As a physical education teacher with many years of experience, I have a message for a new teacher. I want to emphasize the significance of patience and persistence as the key to professional growth. If you have not discovered this challenge yet, adhering to these principles is a complicated task. Teaching takes more internal resources than one might suggest, and demonstrating these qualities by applying them not only to young people, their parents, and your colleagues but yourself is critical. Achieving personal efficiency in this role is a long process, and one should be kind to where they were, where they are going, and where they want to be. Give yourself time to get a sense of your progress alongside students’ results, and the vision for the future will be clear to you.
This idea is complemented by the necessity to possess the qualities of a servant leader as they allow facing obstacles, including restless students, anxious parents, and the pressures of the school day. In this case, positivity is the main condition you should rely on when performing tasks, serving and leading, while teachers are so much more! Rolling up your sleeves, searching out your lesson plans, and getting down to the business of instructing people on a daily basis is enjoyable when your vision is powerful. Persistence in following it while being inspired by the expected outcomes is what can help you cope with the work. Amazing things are easily accomplished, and the struggle is worthwhile when you have the inner strength to keep moving forward.
While doing so, you should be fully aware of your role in the process of educating young people. Remember that your contribution to the matter is connected to the creation of a healthy society. As a PE teacher, I assure you that love for the job stems from understanding your importance in preparing students for an active life. Nevertheless, the benefits of physical education are not limited to this result as it promotes the development of a person in its complexity. Firstly, the achieved improvements in the area of fitness are of long-lasting nature as various activities allow maintaining trials throughout the lifetime. Secondly, they increase the knowledge of individuals concerning various communicable diseases and the essential health hazards and thereby keep them at bay. Moreover, this field promotes the alertness of mind and concentration as well as the reduction in the reaction time as vital parts of physical activities which can be applied to other spheres of human life.
It is not a secret that having an active lifestyle helps the affected persons to manage their emotional and mental wellbeing. This effect is guaranteed by the improved ability to cope with stress and anxiety and remove tension leading to other issues. Physical education makes people happier and less exhausted, and a teacher should admit their responsibility for this area alongside the direct benefits of participation in sports events. When all needs of the young generations are addressed, they have better chances for becoming leaders in their occupations, and this condition increases the subject’s value while being beneficial for society as a whole.
Another aspect critical for the success of students is the development of social skills enhanced by physical education. Coming across various participants and interacting with them contributes to better communication with all people regardless of their backgrounds or other personal characteristics. This experience also allows them to get rid of shyness and fear as the main obstacles to building self-confidence and tackling problems emerging on the way while cooperating with others. Hence, a teacher should not forget about the importance of this area for ensuring the safe socialization of students.
A combination of these advantages of participating in physical activities helps people survive in the present-day highly competitive world. They strengthen their character what makes them a perfect fit for a prosperous society by facing hardships, enduring defeat, and being able to take risks when making decisions. As it was well put by John F. Kennedy, “Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” This statement emphasizes the interrelation of the mentioned areas for learners. Therefore, the sense of fraternity, cooperation, sympathy, loyalty, and many other qualities are promoted in the participants while developing their bodies in good proportions.
In the end, dedication to teaching plays a significant role in shaping students’ goals in various spheres. From this perspective, educators should be focused not only on listening to them but actually coaching and mentoring individuals to boost their progress while being patient when it seems slower than expected. In this regard, helping others should be a priority, and recognition or a paycheck should not substitute a passion for youth and education. The power of PE teachers is in their ability to present positive role models to improve the quality of life of individuals and thereby contribute to the development of a country. Thus, a future is born when the public is educated, and citizens and society should benefit from being actively involved in physical activities.