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Are there any dedicated P.E. Teachers in Irish Schools?

  • 30-01-2015 6:11pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭


    Did I hear correctly yesterday on Operation Transformation that schools in Ireland dont have dedicated P.E. (physical Education) teachers in primary and secondary schools? and some heads saying the normal teachers teach it and some even say they dont have enough time allocated on the curriculum for P.E. classes - I find this crazy myself - I grew up in the UK and we always had dedicated P.E. lessons/teachers (even though I couldnt stand P.E.) we done rugby, football, cross country, basketball and all that jazz


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭anncoates


    We had one in my school, although that was in medieval times.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 471 ✭✭Aeternum


    There was in my secondary school. Not primary.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,822 ✭✭✭stimpson


    Good question. The one in my school didn't give a ****.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    Did I hear correctly yesterday on Operation Transformation that schools in Ireland dont have dedicated P.E. (physical Education) teachers in primary and secondary schools? and some heads saying the normal teachers teach it and some even say they dont have enough time allocated on the curriculum for P.E. classes - I find this crazy myself - I grew up in the UK and we always had dedicated P.E. lessons/teachers (even though I couldnt stand P.E.) we done rugby, football, cross country, basketball and all that jazz

    Secondary PE teachers are specifically trained to be PE teachers, along with another subject. Primary school teachers are also trained to teach PE as part of their degree but obviously they also teach all the other subjects.

    There's a thread about the Operation Transformation claims about Primary Schools in the Primary and Pre School forum if you're interested in finding out what teachers think.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,137 ✭✭✭✭TheDoc


    Was one in my secondary school for sure, 00-05


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    these ones in secondary - where they properly trained P.E. Teachers or were they just maths / engish / bog standard teachers teaching P.E. though?.... what is needed is a properly trained teacher in physical education that knows about exercises and injuries and teaching proper sports and most of all be qualified for P.E. !


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    these ones in secondary - where they properly trained P.E. Teachers or were they just maths / engish / bog standard teachers teaching P.E. though?.... what is needed is a properly trained teacher in physical education that knows about exercises and injuries and teaching proper sports and most of all be qualified for P.E. !

    Most of the PE teachers that I worked with trained here, and others trained in the UK. I'm sure there are probably other options in other colleges in Ireland.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    primary school need to have them as well! - granted not as full on as when they are in secondary level education but still, just to get them fit and give them excercise and ready for when they get to secondary school - why the reason for no proper P.E. classes in primary school i wonder?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    our P.E. Teacher(s) as I were growing up just taught P.E. and nothing else - like-wise our English Teacher or Maths teacher did not teach P.E. and Likewase our P.E. teacher didnt teach English or Maths in another class!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    Defo,

    My PE teacher ran it like a military boot camp. Good craic though.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,563 ✭✭✭Adamantium


    No we were not taught pelvic exercises. Disadvantaged so we were.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭RobYourBuilder


    We had one who was a dedicated PE teacher. He tried to get us into games such as hockey, basketball, badminton, tennis and the like. We eventually wore him down and he gave up and just let us play five-a-side winner stays on for the next five years.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,713 ✭✭✭✭Novella


    My brother is going to graduate this year and will be a PE and English secondary school teacher. I believe you have to teach a second subject.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,383 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    our P.E. Teacher(s) as I were growing up just taught P.E. and nothing else - like-wise our English Teacher or Maths teacher did not teach P.E. and Likewase our P.E. teacher didnt teach English or Maths in another class!

    Most teachers in secondary school in Ireland are qualified to teach 2 subjects. Those include PE teachers. It's not like the UK where teachers generally only teach one subject.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,383 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Novella wrote: »
    My brother is going to graduate this year and will be a PE and English secondary school teacher. I believe you have to teach a second subject.

    You don't have to, but it's harder to get a full time job without a second subject.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 356 ✭✭Bobsammy


    our P.E. Teacher(s) as I were growing up just taught P.E. and nothing else - like-wise our English Teacher or Maths teacher did not teach P.E. and Likewase our P.E. teacher didnt teach English or Maths in another class!

    Unlike in the UK the vast majority of secondary teachers here teach two subjects. Most of the time they are equally qualified in both. PE is no exception to this.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,554 ✭✭✭bjork


    We had one, he loved volleyball

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAs7F9inPxw


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,713 ✭✭✭✭Novella


    You don't have to, but it's harder to get a full time job without a second subject.

    That makes sense. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    Bobsammy wrote: »
    Unlike in the UK the vast majority of secondary teachers here teach two subjects. Most of the time they are equally qualified in both. PE is no exception to this.

    I dont particuarly like that Idea. - Ok if the Teacher is slim, fit, healthy and really has qualified in the subject but say if you got an overweight or over BMI teacher teaching kids P.E. its not on is it! - bit like going to a fat doctor who smokes and having them tell you you have to lose weight and stop smoking ... oh hold on a moment we already have them ones lol :-)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,987 ✭✭✭Tilly


    My little sister is a PE and business teacher for a secondary school. Her degree is in both. So what you heard it bull.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭anncoates


    Ours was definitely qualified to do the job as she only ever wore a tracksuit and had a whistle around her neck.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 356 ✭✭Bobsammy


    I dont particuarly like that Idea. - Ok if the Teacher is slim, fit, healthy and really has qualified in the subject but say if you got an overweight or over BMI teacher teaching kids P.E. its not on is it! - bit like going to a fat doctor who smokes and having them tell you you have to lose weight and stop smoking ... oh hold on a moment we already have them ones lol :-)

    But a teacher could be only teaching PE and be unfit or overweight. Teaching an additional subject won't affect that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,383 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    I dont particuarly like that Idea. - Ok if the Teacher is slim, fit, healthy and really has qualified in the subject but say if you got an overweight or over BMI teacher teaching kids P.E. its not on is it! - bit like going to a fat doctor who smokes and having them tell you you have to lose weight and stop smoking ... oh hold on a moment we already have them ones lol :-)

    Why would you assume that a teacher would be overweight just because they are qualified in two subjects? Easily the most ridiculous thing I've seen posted on boards about teachers.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭Macavity.


    Our PE teacher was hot, when I say "hot" I mean she kept in shape and was one of the only female teachers in the school younger than thirty. Most of the lads would stare at her and make wolf whistle noises. She had no control whatsoever. One time she took one lad out of the hall and gave out to him. When he came back in he pulled up his zipper and announced to the whole class "Well, I sure showed her". She probably would have been okay as a teacher but just couldn't control certain people in our class - to be fair the school was some shithole.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    I dont particuarly like that Idea. - Ok if the Teacher is slim, fit, healthy and really has qualified in the subject but say if you got an overweight or over BMI teacher teaching kids P.E. its not on is it! - bit like going to a fat doctor who smokes and having them tell you you have to lose weight and stop smoking ... oh hold on a moment we already have them ones lol :-)

    Where are you getting the idea that the fact that PE teachers teach two subjects mean that you have teachers who are overweight and not interested teaching PE? Taking the degree I linked to earlier as an example, people who choose to do that course do it because they are genuinely interested in sport and fitness. They also have to do a second subject, which is a good thing because with only PE they'd have no chance of getting a job. Even with two subjects there aren't many jobs out there.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,398 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    I dont particuarly like that Idea. - Ok if the Teacher is slim, fit, healthy and really has qualified in the subject but say if you got an overweight or over BMI teacher teaching kids P.E. its not on is it! - bit like going to a fat doctor who smokes and having them tell you you have to lose weight and stop smoking ... oh hold on a moment we already have them ones lol :-)

    I'd also make sure geography teachers had left the country at least once and seen a waterfall being formed. Also mandatory for history teachers to have survived Pompeii.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,973 ✭✭✭RayM


    When I was at school, PE was basically an excuse for those who were crap at proper subjects to verbally and physically bully people. It did far more harm than good. The only thing I learned from PE was how to forge my parents' handwriting every week.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    RayM wrote: »
    When I was at school, PE was basically an excuse for those who were crap at proper subjects to verbally and physically bully people. It did far more harm than good. The only thing I learned from PE was how to forge my parents' handwriting every week.
    That's a pity. My school had fantastic PE teachers. We were lucky that they timetabled a few teachers at a time to teach PE when we were in 6th year (and possibly in other years, I can't remember) so that they could offer a few different sports at a time. I'm not sporty at all but I have fond memories of PE.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,691 ✭✭✭Lia_lia


    My PE teacher in secondary school was fantastic. She took us surfing, climbing mountains, down to the park in the summer, swimming... She let us try loads of random sports so it wasn't the usual basketball, football etc.

    In primary school it was just the normal teachers doing PE with us. But they were trained to do that in college anyway so what harm. I'll never forget the time I kicked a football at a 60+ year old nun teacher and knocked her glasses off...thought I would be killed!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭RobYourBuilder


    Did any of you do the bleep tests when you returned after your summer holidays? Serious craic, that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,398 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    Did any of you do the bleep tests when you returned after your summer holidays? Serious craic, that.

    Yep...about 5 or 6 would drop out at every bleep to get to the football quicker.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,529 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    There were no PE teachers and no PE classes in my secondary school.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,973 ✭✭✭RayM


    That's a pity. My school had fantastic PE teachers. We were lucky that they timetabled a few teachers at a time to teach PE when we were in 6th year (and possibly in other years, I can't remember) so that they could offer a few different sports at a time. I'm not sporty at all but I have fond memories of PE.

    My school had no sports facilities, and the PE teacher was useless, so it was either football on a tarmac yard or indoor football in an undersized hall (with a leather football, which provided a great opportunity to injure people). From around fifth year onwards, I stopped turning up.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    nothing like a good cross country run in a P.E. lesson in the Snow and freezing cold in shorts and tee as we had to do - you had to run if you wanted to keep warm and not die of hypothermia. mind you I did opt for Cross country instead of Rugby


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,113 ✭✭✭shruikan2553


    I know we had 1 teacher who taught PE and CSPE so I would assume she most have been qualified in some form. Probably did a 2 week course in handing a class a football though by the quality of it.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    Maybe the local GAA could pay for one ...or... the drinks industry! They've taken enough money from sport already.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    god there could be some budding next generation footballers or rugby players or runners if the kids were getting some proper PE lessons in school these days. Hearing one of the teachers on OT yesterday it sounded like she was saying that the other lessons on their curriculum was more important than PE and that there was no time to fit in PE lessons - thats terrible.. i dunno cut out religious studies or some other pointless class then and introduce proper PE classes!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,383 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    god there could be some budding next generation footballers or rugby players or runners if the kids were getting some proper PE lessons in school these days. Hearing one of the teachers on OT yesterday it sounded like she was saying that the other lessons on their curriculum was more important than PE and that there was no time to fit in PE lessons - thats terrible.. i dunno cut out religious studies or some other pointless class then and introduce proper PE classes!

    That was one teacher. It doesn't mean the whole country is the same


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,850 ✭✭✭✭Andy From Sligo


    That was one teacher. It doesn't mean the whole country is the same

    true that, but id like to see a documentary on TV (even if there is some undercover footage) of how many schools in Ireland participate in regular PE lessons and how good they are


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,030 ✭✭✭Lau2976


    god there could be some budding next generation footballers or rugby players or runners if the kids were getting some proper PE lessons in school these days. Hearing one of the teachers on OT yesterday it sounded like she was saying that the other lessons on their curriculum was more important than PE and that there was no time to fit in PE lessons - thats terrible.. i dunno cut out religious studies or some other pointless class then and introduce proper PE classes!

    My sisters was a pe teacher. Her other subject was maths. There are dedicated teachers around! TBH I've never seen the point if P.E. It's so easy to get out of so all you have is one group of students who already enjoy sports participating and one group wasting their own time. I don't see how they couldn't for it in and others schools can? They should fix their time tabling!

    Also I don't think religion is pointless IMO.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,575 ✭✭✭AlanS181824


    None.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭heldel00


    primary school need to have them as well! - granted not as full on as when they are in secondary level education but still, just to get them fit and give them excercise and ready for when they get to secondary school - why the reason for no proper P.E. classes in primary school i wonder?
    true that, but id like to see a documentary on TV (even if there is some undercover footage) of how many schools in Ireland participate in regular PE lessons and how good they are

    So if we need specialised PE teachers andy does that mean we need outside teachers for music, visual arts, science etc?
    Primary teachers are as qualified in teaching PE as they are in any of the other 12 areas of the curriculum.
    PE is taught for 1 hour a week by every teacher who is following DES guidelines. Over the year the children should experience aquatics, dance, gymnastics, orienteering, games, athletics and so on...
    Primary forum has a thread discussing this already (I actually started it because I was disgusted with O. Transformation and their haphazard method of research regarding PE in primary schools.)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,642 ✭✭✭MRnotlob606


    We had two PE Teachers, However none of them were qualified to teach PE. One was my woodwork teacher and the other one was my business teacher. They had to fill in for our actual PE after he had left. It just turned into soccer in the yard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,674 ✭✭✭Mardy Bum


    Government cut backs has meant that teachers who are not registered for PE are teaching it in a lot of places.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,511 ✭✭✭saywhatyousee


    We had P.E teachers in primary and secondry school that just taught P.E and nothing else


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭heldel00


    We had P.E teachers in primary and secondry school that just taught P.E and nothing else

    How was this possible in primary school? Was it a fee-paying school?


  • Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭Jinonatron


    I used to love PE. In first year we had it for 90 minutes as the last class of the week. Was absolutely brilliant. We had 3 classes after lunch. Last 2 PE.

    Then one year for some bizarre reason we had PE first thing after lunch and then had to change back into our uniform for the last class. So stupid.

    I never understood the lads who didn't participate though. They would just sit at the side in their uniform doing nothing. Complete wasters in my opinion. No idea what they were missing. I used to love indoor soccer. I was ****e at it but always wanted to play in goal just to dive on people.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,511 ✭✭✭saywhatyousee


    heldel00 wrote: »
    How was this possible in primary school? Was it a fee-paying school?

    No we also got free swimming lessons too maybe we were lucky


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,511 ✭✭✭saywhatyousee


    We also got free swimming lessons in secondary school too aswell our school had a pool.only in first year though


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,030 ✭✭✭Lau2976


    We also got free swimming lessons in secondary school too aswell our school had a pool.only in first year though

    Secondary school students needed to learn to swim? We did have it in primary school though. And water aerobics and diving in secondary.


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