Becoming a PE teacher for life : different perspectives of prospective, newly qualified, and experienced Maltese physical educators

Abstract

This study focuses on the motivation behind an individual’s choice to become a Physical Education (PE) teacher. Moreover, it also explores the benefits and challenges faced when embarking on such a career and the impacts of a lifelong teaching career. The aim is to gather different perspectives on the topic from different participants including prospective PE teachers, newly qualified PE teachers and experienced PE teachers qualitatively. A total of 6 participants took part in this study by individually indulging in an in-depth open-ended interview with the researcher. The findings from this study provide evidence that the main motivation of PE teachers in Malta is seeing students being successful and mastering a skill or technique. Nonetheless, the lack of respect for PE, weather conditions, and inadequate facilities were found to be the main reasons why these same participants felt dissatisfied. Moreover, the participant’s interest in becoming physical educators was initiated from their love for sports early on in their lives. Overall, the findings suggest that while PE teaching has its difficulties, for those who are intrinsically motivated and passionate about making a difference in students' lives, it can be a highly rewarding career.