Health and Physical Education Preparing Educators for the Future

In contemporary times, the body of students in most schools reflects a diverse medley of race, class, gender, ethnicity, religion, ability, identity and sexual orientation. All these young people have a right to a quality schooling experience, as well as the knowledge, skills and understandings required for them to lead active and healthy lives. However, teachers are sometimes unprepared for managing this complexity let alone celebrate this diversity. Although the learning area has much to contribute to young people, physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively, research continues to show how teaching practices celebrate some students while marginalising and discriminating against others. So too, when health and physical education is influenced by the logic of neo-liberal individualism, students are made to feel responsible for their own health and are sometimes ‘blamed’ for their failure to perform particular skills or achieve particular kinds of bodies . However, with a focus on diversity, acceptance and inclusion, health and physical education can have an integral role in combating injustice and achieve the best outcomes for all students.