What does a physical education instructor do?
Physical education instructor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real physical education instructor resumes:
- Develop organize syllabus to direct students in achieving subject knowledge require for course completion.
- Help t implement and test other students for IEP goals.
- Head coach of several junior varsity and varsity sports, including football, softball and basketball.
- Help with compliance to make sure softball and cross country student-athletes will be eligible once enroll.
- Coach the after school sports program in cross-country, track and field, basketball, soccer and baseball.
- Create lesson plans using activities to help students with specific disabilities and used that to create and IEP.
- Create and teach lessons on volleyball forearm pass and the set working in groups for 4th and 6th graders.
- Introduce novice soccer enthusiasts to the world of competitive soccer with the main objective of growth and development for each player.
- Design all promotional & competition materials for volleyball and basketball
- Cover the fundamental concepts of chemistry and biology including cell biology, metabolism, microbiology, genetics, evolution and histology.
- Lead individuals and classes in physical exercise and recreation, instruct lessons in sports, and teach health awareness.
Physical education instructor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Physical Education Instructors are proficient in Classroom Management, CPR, and Health Education. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Motivational skills.
We break down the percentage of Physical Education Instructors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Classroom Management, 15%
Establish a healthy and active learning environment using well practiced classroom management techniques.
- CPR, 9%
Coordinated and supervised CPR certifications for the University at Albany Police Department.
- Health Education, 9%
Awarded a Government Educational Grant to introduce Body-Mind Health education into Cobb County, Georgia's Public School System.
- Adaptive, 8%
Developed an Adaptive Physical Education Class Implemented a continuous wellness program for students and parents
- Volleyball, 6%
Designed a two-credit-hour Physical Education Volleyball course implemented in Spring 2016.
- Syllabus, 5%
Develop and implement course syllabus and curriculum for three fitness classes.
"classroom management," "cpr," and "health education" are among the most common skills that physical education instructors use at work. You can find even more physical education instructor responsibilities below, including:
Customer-service skills. One of the key soft skills for a physical education instructor to have is customer-service skills. You can see how this relates to what physical education instructors do because "many fitness trainers and instructors sell their services, motivating clients to hire them as personal trainers or to sign up for the classes they lead." Additionally, a physical education instructor resume shows how physical education instructors use customer-service skills: "scoped, designed and delivered large multi-phase training programs for customers to improve user efficiency and product adoption. "
Listening skills. Another essential skill to perform physical education instructor duties is listening skills. Physical education instructors responsibilities require that "fitness trainers and instructors must listen carefully to what clients tell them in order to determine the clients’ fitness levels and desired fitness goals." Physical education instructors also use listening skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "communicated course objectives effectively to students on an individual basis. "
Motivational skills. This is an important skill for physical education instructors to perform their duties. For an example of how physical education instructor responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "to keep clients coming back for more classes or to continue personal training, fitness trainers and instructors must keep their clients motivated." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a physical education instructor: "guided student learning and development using proper motivational and informative techniques adapted for physical activities, fitness, health, etc. ".
Physical fitness. For certain physical education instructor responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "physical fitness." The day-to-day duties of a physical education instructor rely on this skill, as "fitness trainers and instructors must be able to lead classes and to demonstrate exercises to participants or their clients." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what physical education instructors do: "manage and conduct physical education classes in the area of weight training, aerobics, personal fitness, and swimming. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a physical education instructor to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what physical education instructors relies on this skill, since "fitness trainers and instructors must evaluate members’ or client’s fitness levels and create appropriate fitness plans to meet their needs." How this skill relates to physical education instructor duties can be seen in an example from a physical education instructor resume snippet: "experienced conflict resolution and problem solving in an educational setting. "
The three companies that hire the most physical education instructors are:
- Glendale Community College2 physical education instructors jobs
- Providence Service1 physical education instructors jobs
- Pacific Medical Centers1 physical education instructors jobs
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Compare different physical education instructors
Physical education instructor vs. Life skills trainer
Life skills trainers are personal health professionals who provide training assistance and supervision to patients, such as personal care, financial management, and social integration. These trainers are required to assist their clients with disabilities with daily living activities while documenting their behaviors and personal hygiene. They can organize therapeutic activities for individuals or groups to maximize their quality of life. Life skills trainers must also assist in meal preparation as well as perform tasks that include glucose monitoring, insulin therapy, and diabetes management.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a physical education instructor are more likely to require skills like "classroom management," "health education," "adaptive," and "volleyball." On the other hand, a job as a life skills trainer requires skills like "medication administration," "therapeutic recreation," "medical appointments," and "direct support." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that life skills trainers earn slightly differ from physical education instructors. In particular, life skills trainers are 7.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a physical education instructor. Additionally, they're 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Physical education instructor vs. Fitness trainer
The job of a fitness trainer is to instruct and motivate individuals and groups in physical activities, including stretching, cardiovascular exercise, and strength training. The typical duties of a fitness trainer include demonstrating how to perform various exercises, guiding them during the exercise to improve fitness and minimize injuries, and monitoring their progress. As a fitness trainer, you are also responsible for explaining and enforcing safety rules on exercise equipment usage, recreational activities, and sports, and giving clients resources and information about weight control, lifestyle issues, and nutrition.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real physical education instructor resumes. While physical education instructor responsibilities can utilize skills like "classroom management," "health education," "adaptive," and "volleyball," fitness trainers use skills like "customer service," "front desk," "cleanliness," and "fitness equipment."
Fitness trainers may earn a lower salary than physical education instructors, but fitness trainers earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $30,324. On the other hand, physical education instructors receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $45,952.fitness trainers earn lower levels of education than physical education instructors in general. They're 9.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Physical education instructor vs. Skills trainer
Skills Trainers are responsible for creating and teaching courses that are specialized for employees of an organization. Their duties include conducting initial analysis through questionnaires, surveys, and focus groups, create program budgeting, design training courses, organize the class schedule, produce study materials, and implement trial run. They track key performance metrics, create progress reports, and continuously improve training methodologies to deliver better results. Skills Trainers also work with outside vendors in using instructional technology to facilitate teaching.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a physical education instructor is likely to be skilled in "classroom management," "health education," "volleyball," and "syllabus," while a typical skills trainer is skilled in "money management," "independent living," "behavior management," and "incident reports."
Skills trainers earn the highest salary when working in the hospitality industry, where they receive an average salary of $34,257. Comparatively, physical education instructors have the highest earning potential in the education industry, with an average salary of $45,952.Most skills trainers achieve a lower degree level compared to physical education instructors. For example, they're 8.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Physical education instructor vs. Fitness specialist
A Fitness Specialist is focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle through exercise and working with clients in various settings. They teach individuals or groups how to properly perform exercises and use exercise equipment.
Types of physical education instructor
Updated January 8, 2025
