Doing things my way: teaching physical education with a disability.

Area of Science:

• Physical Education
• Disability Studies
• Sociology of Education

Background:

• Limited research exists on the experiences of physical education teachers with disabilities.
• Existing literature primarily focuses on students with disabilities in physical education settings.
• The capability approach offers a framework for understanding lived experiences related to disability and teaching.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of a physical education teaching intern with a physical disability.
• To examine the perceptions of school members and students interacting with the intern.
• To understand how disability influences pedagogical practices and professional identity.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research design utilizing interviews and document analysis.
• Case study approach focusing on a single physical education teaching intern.
• Application of the capability approach to interpret findings.

Main Results:

• Disability discourse is fluid, contrasting with static stereotypes.
• The intern actively established his competence through personalized teaching contexts.
• The intern's experiences fostered a narrative of being an agent of change.

Conclusions:

• Physical education teachers with disabilities encounter and shape evolving disability discourses.
• Developing a distinct professional identity involves asserting competence on one's own terms.
• Personal experiences with disability can empower educators to enact transformative change within their practice.