Teacher Socialization in Physical Education ─ New Perspectives

The study of teachers’ lives and careers through the lens of occupational socialization theory has a rich history in physical education and sport pedagogy. However, as the social and political climates surrounding education have changed, so have the lived experiences of the teacher. This book pushes beyond traditional perspectives in physical education, exploring alternative and innovative approaches to socialization and highlighting future directions for studying teachers’ lives and careers. Written by a team of leading international physical education scholars, it draws renewed attention to teacher socialization research and the ways in which socialization varies across time and context.

Karen Lux Gaudreault is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Wyoming. Her teaching experience includes physical education instruction at the elementary, secondary, and collegiate levels. Her research involves examining teachers’ work lives and the marginalization of physical education in schools, teacher socialization, schools as workplaces, and how the structure of schools impacts teachers’ agency and feelings about their work. She is an active member of SHAPE America and is the past-chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Academy. Dr. Gaudreault’s work has appeared in theJournal of Teaching in Physical Education, Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy,The Teacher Educator, and Quest.

K. Andrew R. Richards is a visiting assistant professor at Northern Illinois University. His research centers on teacher socialization in physical education with a particular focus on role stressors that arise from combining teaching and extracurricular roles, such as athletic coaching. He has co-authored empirical articles using occupational socialization theory, and has also written research reviews on the topics of socialization theory and role theory published inQuest, the Kinesiology Review, and Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport.He is currently serving as the editor of the Advocacy in Action section of the journalStrategies.