Gym teachers are usually responsible for the health of students in schools they teach in. They are in charge not only of track events and sports activities, but also in the nutrition of their students. Gym teachers also have to incorporate classroom lessons into their teaching schedule. Gym teachers can teach from 1st to 12Th grade.
How to become a Gym teacher
The first thing you need to do to follow a gym teacher career is be physically fit. This is because you will be teaching Gym while making demonstrations.
Complete a 4 year Bachelor of Education Degree or a BSc in Physical Education or athletics training. You should also be able to teach in at least two other subjects.
Get a teaching certificate. This will depend on the grade level that you want to teach and which state you will be teaching in. For Gym teachers teaching on health, you might need to meet additional licensing requirements. National Board of Professional Teaching Standards offer free licensing for elementary and middle school teachers. For motivational purposes, some states give incentives such as higher salaries and bonuses for licensed gym teachers.
Types Description, Information
Depending on how large the school you teach in is, you could assume a managerial position in addition to your gym teacher responsibilities. If you have a Physical Education department, you can be given administrative tasks. You could also be asked to step in as a substitute teacher at times.
Qualifications: Courses, Training, Certification
If you know you want to become a Gym teacher, you will need to take advanced PE in high school. You will also need to pass in Chemistry, Physics and other subjects. This is to have good grounding for Kinesiology. Prerequisites include a GPA of 2.5 to gain entry into college.
Schools, Colleges, Universities offering Teaching Degrees
Depending on the degree program you are in, you will need to choose which specific area to specialize in. It could be exercise or athletics. Your certification course should also show you how to perform activities without injury to yourself such. These include in sporting activities such as tennis, swimming, aerobics, etc. Your degree program should also allow you time to do an internship before you graduate.
You should join the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Dance when you are in college. This is the college that sets the standards for Physical Education Certification online courses are just as effective as regular programs.
Top colleges and universities
Belmont University
Bellevue University
Biola University
Capital University
Central Connecticut State University
Job Opportunities, Salaries and Recruitment
The Labor Bureau of Statistics estimated that the job opportunities for those pursuing gym teacher careers in the next decade ranges from good to excellent. You can look for jobs online or in the Newspaper classifieds. The Indiana University website gives the average salary for gym teachers as $24,000. Your salary will be influenced by your level of experience and whether you are teaching in an urban or rural area.