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

Teachers’ response to child learning.
As the teachers reflected on lessons, both 
as they happened and following the lessons, some of them commented on how they 
learned more about themselves and their class. One area that teachers hadn’t noticed in 
their teaching of other subjects but that was very obvious in a physical education lesson 
was how poor the children’s skill of listening to instructions was. This in turn affected 
how the teacher taught other lessons and made teachers more aware in their teaching; 
It’s a knock-on effect on me, because I’ve tried to develop, you know, in 
teaching. Because I could not believe…how hard it was to get people to, to 
really listen and to kind of internalise. You know they kind of half listen…[this 
was] a real kind of practical demonstration.
(1 FGT Darragh 6) 
Sophie, in reflecting on this comment, noted an organisational strategy which 
may have solved the problem; 
I think there’s a friendship clause in that as well, though, because when you 
divide them into groups and they will go off with their own gang, there’s huge 
fun involved in that, and they’re all excited and giddy, and they’re, you know, 
they’re all immediately thinking about what they’re going to say to their pal.
Whereas, if they were in groups where they didn’t know the other kids, I’d say 
it’d be completely different. They’d be actually listening then, because they 
want to do well in front of the others. You know. I didn’t try that, now, I have to 
say now, but I’m going to save it, and I’m thinking about this now.
(1 FGT 
Sophie 6)
 
Teachers spoke of the positive effect the O&AA programme was having on 
children, how they thought it was ‘brilliant PE’, and how this in had turn had a positive 
effect on the teachers themselves; 
One teacher…said she had no complaints about PE and that it is brilliant PE 
that the children just feel happy with every lesson…she said that before she was 
getting complaints so she is delighted with the activities and the variety and 
range and how they [children] are progressing and getting on.
(FN 05.03.07)
Some of the children, primarily senior boys, at stage 2 of the study, still 
expected physical education to be enjoyable and learning was not a priority for them.
The teachers recognised this and began to realise that maybe they were at fault for this 
lack of learning; 
‘I suppose PE you see is always associated with enjoyment, you know, 
first and foremost. It’s not really a learning situation for them. You know they want to 
enjoy it…’ 
(2 FGT Darragh 6) 
‘…well if they enjoy it, we enjoy it as well you know. You 
think, that’s great, that was a great PE lesson. I’m brilliant, when you’re not really.’
(2 
FGT Sophie 6) 

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One teacher was delighted that the children recognised activities from the 
previous year and had retained the knowledge; 
Because in my class I said, “We’ve done this already” and they already did the 
photo star. “Oh no, we didn’t do this one, but we did something like it.” And it’s 
great because they understand the process of it, which is good.
(2 FGT Natalie 
1) 
Outdoor and Adventure Activities also allows the children more freedom and 
responsibility for their own learning; 
‘It’s amazing how quickly they learn, like the little 
strategies keep their thought, or space yourself out, where your two hands should be. I 
was absolutely mesmerised by that, like, the way they worked’
(2 FGT Eve 3). Infant 
teachers also began to realise that they learned that they should expect more for their 
classes; 
‘They’re definitely able for a lot more than we give them credit for I think…’
(2 
FGT Mary JI). 
The findings here show that the new teaching styles and the subject content was 
acceptable to the children. They were learning, having fun, being active, were able to 
be responsible for their own learning and were given problems to solve. All children 
were involved in the lessons which also appealed to both teachers and children. These 
positive findings were another form of pressure and encouragement for teachers to 
change their teaching practices.