PE Students Get to Grips with Martial Arts

PGCE and School Direct PE students returned to the university having completed the first of their two 12 week school placements and took part in a martial arts lecture with Dr Alex Channon.

The lecture was both theoretical and practical and aimed to expose students to alternative possibilities within the PE curriculum at secondary schools and how the teaching of martial arts can improve young people’s self-concept and confidence, and develop physical literacy.

Discussions were based around the philosophical arguments for the place of activities such as kick boxing, Kung Fu and fencing, and the physical benefits that children can accrue for participating in non-contact versions of martial arts.

Dr Channon said: “There are lots of urban myths about martial arts, often perpetuated by the media, and we need to be careful about buying into them too quickly. But research does tell us that martial arts, if taught properly, can enhance a young person’s self-confidence, self-belief and self-esteem.

“It can also teach them to be more determined, and can be a metaphor for how to approach and overcome various challenges they may face in life.”

PGCE and School Direct PE Course leader Dr Gary Stidder said: “Teacher training programmes rarely feature martial arts so the training of future recruits to the PE profession is often inadequate in this area.

“PE teacher training programmes have an obligation to provide trainee teachers with breadth, depth and balance of experience so that they can offer pupils in school exactly the same experience. Martial arts such as judo, karate and taekwondo are very popular with children and they often request to do different activities such as martial arts in their PE lessons.”

PGCE PE trainee teacher Mollie Eyles explained: “Martial arts involves discipline, concentration and precision. These are all qualities that young people can benefit from.

“The training and preparation involved in non-contact martial arts gives young people confidence, self-esteem but also highly develops their co-ordination and decision-making skills. I believe that schools should consider offering a choice of martial arts within the PE curriculum but for this to happen trainee PE teachers like us need to be trained and prepared to teach it confidently”