Coaching PE Teachers: Insights from an Instructional Expert

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Gary Zaharatos is a Physical Education Peer Observer and Instructional Coach in Denver Public Schools. He spends his days coaching and evaluating physical education teachers throughout the city. He has dedicated his career to supporting teachers as they strive to implement high quality instruction in physical education. Gary holds a Bachelors of Science in Physical Education and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.

Having twenty years of experience in public education, Gary has taught, observed and provided feedback on thousands of PE lessons and was named Administrator of the Year by SHAPE Colorado in 2023. He has also recently published his first book, titled Becoming a Distinguished Physical Education Teacher: Establishing a Safe and Welcome Learning Environment For All Students, which offers insightful perspectives and practical guidance to K-12 PE teachers on how to implement equitable practices, clearly communicate high expectations for student behavior and incorporate high leverage instructional methods in the gym.

Some topics we discuss are...
• Creating safe, welcoming environments where students take both physical and academic risks
• Moving away from outdated PE practices like captains picking teams and grading based on gym clothes
• Implementing content and language objectives so students can articulate what they're learning
• Using coaching cycles with goal-setting, observations, and learning labs where teachers visit other schools
• Building professional capital with administrators through relationship building and solution-oriented approaches
• Backwards planning with standards rather than simply listing standards at the top of lesson plans
• Prioritizing standards-based social skills that transfer beyond the gymnasium

Connect with Gary on social media:

1. X: GaryZDPE
2. Ig: garyzdistinguishedpe
3. Facebook group; Distinguished Physical Education 
4. Email: [email protected]

Gary offers his book "Becoming a Distinguished Physical Education Teacher" available on Amazon, or reach out directly to him for a digital copy!

Thanks for listening! 🙏🏼

If you picked up a new idea or felt inspired by today’s episode, I’d love to hear from you and if your interested in being a potential guest on the show; email [email protected] take a second to follow the show and share it with another educator who’s passionate and let’s keep the conversation going!” 🗣️

P.E Teachers: Are you currently seeking graduate credits or professional development hours toward license renewal?

​If so, you can receive $25 off any self-paced professional development course or year-long virtual course from my colleague at Distinguished PE by using the code "nextlevelpe" at checkout.

Whether your goal is to earn graduate credits or fulfill licensure requirements, now is an excellent time to explore the wide range of courses offered by Distinguished PE.

Courses can be purchased directly through their website, making it easy to get started whenever it fits your schedule. Visit www.distinguishedpe.com to learn more and find the course that’s right for you.