Physical Education Teacher Education

The Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) Program at Illinois State has a longstanding history of preparing outstanding educators for our K-12 schools. Upon graduation, students are qualified to apply for Illinois certification and are eligible to teach in public and private schools, kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Mission

The mission of the Physical Education Teacher Education program is to develop graduates who recognizethe importance of ongoing professional development and have the ability to deliver a developmentally appropriate curriculum to diverse student populations. By effectively delivering an appropriate curriculum, our graduates will positively impact their students by enabling them to develop skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to pursue healthy, active lifestyles.

Nationally Recognized

The PETE Program at Illinois State University is accredited by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Teacher candidates enroll in courses linking current educational theories and research to “real-world” applications in the K-12 schools. Course work includes, but is not limited to: instructional strategies, motor development, elementary and secondary curricula, assessment in physical education, and adapted physical education. Several pedagogy oriented activity classes are also required.

What Makes Us Different?

• All classes in the PETE major are taught by full-time faculty who have earned advanced and terminal degrees within the physical education-teacher education profession and have had K-12 teaching experience.
• Upon acceptance into the program, teacher candidates will immediately begin more than 125 clinical hours of observation and teaching experiences in the surrounding K-12 public schools including: Thomas Metcalf Laboratory School (ISU), Unit 5 (Normal) and District 87 (Bloomington), prior to student teaching.
• Teacher candidates will complete a 16 week student-teaching experience at the elementary and secondary levels.
• Student-teaching candidates are supervised by the Physical Education Teacher Education faculty, never an outsourced individual from another university or college.
• Numerous opportunities are available for eligible Physical Education Teacher Education candidates to work with our faculty outside of the classroom setting (teaching and research assistants, student-mentor projects, independent studies and honors projects).
• You can also earn your masters degree in Physical Education Teacher Education at Illinois State!