Becoming a Distinguished Physical Education Teacher: Creating a Rigorous and Standards-Based PE Program That is Safe and Welcoming For All Students is a complete guide to teaching Physical Education.

Part One focuses on strategies to establish a safe and welcome learning environment for all students in physical education classes. In it you'll find strategies for promoting inclusivity and engagement in PE, how to establish class rules and communicate high expectations for student behavior and how to optimize space and resources to ensure a safe and orderly learning environment.

In Part Two, the focus shifts to instructional methods where the following topics are explored in great detail: Standards-Based Content and Language Objectives, Assessment, Feedback, Accountable talk Structures, Rigor, and Differentiation. There are also two chapters that describe distinguished elementary and secondary physical education lessons that incorporate the instructional methods outlined in the book.

Part Three begins with a compelling argument for why Social and Emotional Learning should be the focus of any distinguished physical education program and provides explicit examples for how to incorporate SEL into lessons throughout the year. The final two chapters provide teachers with real-world scenarios to reflect on and advice for how to approach job interviews.

Gary Zaharatos, the author, has been in public education for twenty years, first as a PE teacher and then as an instructional coach who supports PE teachers in Denver Public Schools and was named SHAPE Colorado's Administrator of the Year in 2023.