Every practitioner in the field-from teachers and coaches to athletic administrators and youth sports administrators should become familiar with the content in Michael Metzler’s book, Instructional Models for Physical Education. The book is one of the most comprehensive texts about teaching and defined instructional models for physical education, physical activities, and sport skills.

The intent of the author is to twofold. First he wants to provide the most updated and essential background information about effective teaching as well as the means of “how to” teach using instructional models. Second, he wants to not only familiarize the reader with the most prominent instructional teaching models for physical education but he wants to offer detailed overviews of the selected eight models. The text is 466 pages but don’t be overwhelmed because the large print, charts, diagrams, and all the visuals make it easy to read. You still will want to read it in several sittings and one model a night was my strategy this past week!

The book is divided into two parts to achieve the purposes. The seven chapters in Part One inform the reader about the evolution of physical education programs, deliberation about the need for instructional models or “blueprints” as the author calls them, and the required knowledge areas for physical educators. Teaching strategies, effective teaching skills, how to best plan for effective instruction, and current assessment concepts are described so the reader is comfortable with the foundation of good teaching before the eight models are presented.

Part Two of the book entails one chapter for each instructional model:
Direct Instruction
Personalized System for Instruction
Cooperative Learning
Sport Education
Peer Teaching
Inquiry Teaching
Tactical Games
Teaching for Personal and Social Responsibility

The author has outlined each model with the same format and this helps the reader understand the models before comparing and contrasting. An introduction/overview, theory, rationale, validation for the model, teaching and learning features, implementation and modifications for the model, planning tips, and a short summary are part of each chapter. There is also a section called Learning Activities” and “Topics for Reflection and Small Group Instruction.” These hands-on activities are fun to make meaning of the content, and I do believe they not just intended for the students!

As a teacher in a teacher education program I plan on using Michael Metzler’s text as required reading in one of my methods classes and as a supplemental text for a curriculum theory class. My students will read and study each model so that they are prepared to select the most appropriate instructional model for their targeted populations. No one can be an authority on all the instructional models and this text allows us to become more informed about the “blueprints” for physical education. Be sure to purchase this text to raise your awareness about the best models we should be using for our teaching. A five star rating for this book!

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