A gym teacher’s main goal is to teach students both general and specific information about fitness, health, athletics, and various sporting activities. This typically entails developing lesson plans, unit plans, daily instruction in a gymnasium or athletic field, administering fitness and athletic ability tests, and ensuring that state physical education requirements are met. A gym teacher may also be asked to coach a school athletic team or organize other types of events related to the school where he or she teaches.
Gym teachers, also known as physical education (PE) teachers, work in the field of physical education, where they teach students about health, fitness, sports, and athletics. Fitness and health education are required in most schools in a variety of countries, and gym teachers are typically involved in these types of classes. This can include supervising and instructing students on how to play various types of athletic games, teaching health and nutrition lessons, and assisting with sports team coaching.
Typically, gym teachers will create unit and lesson plans that comply with state or regional requirements for what students must learn. This can include lessons on nutrition, healthy eating, and even safe sexual practices, as well as a focus on specific sports or athletic abilities. A gym teacher will frequently supervise testing to ensure that certain material has been learned as well as to assess students’ physical condition and athleticism.
A gym teacher may also need to be certified to teach another subject, such as English or mathematics, depending on the country and region where they teach. Even if it isn’t required, many gym teachers prefer to have a secondary area of expertise in order to have more job opportunities. This is particularly useful in areas where athletic instruction is not as common or in schools with only minor or very basic physical education requirements.
A gym teacher will typically have the same educational requirements as any other type of teacher, which typically include a college or university degree and certification to teach in a specific state, province, or region. A gym teacher in the United States, for example, will typically need a four-year degree in athletic training or physical education. This is usually a Bachelor’s of Science degree that also includes a semester or more of educational coursework.