of teacher collaboration, collective responsibility and professional autonomy resonate with the research questions guiding this study.

Research suggests that when teachers are empowered in areas of importance to them, student outcomes are likely to improve (Silins and Mulford 2002). The presence of class swapping has been noted in Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand, and Finland (INTO 2007, Morgan and Hansen 2007, Petrie 2008, Jones and Green 2015). The use of generalist primary school teachers with additional expertise to teach classes other than their own has, however, not been explicitly investigated. School-based subject leaders have more generally been found to hold a key position from which to positively influence teaching and learning (Harris et al. 2001, Hammersley-Fletcher and Brundrett 2005, Timperley 2005, Burch 2007). Research has shown, however, that leadership practices in primary schools differ according to the subject area and merit independent investigation (Spillane 2005, Burch 2007, Spillane and Hopkins 2013). This research, therefore, addresses a gap in the international literature, as there is currently no data investigating class swapping in primary schools, specific to PE, and its effect on teaching and learning.

Method

A case study approach was considered appropriate for this research study as the phenomenon of class swapping was being investigated within the real life context of the primary school. Three generalist primary school teachers who had received additional training in the teaching of PE were recruited for the project. These teachers taught two hours of PE to classes other than their own each week over the course of a twelve week intervention. Two participating teachers, eight children (age range 4-10 years) and the principal were recruited in each of the three schools. Qualitative methods including individual interviews, focus group interviews, reflections, field notes and observations were used to generate data within this research. Four individual interviews ranging in length from twenty five minutes to one hour and fifteen minutes were carried out with the leaders over the course of the intervention. The focus of these interviews was the participants’ perspectives on class swapping and PE leadership. The PE leaders also kept weekly reflective diaries in which they recorded their experience of teaching PE to classes other than their own. The researcher observed each leader teaching PE to a class other than their own three times over the course of the twelve weeks. Focus group and individual interviews took place with the other teachers whose classes were being taught by the PE leader. The children’s’ experiences of being taught PE by another teacher were similarly considered through focus group interviews. Individual interviews were also conducted with the principals in each school at the beginning and end of the project. The testimonies of the PE leaders, class teachers, principals and children will provide valuable insights into the practice of generalist primary school teachers teaching additional PE. In this research the data was analysed using the six phases of thematic analysis identified by Braun and Clarke (2006). This approach was utilised as a method of identifying patterns of meaning within data (Braun and Clarke 2006). The trustworthiness of the interview data was triangulated against the focus groups, reflective diaries, field notes and observations. This process of constant comparison led to strong themes emerging based on the whole of the dataset.

Expected Outcomes

This research demonstrated that class swapping for PE positively influenced PE provision within three primary schools. The leaders, other teachers participating in the swap in each school, as well as the principals and children provided valuable insights into the practice of generalist primary school teachers teaching additional PE and its impact on teaching and learning. The PE leader’s human capital expertise and enthusiasm led to a better quality PE experience for pupils. The opportunity to teach additional PE was motivating for these teachers and provided them with the desire and opportunity to provide further PE leadership within their school. Class swapping also facilitated the development of social capital as teachers begin to work together. Collective responsibility was also fostered through class swapping as teachers began to identify with the needs of all pupils in the schools, not just those in their class. Teacher interaction was central to the class swapping process in order to ensure the development of collective responsibility and quality PE outcomes for all children. Adopting a relatively short and focussed timeframe for the swap was suggested by the teachers as important to ensure that the pupils’ holistic development and other teachers’ confidence to teach PE is not diminished. The findings of this research provide evidence of the benefits of teachers teaching additional PE and can guide its implementation. This research also contributes to the growing body of knowledge about professional capital and the value of its use within educational research. Overall the findings indicate that teachers with human and social capital relating to PE, as well as the autonomy to class swap, can positively influence PE in primary schools.

References

• Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) 'Using thematic analysis in psychology', Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101. • Bryman, A. (2004) Social research methods, second ed., New york: Oxford university press. • Burch, P. (2007) 'School leadership practice and the school subject: The Baxter Case' in Spillane, J. and Diamond, J., eds., Distributed leadership in practice, New York: Teachers College press, 129-145. • Denscombe, M. (2010) The good research guide for small-scale social research projects, Fourth edition ed., Berkshire England: Open University Press. • Hammersley-Fletcher, L. and Brundrett, M. (2005) 'Leaders on leadership: the impressions of primary school head teachers and subject leaders', School Leadership & Management, 25(1), 59-75. • Hargreaves, A. and Fullan, M. (2012) Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School New York and Abingdon: Teachers College Press and Routledge. • Harris, A., Busher, H. and Wise, C. (2001) 'Effective Training for Subject Leaders', Journal of In-Service Education, 27(1), 83-94. • Hastie, P. and Hay, P. (2012) 'Qualitative approaches' in Armour, K. and Macdonald, D., eds., Research methods in physical education and youth sport, Abingdon: Routledge, 79-94. • INTO (2007) 'Physical Education in the Primary School', in Organisation, I. N. T., ed., Consultative Conferenceon on Education, Dublin. • Jones, L. and Green, K. (2015) 'Who teaches primary physical education? Change and transformation through the eyes of subject leaders', Sport, Education and Society, 1-13. • Merriam, S. B. (1998) Qualitative research and case study applications in education, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • Morgan, P. and Hansen, V. (2007) 'Recommendations to improve primary school physical education: Classroom teachers' perspective', Journal of Educational Research, 101(2), 99-111. • Petrie, K. (2008) 'Physical education in primary schools: holding on to the past or heading for a different future?', Journal of Physical Education New Zealand, 41(3), 67-80 • Silins, H. and Mulford, W. (2002) ' Leadership and school results. ' in Leithwood, K. and (Eds.)., P. H., eds., Second international handbook of educational leadership and administration., Dordrecht, The Netherlands,: Kluwer, 561-612. • Spillane, J. P. (2005) 'Primary school leadership practice: how the subject matters', School Leadership & Management, 25(4), 383-397. • Spillane, J. P. and Hopkins, M. (2013) 'Organizing for instruction in education systems and school organizations:howthe subject matters', Journal of Curriculum Studies, 45(6), 721-747. • Timperley, H. S. (2005) 'Distributed leadership: Developing theory from practice', Journal of Curriculum Studies,, 37(4), 395-420. • Yin, R. K. (2009) Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 5th ed., Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

Author Information

Liam Clohessy (presenting / submitting)

Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland

Arts Education and Physical Education

Midleton, Co.Cork

Richard Bowles

Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland, Ireland

Déirdre Ní Chróinín