Division of Health & Exercise Science
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Physical Education Teacher Education
The physical education teacher education program prepares you to teach physical education in elementary, middle, and high schools.
Students successfully completing the physical education teacher education (P.E.T.E.) coursework and teacher licensure requirements will earn a B.S. in Education, Oregon teaching license, and Physical Education Endorsement. This means you’ll be authorized to teach P.E. in K-12 schools. Learn more about teacher licensure.
You’ll complete the P.E.T.E. courses during your first three years and the professional licensure program (student teaching) during your final year. In the licensure program, you’ll work directly with kindergarten and elementary-aged children, teach grade six physical education at a local middle school, and complete 45 hours of school-based early field experience.
P.E.T.E. courses focus on contemporary physical activity pedagogy and instructional models. Topics covered include:
- Movement Education / Skill Themes
- Dance Education
- Teaching Games for Understanding / Tactical Games Model
- Sport Education
- Outdoor Education
- Adventure Education
- Fitness Education
- Teaching Personal & Social Responsibility
Students wishing to pursue teacher licensure in physical education at the graduate level should complete the B.S. in Exercise Science degree (Pre-Education Track) and then apply to the M.A. in Teaching program.
COVID vaccination mandate for PK-12 teachers, staff, and volunteers
Governor Kate Brown has issued a COVID vaccination mandate for PK-12 teachers, staff, and volunteers. We know many of you have already chosen to be vaccinated. If you have not yet been vaccinated, we have resources available to help you find a local vaccination center so you can be ready for the school year in your PK-12 clinical site. Without proof of vaccination, we will not be able to seek a school-based placement for you unless our K-12 partner can accommodate your disability or religious exemption. The exemptions applicable to Governor Brown’s K-12 mandate are far more narrow than exemptions for other circumstances and a philosophical exemption will not be sufficient for a PK-12 placement. Student teaching is a requirement for licensure. If you choose not to be vaccinated, and our PK-12 partner cannot accommodate your medical or religious exemption, we would be happy to work with you on rolling your admissions to a future cohort to a time when vaccinations may not be required in PK-12 schools and/or meet with you to talk about other coursework for pathways to graduation that do not include licensure. We will not be looking for PK-12 placements for unvaccinated individuals without medical or religious exemptions. More information will be coming shortly about how our student teachers will be verified for vaccination or exemption status.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Teachers and School Staff
And FAQs for Schools and School-Based Programs Vaccine Rule
Regarding Early Field Experiences / Practica in School-Based Settings for students in EXS classes: We include early field experiences during a student’s senior year in the PETE / EXS pre-ed program because 1) experience with real students in real school settings and with real teachers is one of the most important opportunities in learning to teach; and 2) students need documented hours with children to apply to a student teaching program. All students with practica, internships, or student teaching placements in public schools will be required to be vaccinated to be placed. These placements, of course, are required for program completion and so if a university student chooses NOT to be vaccinated they can either delay their program completion date to a time during which proof of vaccination status may no longer be required (though this could be a considerable wait) or they can complete in a non-licensure program. Western will not look for placements for students without proof of vaccination.
