The Gap

This post is a reminder to myself of the gap:

• between the map and the terrain (Iveroth and Hallencreutz, 2016).
• between espoused theories and theories in use (Argyris and Schön, 1996).
• between the view from the bell tower of the fields and the view of the fields when actually working there (Reed, 2011).

A reminder that the field of PE is a messy and misunderstood one and where radical reform and ideals will ultimately fail when that messiness is not understood.

A reminder that PE pre-service teachers already come with strong values and ideas about the subject. These being formed from their own experiences and a long “apprenticeship of observation”.

A reminder that each PE teacher has their own idiosyncratic way of pedagogical reasoning and comprehension of the subject they are teaching, which has emerged from a dynamic process of acculturation, professional socialisation and organisational socialisation.

A reminder that each child is unique in their growth, maturation, and development and arrives in PE with different movement experiences, capabilities and knowledge. 

A reminder that within a single PE class there is a large range of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development and every child attaches a different value to PE, movement, sport and physical activity.

A reminder that when teaching the PE teacher has to respond to ongoing and persistent challenges, and that they can often be in conflict. Which means what they say they do and what they actually do can lack coherence.

A reminder that even without external pressures the PE classroom is a complex system where inconsistency is just a normal part of a challenging situation.

A reminder that the PE Teacher, in the process of their pedagogical reasoning and responding to persistent challenges, needs to navigate the social, cultural, political and emotional constraints of working within their particular school.

A reminder that the culture of the school is under continual pressure from external constraints from wider society.

A reminder that when working alongside others I need to be mindful of the gap. That helping others to close the gap isn’t about coming in with some ideal map formulated away in the bell tower, but first and foremost cultivating a deeper understanding of the field and those that dwell there. Supporting them in gaining greater precision of the reality of their work and context, and supporting them to develop a potential ideal that fits. Also a understanding that the ideal may change due to changes within children, school culture, external pressures like policy and even the change of the teacher themselves.

A reminder that this requires patience, curiosity and a willingness not to fix problems that aren’t understood. That bold ideas that don’t recognise the complexity of the field can often cause more problems for those that work within the field. And that small and sustainable wins alongside others is the only authentic way to close the gap.