5 Essential Strategies of a Successful PDHPE Teacher

As a PDHPE (Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education) teacher, you can achieve career success by focusing on continuous learning, student engagement in the classroom, using data-driven teaching, collaborating with other experts, and being innovative. Here I want to give you five essential strategies to help you excel as a teacher, along with practical examples to implement each step effectively.

1. Continuous Professional Development

There is no surprise that this is the number one strategy for success and growth. Continuing to develop as a teacher through continual education is a must. There is a reason we have to do 100 hours of PD every 5 years. However, I would say this is the minimum. My general goal is closer to 50 hours each year. This may sound a little crazy and out of reach, but I didn't find it to be that hard. Below are a few ways I went about achieving this goal and using this strategy.

Attend Workshops and Seminars:

• Workshops and Seminars: Regularly participate in professional development workshops and seminars. These are often provided by our professional associations, such as the PDHPE Teachers Association annual conference. Businesses are providing professional learning as well, such as the workshops I provide, or the upcoming webinar from Jacaranda. These events provide valuable insights into the latest curriculum updates as well as teaching and learning strategies.
• Online Courses and Webinars: Enroll in online courses and webinars. These can be specific to PDHPE such as the courses I am about to release, or more generic teaching courses, such as those from Google or PBL Works. Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Open Learning offer courses on a variety of topics for teachers as well.
• Professional Reading: The average Australian only reads between 1 and 5 books a year. Compare this with the average successful CEO who reads an average of 50 books each year and you can already see the difference reading can make in your life. Personally, I love to read and listen to books on a range of topics, and I often find useful information to apply to teaching from all of them. You don't have to spend all your time reading academic journals, but reading some, especially the meta-analyses can provide plenty of helpful strategies for the classroom. 

Pursue Advanced Qualifications

Though this is not my favourite route to becoming a better teacher, in the world of education it is definitely the more recognised. Personally, I don't see why a $20,000 master's degree is any better than completing an online course or reading a few good books. In fact, often the courses and books have better and more applicable strategies for the world of a teacher. I often find academic institutions are a bit far removed from the practicalities of teacher life.

• Masters Degree: You could consider pursuing a master's degree in education, health sciences, or another related field such as health promotion. Advanced qualifications can enhance your knowledge but mostly they open up opportunities for leadership roles within your school or district.
• Specialized Certifications: One thing I enjoyed when I worked at GOAL Collage was obtaining various certificates. These included sports coaching, first aid, refereeing, business services, and Google certifications. Such credentials can help you offer a more comprehensive education to your students.
• Action Research Projects: Engaging in action research projects within your school to address specific educational challenges and contribute to the body of knowledge in PDHPE education is one of the best things you can do for your teaching. I remember running a literacy action research project at one of my previous schools and loving what I learnt. It benefitted my practices, those of my colleagues as well as our student learning. 

2. Engage and Inspire Students

While this sounds more like a goal, seeking to achieve it requires testing new ideas, reflection, iteration and continual adaption as a teacher. The end result is a lot of hands-on learning for you as you seek to have a larger impact on student lives.

Create Interactive Lessons

One of the benefits of teaching PDHPE is that interaction is part and parcel of the content. Students engage in debates, evaluate scenarios, and participate in PE. But we can often fall into the traps of going through the motions and simply doing what we always have done (not that this is always a bad thing)

• Hands-On Activities: Design lessons that include practical, hands-on activities. For example, instead of just talking about nutrition, you could organize for the students to cook and create a healthy meal, or bring in supplements easily found at a grocery store to be evaluated.
• Group Discussions and Debates: These are one of the more common practical lessons, but adjusting these to something like a Socratic Seminar or a fish-bowl discussion can really elevate them to the next level. We can encourage students to participate in group discussions and debates on health-related topics by providing sentence starters and strategies to use to accept critical feedback or to help students listen with empathy to understand another person's point of view. This not only makes the lessons more engaging but also helps students develop critical thinking and communication skills.
• Technology Integration: Technology has been long promoted now to enhance learning experiences. Personally, I find it very important to make sure you are using the technology to enhance learning and not just because you think the students will like it. For instance, incorporating fitness apps, interactive videos, and online quizzes to make lessons more dynamic and interactive can be helpful. But if you are choosing to do an entire lesson on computers and not monitoring or scaffolding student work, technology can actually decrease student time on task (I know shock and surprise right).

Foster a Positive Learning Environment

It really goes without saying that in order to excel as a teacher you will need to learn how to foster a positive learning environment. But often this gets confused with a quiet and obedient classroom. I'm not saying this cannot be a positive learning environment, but in my experience, the classrooms with boisterous discussions, and kids moving around the room are often the ones with strong learning cultures and solid rapport between students and teachers.

• Build Relationships: Take the time to get to know your students and show genuine interest in who they are and how they are doing. Simple actions like greeting students at the door or having one-on-one check-ins can make a significant difference. Use your lunch duties to chat with students in a more relaxed setting and I'm sure you don't need to be encouraged to coach a sporting teach or go on a Duke of Ed hike.
• Inclusive Classroom: Create an inclusive classroom environment where every student feels valued and respected. It can be hard to establish a safe environment for students, but establishing clear classroom expectations and being consistent with how you enforce this goes a long way. Use diverse teaching materials as well, that reflect the backgrounds and experiences of all your students.
• Positive Reinforcement: Use positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviours. A little bit of praise for their efforts can go a long way. Try and stick with the growth mindset approach to this. Don't praise students for the end product more than their efforts. Focus on the process, and how they overcame hurdles rather than just saying "well done that's right".

3. Use Data-Driven Teaching

Establishing clear learning goals and measuring student performance towards these is a simple way to use data to inform your teaching practices. Data can be very helpful but only when it is used correctly. I saw this very clearly when I was finally introduced to my school's "smart data" - NAPLAN results. These were often used to compare our school with those around us I had never learnt how such data could be used by teachers to address student literacy and numeracy skills. But, once I was introduced to it in this way, I began to use it to create class profiles and identify strategies to use for individual students to develop specific subsets of literacy skills.

Analyse Student Performance

• Regular Assessments: Conduct regular formative assessments to monitor student progress. Use a variety of assessment methods, including discussions, observations, pivot questions, quizzes, assignments, and practical demonstrations, to get a comprehensive view of student learning.
• Data Analysis Tools: Data can take a lot of time to analyse, so it is important to use a tool to pull out the data you actually need and that relates to your learning goals. I like a simple Google Sheet or Excel document. It tends to keep things simple and has the ability to produce graphs for easier monitoring. Specialized educational tools can also be used to help you identify trends and areas needing improvement.
• Personalised Learning Plans: Develop personalised learning plans based on assessment data. These can be tailored to your teaching strategies and to address the specific needs and strengths of each student. A tip to implement these better is to group students based on where they are and what they need next. Students enjoy working and tracking along together rather than on their own.

Set Clear Goals

• Measurable Objectives: Establish clear, measurable learning objectives for your students. This can be done together with them for best results. For example, set a goal for students to improve their percentage of successful pass completions, or catching over a term.
• Progress Tracking: Keep track of students' progress towards their goals. Use visual aids like charts and graphs to help students to monitor their own improvements. Often having students simply reflect using criteria or count their own numbers helps them see their improvements and stay motivated.
• Regular Feedback: Provide regular feedback to students on their progress. Constructive feedback helps students understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve. It is also important to provide the time in class for students to then apply the feedback to make the improvements.

4. Collaborate with Colleagues

The people around you can often be the best place to go as a teacher in order to succeed. I loved having a mentor for my first couple of years of teaching. I learnt a lot from watching him teach and receiving his feedback. I also loved working in teams to update programs and conduct action research. 

Share Best Practices

Nothing frustrates me more than teachers who are not willing to share their resources and time. For a long time there was a culture of competition between teachers and an unwillingness to share or open up our classrooms. In an interview, I conducted with Eddie Woo I learnt that he went and observed every teacher at his school in his first year of teaching. This is sharing best practices.

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Participate in PLCs within your school or district. These communities provide a platform for teachers to share best practices, resources, and experiences. They are a fantastic way to get some free or cheap training as well.
• Teacher Networks: Join our PDHPE Teachers Association and become an ACHPER member. These organizations offer opportunities for networking, professional development, and sharing of best practices. You could also become a pdhpe.net member (as soon as I finish setting it up 🙂)
• Online Forums and Groups: Engage in online forums and social media groups such as the NSW PDHPE teachers Facebook group or the community inside pdhpe.net for teachers (also coming soon 😂). Platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and dedicated educational forums can be valuable sources of support and inspiration.

Team Teaching and Mentoring

I don't think anything is better for teacher success than having a good mentor. I have always had the privilege of having fantastic mentors. But they don't have to be mentors for you to benefit, you might mentor them or perhaps they are just an awesome teacher you know and enjoy discussing teaching with.

• Co-Teaching: Collaborate with other teachers for co-teaching opportunities. This approach allows for shared expertise and provides students with a richer learning experience. Make sure you plan the lesson well, understand your role, and adapt as needed.
• Mentoring New Educators: Serve as a mentor for new educators in your school. I loved running a group with 4 other teachers and helping them grow, though I am sure I learnt more than they did. Share your experiences, offer guidance, and help them navigate the challenges of their first years of teaching.
• Collaborative Projects: Work with colleagues on collaborative projects that integrate different subjects or specialise in developing a key skill. For example, team up with a science teacher to explore anatomy, or create a cross-curricular PBL.

5. Innovate and Adapt

For long-term success as a PDHPE teacher, we need to be able to innovate as the world changes and adapt to our context.

Embrace Technology

• Digital Tools: Integrate digital tools into your teaching. Embrace new tools and work out how they might help elevate your teaching and student learning. Use apps and software for tracking physical activity, creating interactive lesson plans, and enhancing student engagement.
• Online Resources: Make use of online resources like educational websites (I know a good one 🙂), videos, and virtual simulations to supplement your lessons. Websites like PE Central and TeachPE offer a wealth of resources for PDHPE teachers.
• Online Classrooms: Incorporate online classroom platforms for blended or remote learning. Tools like Google Classroom, Zoom, and Canvas can facilitate interactive and collaborative online learning experiences.

Adapt to Changing Needs

• Student-Centered Approach: In case you haven't already, adopt a student-centered approach to teaching. Be flexible and adapt your teaching methods to meet the diverse needs and interests of your students. Differentiation has been around for a long time and is still a big challenge for teachers to meet, but as technology continues to improve, this task will become easier.
• Current Trends: Stay informed about current trends and issues in education as well as health and physical education. Topics like mental health, wellness, and technology in fitness are increasingly relevant and can enhance your teaching content. You can even task your students with sharing things with you that they believe relate to what they are learning and give you the links for further evaluation.
• Feedback and Reflection: Regularly seeking feedback from other teachers and students provides great insights for reflecting on teaching practices. We can use this feedback to make continuous improvements and adapt to our specific context.

By implementing these five strategies and various examples, we can build a successful and fulfilling career as a PDHPE teacher in NSW. Continuous professional development, student engagement, data-driven teaching, collaboration, and innovation are just a few of the key elements needed for effective teaching and professional growth. Embracing these practices can make a lasting impact on your students and help us have a long and successful career.