Introduction
Emma joins the podcast to discuss her extensive experience in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and her insights into the complex development of a PE teacher’s identity. The conversation delves into the crucial role of mentors and the tensions they face, the necessary move towards digital pedagogies and how PE must adapt to truly prepare students for lifelong physical activity in the modern world.
A Career in Teacher Education
Emma has dedicated 20 years to working at the University of Northampton, transitioning from a secondary PE teacher role into ITE, where she led the primary PE specialism for many years. She currently runs the undergraduate PE degree and is involved in launching a new secondary PGCE course. She also holds an Associate Professor role, focusing on improving teaching and learning in higher education, with a special interest in digital and inclusive pedagogies.
Emma noted that the brief time she and her colleagues have with trainees makes it extremely challenging to radically alter a student’s deeply ingrained identity.
The Formation of Teacher Identity
Emma asserts that a PE teacher’s identity is significantly shaped by the acculturation phase – the long period before formal training begins. Trainees have spent an estimated 10,000 hours observing teachers (Lortie’s Apprenticeship of Observation, 1975), which creates an imprint of what teaching should look like. This pre-training experience is so powerful that it often dictates a teacher’s approach long after they qualify.
Emma highlights that a mentor’s reaction during the training year can be pivotal. Mentors can either foster confidence or, conversely, potentially “do harm” to a trainee’s developing identity by restricting their autonomy. She recounts hearing of trainees who returned to university deeply deflated because they were told: “We don’t do it like that here,” essentially stifling their unique approach to the subject.
The Mentor’s Dilemma and the Need for Change
Trainees are viewed as “agents of change,” bringing fresh ideas and perspectives, often closer culturally to the young people they teach. Emma argues that if mentors are not open to learning from their trainees, the subject will stagnate.
She stresses that identity is fluid and context-specific. While trainees are seeking “ingredients” to build their teaching identity (such as routines and relationship-building strategies), mentors can sometimes be victims of their own success, believing their teaching methods are the only effective ones. The essential starting point for mentorship is establishing strong foundational relationships, removing the power dynamic and being genuinely curious about the trainee’s aspirations. Mentors should ask trainees: “What kind of a teacher would you like to be?” This relational approach is crucial for building the confidence necessary for trainees to thrive. She acknowledges the tension mentors face between supporting innovation and adhering to rigid school policies.
Mismatches in PE and Preparing for Life
Emma pointed out a significant mismatch between the rhetoric of PE – preparing students for lifelong physical activity – and the reality of delivery, which often relies on traditional sports that many students do not pursue as adults.
She argues that PE should intentionally prepare students for the next phase of their lives. This includes skills like being able to swim, navigate a city, manage a trip to the gym, or prioritise tasks, which are fundamentally problem-solving skills that can be developed in a physical context. The goal is to give students the confidence to step across the threshold into an active adult life, preventing future loneliness and promoting health.
Embracing the Digital Age
Looking ahead, Emma advocates for fully embracing technology and digital pedagogies within PE ITE. She and her colleagues use AI tools proactively and positively, seeing them as essential tools for the modern teacher.
Examples of using AI in ITE include:
- Using AI (like Gemini) to role-play a Headteacher in mock interview scenarios, providing immediate, realistic feedback to trainees.
- Allowing AI to assist with lesson planning, content creation (such as online subject knowledge sites or “edublogs”) and assignment layout, thus increasing efficiency.
She confirms that at her university, trainees are often expected to use AI for certain assignments, reinforcing the importance of being “curious” and embracing the pedagogy of possibility over the restrictive “pedagogy of necessity.”
Conclusion
Emma’s key advice for those entering PE teaching is to “be curious.” She encourages trainees to be “magpies,” watching and stealing ideas from many different sources—both within and outside the PE department—to construct an authentic teaching identity. By fostering foundational relationships, encouraging trainees to try new things and make mistakes and embracing modern tools like AI, ITE can prepare educators who are adaptable, reflective and capable of driving the change needed to make PE relevant and meaningful for all students.
About the Guest
This episode is a conversation with Dr Emma Whewell, Associate Professor at the University of Northampton.
Listen
To listen to the full episode please follow these links to Spotify or Apple podcasts.
Responses