Health and Physical Education Certification Emphasis
CERTIFICATION
The Health and Physical Education (HPE) Emphasis leads to certification in Pennsylvania and most other states, preparing a student to teach grades Pre K-12 in health and physical education as well as coach in a variety of settings. Students will also be prepared to earn a fitness certification endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
MISSION STATEMENT
The goal of the Health and Physical Education Teacher Certification Pathway in the Applied Exercise and Health option is to provide teacher candidates with practical opportunities to work with students in the Pre K-12 health and physical education setting.
WHAT TEACHER CANDIDATES WILL LEARN
Understand the instructional and learning processes needed to deliver a high-quality and comprehensive health and physical education program that promotes skill acquisition, fitness, and wellness to Pre K-12 students.
Requirements to Enter the HPE Emphasis – Teacher Certification:
Students will have to meet requirements mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Click the link below to access the form.
Suggested Academic Plan:
APPLIED LEARNING EXPERIENCES
A major component of the program is to provide students with a variety of hands-on and field experiences in both fitness and health and physical education settings. Students will engage in “learning lab settings” in a variety of courses in which they will engage in peer-to-peer teaching and observation activities. Additionally, students will engage in multiple field experiences. Students are placed in health and physical education and adapted physical education environments at surrounding school districts.
STUDENT TEACHING
Student teaching is the capstone experience of the program and allows teacher candidates the opportunity to apply the learned skills and techniques in an authentic Pre K-12 educational setting over the course of an entire semester. It provides the teacher candidate invaluable experiences working with children and adolescents in physical activity, fitness, health and wellness, classroom, and remote learning settings. Teacher candidates are prepared to teach Pre K-12, thus experiences in both elementary and secondary schools is required.
The teacher candidate must meet the prerequisites for Kines 495A and demonstrate pedagogical competence according to performance and professional dispositions rubrics/standards set forth by the program and The College of Education. A Kines 495A placement is at the discretion of the Kinesiology Undergraduate Program Professor in Charge and/or HPE Program and Student Teacher Coordinator.
CLEARANCES:
PA Child Abuse (Act 151)
PA Criminal History (Act 34)
FBI – Federal Criminal History
Tuberculosis Test
HPE Emphasis Faculty
Jonna Belanger, Ph.D. Applied Exercise and Health Program Director
Danielle Butterworth, M.S. Health and Physical Education Program & Student Teacher Coordinator
Helene Monthley, Ph.D. Assistant Teaching Professor
Alison Weimer, Ph.D. Undergraduate Program Professor in Charge
Nathan Zechman, M.Ed. NSCA-CPT Associate Teaching Professor
Contact
Danielle Butterworth, MS
Kinesiology - Health and Physical Education Program & Student Teaching Coordinator
271E Recreation Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-1819
email: dch182@psu.edu