Attitudes toward physical education: their impact on how physical education teachers make sense of their work

The past several decades have seen a marked change in state and local laws requiring physical education within children's schooling. Typically, the trend has progressed from daily required physical education for all children to our current status of a limited number of hours per week or credits per year in physical education, generally with no minimum standards. Mitchell and Earls (1987) suggest that perceptions about the worth of physical education are determinants influencing the amount of time and resources allocated to our programs. In order to impact these attitudes and perceptions, physical educators must take an active role in developing sound programs and promoting them to students, parents, teachers, and administrators.