1. PDHPE: You and the
Profession

2. What types of physical activity did you
participate in?
When I look back on my childhood and adolescent years all my
memories are based around a sport or activity. The sports I
participated in include:
- Swimming - Netball
- Gymnastics - Tennis
- Waterpolo
- Basketball
- Little Athletics
- Fruit Fly Circus
- General PDHPE classes (Primary & High School)
- Personal Fitness (walking, running and bike riding)

3. Swimming
This is where I spent the majority of my life the Albury Swim Centre. My mum is a strong
believer in teaching children how to swim and survive especially living so close to the river.
Whilst my older brothers were swimming my mum would take me down and teach me to swim.
By age 5 I had convinced my mum to sign me up for swimming club as I wanted to be just like
my older brothers. They were my inspiration to progress to swim club. I swam for the Albury
Swim Club until I was 16 years old.

4. Gymnastics
A friend from Primary
school had her 7th
birthday at Flyaway
Gymnastics and from
that day I was hooked.
Gymnastics took me all
over Australia and even
overseas. When I was 11
I was lucky enough to be
invited to participate in
an international
competition in
Singapore. I quit
gymnastics when I was
13 to focus on other
sports that I found more
interesting.

5. Waterpolo
Waterpolo has been my primary sport throughout high school. A friend that I swam with invited
me to come play with her when I was 12 and I am still playing to this day. I have been able to
travel around Australia competing in Queensland, Perth, Tasmania and many NSW towns and
cities.

6. Basketball
I started playing club basketball at age 7. I had previously tried netball as I wanted to play a
‘girls sport’ but did not like it and my older brother played basketball so I decided to try it
instead. From age 10 to 16 I played in the local representative team the Albury Cougars.
At the end of year 11
most of my team
quit the local
competition as they
were moving away
and I felt that
without the rest of
my team mates it
wouldn’t be as
enjoyable as I had
played with the same
team throughout
my club career.

7. Yes I believe it did. All of the sports I
participated in I continued due to the fact
that I played with my friends and we made it
enjoyable. Having said that I do feel that
having participated in a sport for such a long
time it can get boring. For example my
swimming career, I had been swimming 11
years and had done everything in the sport
that I could do. My personal life started to
take over and my morning swim sessions
were getting in the way of that. Amanda L
Hyde defines it well when she states that
“The way we think, feel, and act changes
with age, so it may be that physical activity,
wellbeing, and the link between physical
activity and wellbeing change with age too. “
At 16 my personal life became more
important than physical activity and that is
why I quit.
Did your choice of physical activity change
with age?

8. What are you current attitudes/feelings
associated with physical activity?
My attitude on physical activity changes from day to day. Most of the time I am a
positive person and enjoy going on runs or bike rides but other times I have little or no
energy to do anything. I really enjoy participating in team sports, I am a very
competitive person and having other people rely on my performance brings out the
best in me. Having said that I was always taught to be a fair sport. Daniel Gould states
it well when he says that “competition appears to be a double-edged sword, cutting
both ways and having both positive and negative effects on participation.”

9. How might these feelings influence
your teaching of Physical Education in
the K-6 context?
As I am becoming a teacher, I
know it is important to be
enthused across every Key
Learning Area in the primary
curriculum. Luckily throughout
my primary and higher school
education I have had great
teachers that have left me with
memories that will inspire me
to help make a difference in
other children’s lives like they
did with mine. I want to instill
a love of physical activity
whether its through a
competitive nature or just the
love of participating.

10. The Ideal PDHPE
Teacher
• PDHPE teachers need to be
dressed appropriately for
the occasion. This should
include: runners, shorts, sun
smart clothes, a hat, as well
as having a whistle and a
drink bottle on hand.
• PDHPE teachers should always
look like they are
approachable. They should be
open, smiling and talkative as
well as willing to participate
with the children in the
games.
• Throughout my schooling my
PDHPE teachers were always
fit and healthy. I believe it is
necessary for teachers to live
like they are teaching the
children to live.
• Including all children is
important in PDHPE. Be
versatile to injuries or
disabilities is a must.
“If you had fun, then you
won.”
“Every winner was once a
beginner”
“Great teamwork guys”
“The effort I saw on the field was
amazing”
“The game is never more
important than the people you
play with”
Sourced from:
http://www.nhsd.org/Page/

11. Comparison to Ideal teacher
The ideal PDHPE teacher I previously constructed is based on the PDHPE teachers I
had during my schooling. I am trying to base my philosophy around my experiences so
in many ways the comparison should be similar.
Similarities:
• Welcoming
• Energetic
• Positive
• Happy
• Participate with children
• Communication skills
• Connection with children
Differences:
• I am female, all my PDHPE
teachers have been males.
• Do not have the knowledge yet to
teach children the theory side of
PDHPE.
• Need to learn more about male
dominated sports.

12. How do you feel about teaching PE in
the K-6 context?
• I am currently working as a swimming instructor which I
feel will help me become the teacher I want to be
within the primary school setting. “Communication is
more effective if both people are on the same level.
Adults need to stoop down to the child’s level or sit
beside them. Making eye contact with the child lets
them know that they have your attention and is much
less intimidating to the child” (Virginia State University).
Being an instructor has provided me with the
opportunity to practice communicating with children.
• By participating in so many sports as a child I have been
able to participate in a range of activities that I can
draw from and use throughout my career as a PE
teacher.
Communicating with Young Children.
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/350/350-022/350-022_pdf.pdf

13. Reference List
Board of Studies. (2007). Personal Development, Health and Physical Education K-6. Sydney, Australia: Board of
Studies NSW.
Gould, D. (n.d.). Competition in Sport. Retrieved
fromhttp://books.google.com.au/bookshl=en&id=UriYBuiH_FkC&oi=fnd&pg=PA4417dq=competition+in+sport
&ots=nOm0X5irmn&sig=ejYAOt0hElghK54c807yiGE80Ws#v=onepage&q=competition%20in%
Hyde A.L. (2013). Enhancing our Understanding of Physical Activity and wellbeing with a Lifespan Perspective.
Retrieved from http://www.internationaljournalofwellbeing.org/index.php/ijow/article/view/182
New Hope-Solebury Upper Elementary School (n.d.). PE Quotes. Retrieved from
http://www.nhsd.org/Page/336
Virginia State University. (n.d.). Communicating with Young Children. Rtrieved from
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/350/350-022/350-022_pdf.pdf

14. The End