Teaching outdoor and adventure activities: an investigation of a primary school physical education professional development p

 
From knowledge to confidence.
All the teachers said they felt confident 
enough to teach the O&AA strand prior to stage 2, although one teacher did not attempt 
to teach O&AA when it came to stage 2 (discussed later in this section). During the 
implementation of stage 1, of the PDP, teachers began to say that they felt more 
competent in their knowledge of the strand and would be confident in implementing the 
O&AA strand the following academic year. 
‘It’s the one strand I wouldn’t have been 
confident to teach and now I definitely would teach it next year the fact that I have seen 
it and experienced it I would’
(1 FGT Elaine 4).
‘I think I would do a lot more of it next 
year and the kids really loved it…’
(1 FGT Nicole 2). Claire, a fifth class teacher, 
during a conversation having modelled a lesson with her class said that; 
She felt really confident, she learnt far more from just watching two lessons with 
me than she had watching the whole PE In-Service and that she said – you know 
we have the notes, you know how to do it the next time – she felt far more 
confident in teaching it. She said that she would have no problem teaching it 
next year.
(FN 26.02.07) 
Although knowledge brought about a confidence, many of the teachers related 
their confidence to seeing the O&AA lessons modelled. There was a strong relationship 
emerging between knowledge gain through modelling and an increase in confidence to 

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teach. However, when analysing the answers of the teachers from fourth class more 
closely, there were varying levels of confidence. These varying levels of confidence 
also indicated that the teachers would require varying levels of support in different 
aspects of the strand during any future PDP; 
‘I’d need more practice at it to be honest. I 
don’t think that I would be confident taking a class out yet’
(1 FGT Lena 4). 
‘...I 
wouldn’t be the best teacher of PE….so it showed me – I feel I could do it by watching 
you’
(1 FGT Lisa SI). 
Orienteering I wouldn’t mind. It’s the games [challenges] that I don’t know.
That would be the only thing, just to be more familiar with the warm up games.
They would be my downfall, the orienteering itself I didn’t mind once I was 
shown. I liked that’
(1 FGT Elaine 4). 
I think I would need to go through it all again in …in my head or with… with all 
the equipment so that I would know exactly. Because I would say it could go 
really wrong if you didn’t know…you really need to know exactly what you are 
doing. What is supposed to happen. It could be just chaos.