SGRAM licenses had been issued to education agencies, schools, and institutions across almost every state in the US, including being designated as the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) of choice for students in California public schools, and the assessment tool of choice for the Texas Education Agency.
FITNESSGRAM is part of a suite of tools that can also include ACTIVITYGRAM and NUTRIGRAM
- 4. Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Whereas FITNESSGRAM is a software that can compile data electronically to a central resource, the OSPI has developed assessments for health and fitness that can be used throughout the year by teachers in the classroom.
These are primarily used to gauge student understanding of the physical education program as the year progresses, also providing teachers with student copies of pre-written tests for the assessments.
Resources are available for all levels of schooling, from Elementary, through to Middle School, and concluding with High School.
- 5. Cooper International Fitness Test
The Cooper International Fitness Test is a customizable fitness assessment software created by the same company that created FITNESSGRAM.
What sets this particular software apart is that it’s developed on a much larger scale, customized to report on health-related fitness levels of schoolchildren on a countrywide level.
One of the most recent customizations was recently adopted by Hungary, who are now using a version known as NETFIT. This was launched in the fall of 2014, with the goal of reaching 1.2 million children in 4,000 schools across the country, in an effort to establish a national framework for student fitness assessments.
Quick guide to getting qualified
If you’re considering becoming a PE teacher yourself, it can also be useful to know which qualifications are needed. But in order to provide you with an accurate plan, it’s important to take into account the level of education you eventually want to be teaching.
PE is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding subjects to teach. Although in most cases you won’t be seeing the same transformations as personal trainers do with adult clients in later life, instilling a sense of importance in leading a healthy lifestyle can be truly life changing for the children in the future.
Not only that, but you’re preventing the health risks that are often associated with weight issues, including diabetes and obesity, improving their quality of life, and even extending their life expectancy.
But before you start down the path towards becoming a PE teacher, it can be useful to take a look at some job search websites at the skills, education, and experience schools and institutions are looking for.
Although specific requirements vary by state, there are a few key requirements that any school or teaching institution will require.
- 1. Bachelor’s degree in teaching related discipline
- 2. Completion of a teacher preparation program
- 3. Pass a certification exam
- 4. Pass a background check
If you want to improve your CV and increase your chances of being accepted to teach PE at any level, you can also complete an advanced credential known as the National Board Certification.
This is offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and can be achieved by completing a voluntary assessment program. Unfortunately this isn’t something you can do straight away if you’re a new or prospective teacher, as one of the requirements to entry is having completed 3 full years of teaching.
This won’t be covered by the time spent studying for your Bachelor’s degree, as although there is a student teaching element combined with the coursework, the 3 years need to be while you already hold a teaching license.
In terms of what the student teaching experience for a degree actually involves, as a prospective PE teacher you will be required to teach children at various grade levels, with your performance being monitored by a licensed teacher.
In addition to meeting the 4 requirements listed above, you will also require a teacher’s license issued by the state in which you inte