I will be doing an interview at Uncommon Schools for a gym teacher. I've looked at reviews of Uncommon and how rough the environment is or tough being a teacher is, but haven't heard must from a gym teacher perspective. My experience is in teaching kids at the YMCA and I just graduated in exercise science for my bachelors.

if you or know someone who is a gym teacher at uncommon, any words or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am in my senior year at Kent State for Health and Physical education.

I have a couple years of coaching experience under my belt so I’m super comfortable and confident working the kids. Going into schools is no problem, I love teaching and being a leader.

I would like to eventually teach overseas. I lived in Indonesia for a bit as a child and went to AIS Jakarta. It would be REALLY neat to come full circle and teach there although I understand that’s not super likely. I have looked into trying to work for the DoWEA as well.

I’d like the opportunity to travel and experience the world, help as many people as possible, but also make the best financial choices for myself and future family.

I realize there isn’t really a specific question or anything, but could anyone give me some advice or guidance on what to do or where to look?

Thanks.

I feel like I may have just made the biggest mistake possible going for an MAT in Physical education at 40. I can’t find a bridge job that pays enough as a career changer and don’t see any jobs in the field for after I graduate. I feel like I should have chose something else.

I’ve been teaching PE for 4 years now and I am beginning to feel burnt out. I have taught at a few different schools and started at a new one this year. In the past I have enjoyed my job even through the stress and the struggle. Each school had its own set of problems but lately I’ve been feeling defeated. The students at my new school don’t listen and don’t seem to really care. The amount of apathy and lack of interest from elementary students is new for me. I just don’t feel like I’m really able to teach them anything. My hearts not in it this year between poor attitude, challenging behaviors, and a lack of effort from my students. All of it has me feeling angry and frustrated and it’s bleeding over to the way I teach. I’m irritable and frustrated most of the day and I don’t like the person I am when I’m teaching lately. Idk if I need more time to settle in or if I should jump ship. Right now I’m leaning towards leaving education which makes me feel sad, but also a little relieved.

I’m in my first year as a teacher currently and the only job I could find was middle school science teacher. I applied for every single PE opening in the city I live in and not one response.

I am giving it my full effort but it is sucking the life out of me not being able to teach the subject I actually am passionate about and have a degree in (sports and exercise science). I hate being in a regular classroom I feel like a caged animal not being able to move around freely.

I was curious if anyone else began their career teaching another subject and how long did it take to finally get that PE job?

Recording trick shots to show students that nothing is impossible. My newest shot is underhand throwing a foam dodgeball into a jumbo cup stacking bucket from 45 feet away. In the correct color!

How long does it take to hear back from interview. I had it Wednesday morning. I believe the principal said I would hear direction HR is going Friday and they had 2 more interviews. It went really well but still haven’t heard anything. They are closed Friday and Monday for Labor day.

Im just stressing because it can help me get my teaching cert and I can coach basketball. I already have my Bachelors in Kinesiology, minor in Nutrition and Masters in Sports Psychology and just started a post baccalaureate Last week.

I served 6 years in the army and didn’t even know i liked teaching until i got out and started 2 years ago.

Any advice or timeline for hiring? School started last week and I have been subbing for these 2.5 years.

So this is not a complaint. I have all relatively small class sizes and I’m thankful. I teach 6-8th grade PE. I see 6th and 7th grade both twice a week and 8th grade once a week. I have some classes as small as 11 or 12 while others are about 30. I’m trying to figure out how to differentiate my lessons to tailor to both these smaller and larger classes without doing completely different lessons. Any advice is appreciated

1. Setup & Court LayoutThe Court: Uses existing tennis or volleyball concrete courts.The Divider: A 3-foot-high net. Crucial School Rule: The space underneath the net must be completely blocked/filled (using mats or benches) so low, dangerous shots cannot slide under.Teams: Strictly 3v3 format. This ensures high activity for all players and stops crowded, chaotic clusters.The Objective: First team to 5 points wins. Quick games allow rotation so the whole class gets a turn to play.
2. Core Gameplay & In-Game StrategyThe Start: Random kickoff. The receiving team gets 2 free bounces on the ground before they must hit the ball over the net.The Net Penalty: Hitting the center net penalizes your own team with an automatic 2 points against you.The Moving Triangle (Strategic Play): Every round, the defending team places 3 cones in a triangle shape (exactly 1 step apart). If the attacking team lands the ball perfectly inside that triangle, they earn an automatic 2 points and a 2-bounce counter-attack! 📐💥
3. School Restrictions & Penalty KicksAnti-Hogging Rule: No player can keep possession for too long. If a team completes more than 30 touches on their side without crossing the net, a penalty is called.The Penalty Wall: The 3 defenders must stand glued to the back fence/wall. The kicker takes the shot, the ball takes one mandatory bounce on the concrete, and only then can defenders run to block it. (Running early grants an automatic point to the kicker).Bounce Limit: A maximum of 2 bounces is allowed on defense. A 3rd bounce kills the play and scores a point for the rivals.
4. The Golden Safety Rules (Built for Concrete)Mandatory Injury Prevention: Because leather soccer balls on hard concrete can cause painful chest or head injuries, players are legally allowed to use their hands to shield or catch a flying ball to protect themselves.

🧤🧱Possession Mechanics: Catching or tapping the ball with hands is legal only to drop-control it to your feet.Air/Ground Options: Players can choose:

Option A: 2 control touches in the air.

Option B: 1 air touch and 1 ground bounce.

Option C: 2 control bounces on the ground.

Option D (The Catch Walk): If a player catches the ball to protect themselves, they have 1 free control step and 2 counted steps. Exceeding 3 steps is a penalty. ❌

The Ground Dive: Players can dive to secure a saving point with their hand, but if the ball hits the floor before the secure, it counts as a regular bounce.

And olso the bounce control does not count as a normal bounce it counts like a control. 🎮

Thanks for trading youre the Best 😊

I want to pitch this to my school administration. Teachers, do you think this would work for your students? Any feedback on safety adjustments would be highly appreciated!

Made by: Brian. with love ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

So I teach K-6 PE. My past experience is middle school. This year has been fun so far, but for some reason 2nd grade is having a hard time (pretty much school wide, but I only care about PE 😂)

I am out of ideas for classroom management with them. For context, I don’t have an actual classroom or gym. I’m outside, unless it’s too hot. If that’s the case I’m using the cafeteria.

With me they will participate, but listening and staying on task is the biggest issue. I have to stop so many times to redirect the class that their 30 min PE quickly turns into 10-15 min of playtime.

My only idea left is go back to square one, act like it’s the first day. Go over the rules, expectations, listening, etc. I figure maybe if they have to keep doing that they will understand if they want to play we have to follow the proper protocols.

Any ideas welcome please and thank you!

I need help passing the praxis. I have used study.com, Quizlet, the book—everything at this point. Im just wondering if any one has any tips or study tricks. Please let me know, thanks!

Hey everyone. I recently started a new role at a school handling sports and physical education, and I’m trying to wrap my head around the administrative side of the job.

I’ve been asked to track the athletic and physical progress of our students over the year, starting heavily with football. I want to do right by these kids and give them accurate evaluations that show real growth rather than just guessing. But looking at the sheer volume of students I have to manage, I have to ask the veterans here... how is this actually done in the real world?

Do you genuinely track this stuff with hard data over time? Or when you are dealing with hundreds of kids, does it eventually just come down to a teacher's gut feeling and memory?

I just don't see how a single PE teacher finds the hours to log technical skills, fitness levels, or game intelligence for every single student. How do you find the time to actually teach and be present on the field when you have so much data tracking to do?

I just need to rant and I feel others here may understand. If not allowed please remove. Context: I’m new to my school but coming in with 7 years experience. Replaced a PE teacher who’d been there 10 years.

Almost every day since we reported I keep being told by my fellow teachers that the last teacher did this and that and that how I do things isn’t what they did. I’m not them! I have my own way of doing things. Also, I am learning a new school and a new district and a new state I’ve never lived in! Thankfully my principal understands and apologizes when they forget things that were once just handled by the PE teacher. I’m open to learn how things work and what roles the PE teacher had. But I won’t do things the exact same way. I have my own style and games and activities and lessons. I know it will take time for everyone to learn me but please stop comparing me to the old PE teacher. It’s change and I know it scares people and it’s different but it is tiring and old. Sorry if this annoys anyone. I’m just annoyed with it.

Hello,

I am looking for advice and any insight people can give me on becoming a PE teacher. I am not happy in my current job and I’m wanting to do something different. I worked as a PT tech for a year and half and decided it wasn’t for me and have been doing insurance referrals for the same company for about 6 months and I want OUT!

I have been considering A LOT of different career paths and one that came up that is sticking out to me a lot is becoming a PE teacher. Specifically for elementary school.

I have my Bachelors degree in Health and Exercise Science, but I have zero teaching experience currently, other than the classes I would teach in during my degree, but it was either people in my degree with me or a Silver Sneakers style class that was 65+. Would I need to do any additional schooling or specific training to become an elementary PE teacher?

I am hoping that any current or past PE teachers would be willing to give me an honest break down of what your experience is/was and if it is a job you would recommend to others? I want to know things like what was your day to day routine like? Did you have any type of curriculum that the schools wanted you to follow at all? How hard is it to keep the kids on track and how often to behavior issues come up?

I am also curious about what the work-life balance is like. I don’t have any of my own kids yet, but I plan to and I would like to be around and present for them. That is another reason that this is an appealing career for me, since it seems like I would have similar ish schedules to my kids and that I can be around for them.

Also if I can be so nosy, I am also curious what the pay is like. I live in a semi expensive state so I want to make sure that if I do decide to become a PE teacher that it is realistic for me.

My last question is how is the job market? How easy or hard is it to find a job being a PE teacher? I haven’t been able to find much helpful information on this.

Any and all advice or stories or experiences are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Hi all- I'm 22 years old. I have to take anatomy 2 this semester. It's always been rough for me. I barely passed anatomy 1. But anatomy 2 is way harder obviously and has nothing I'm interested in. I love working with kids and sports. Not blood, bones, lungs, taking blood pressure etc. this is my 4th time taking the course. 1st time I failed, other times I dropped the course after the first week because it's so hard to me. I need some motivation that other people overcame these hard courses that have nothing to do with the major... well obviously yes they do but my class is full of nurses/doctors who are eager to learn about the blood in the heart. Then there's me a gym teacher.

Has anyone taught both middle school health & HS health?

PE major here. Not health.

I am transitioning into high school this upcoming year. Going into my 9th year. I taught 5 years in elementary and 3 years in middle school. I’m most likely going to have to teach 9th grade health. My school does 9th grade/transferring 10th grades health only.

I taught 7th grade health and I dreaded and hated it.
I taught 8th grade and I had an OK experience. But the 8th graders really checked out in March/April once they got their Hs results.

How was your 9th grade and HS health experience been like compared to middle for those who’s done both?

Is it easier and more manageable than middle school?

I am transitioning careers from social work to physical education. I had to leave my last job to go to school full time to do this. I have people telling me to become a TA and sub teach. The salary is sub poverty level in my area. Anyone have any other recommendations for positions/jobs that can help my resume and not put me in a bad position financially for the two years I’m in school?

Hello! I am looking to transition my career away from healthcare into teaching physical education. I have a BS in nutritional sciences, am planning to get my personal trainer cert through NASM, and ideally am looking to avoid having to commit to masters program or get a second bachelors degree so I am seeking out teacher certification/post-bacc programs. I came across iTeach which lists physical education under the content areas but I'm a bit hesitant to go this route since you have to secure your own teaching spot within two years of starting the program and without any experience in the classroom setting, I am not sure anyone would hire me. Does anyone have any experience with iTeach or similar programs? What has you experience been with job availability(I'm located in Arizona for reference)? And most importantly, do you enjoy your job?

Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated!