"Are You Having Fun?" The Encounter of a Teacher-Centered Facilitator Using a Student-Centered Pedagogy

• In Event: Paper Session 1. Working With Diverse Student Populations: Bodies, Touch, and Physical Activity

Abstract

This 3-year study explored the challenges of a teacher-centered facilitator implementing the Student-Centered Inquiry as Curriculum approach in an after-school sports club. Participants included 13 middle school students from a local charter school, a university professor, a doctoral candidate and 1 graduate and 2 undergraduate students in a physical education teacher education program. Data collection included 22 sports club sessions with debriefings, weekly debriefing meetings, informal conversation with the undergraduate and graduate students, teacher artifacts and a personal journal. The main challenge that emerged was learning to navigate moving from a teacher-centered personality while using a student-centered approach for working with youth.

Authors

• Oscar Nunez Enriquez, Autonomous University of Chihuahua

• Kimberly L. Oliver, New Mexico State University