Is having a job that keeps you physically active and building relationships with kids important to you? Consider the impact you could have in becoming a high school physical education teacher. Children remember what they learn from an early age. And one of the most important and prevalent issues today is childhood obesity.Physical activity and diet is an important aspect in which the habits they form during their school-age years will continue on and even be enhanced further into adulthood.

So what process do you need in order to accomplish the goal of becoming a physical education teacher that will inspire and motivate their students toward being the healthiest version of themselves?

Graduate from College

If you’re planning to work in the public school system, you will need to have at least a bachelor’s degree paired with educational training. The ideal majors to pick from are physical education, exercise science and kinesiology. You will also be taught how to prevent injuries caused by sports, basic first aid and how to teach kids in an academic setting.

Part of your education is learning how to play games like basketball, golf, football, tennis and soccer and learning how to explain the rules and provide organization in a class setting of children. You will also get to practice during your student teaching for your credential.

Teaching higher grades, like high school, your responsibilities would be expanded to include discussing topics related to health and wellness as part of their education. Therefore, part of your own education would benefit from taking a health class so you can impart your knowledge at a simplified level for discussion during or even for teaching a health class to the students since some schools combine their physical education courses with a formal health class.

One other aspect of teaching physical education is the prospect of becoming a coach for the school’s athletic teams. It is a natural progression to this career choice, but you would need to earn a coaching certificate. A certificate program would cover such topics as conditioning, sports administration, and effective playing strategies to make sure your school has a winning team.

One of the necessities of obtaining a coaching certificate is that of maintaining it by continuing your own education through other certifications.

Get Licensed

One mandatory part of becoming a teacher of any kind is that of getting a teaching license through the state where you work, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you have your bachelor’s degree, however, you may be allowed to teach with a provisional license while earning your educational credentials. Be sure to check out the state requirements to find out your options.

The responsibilities of a high school physical education teacher:

The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) states their vision in which “all individuals are physically educated and participate in lifelong physical activity.” A physical education teacher must desire nothing less. High school students have more options in the activities and topics in which they participate, such as

• Biking
• Running
• Volleyball
• Archery
• Rope climbing
• Aerobics
• Weight training
• Health and wellness
• First aid
• Nutrition

Generally, physical education class is not competitive, but if you are coaching an organized sport, part of that training is preparation to compete with other school teams and provide the necessary guidance as well as skill and endurance to compete successfully. Aside from just mentoring and training the athletes, you’ll be in the middle of budgeting issues, scheduling games and purchasing the necessary equipment.

Within this position is more than just a job opportunity that will keep you physically fit, you also have the power to influence kids’ minds about health.