Keep the Quarterback White !: Rush Limbaugh\u27s Social Construction of the Black Quarterback

Despite the prominence of professional football in U.S. culture, little research has been conducted examining the social construction of race in the game. People have a cultural perception of race; what effect does this perception have on the players? There has been research on the historical struggles of Black athletes in collegiate football, as well as lasting issues of racism. To add to this body of literature, this analysis will focus on the institutional racism embedded in the drafting practices of quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL). This paper finds that institutional racism has a lasting effect on the hiring of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. This study specifically compares the minority status of Black quarterbacks to the majority status of Black athletes in professional and collegiate football

Effective Physical Education Professional Development

This literature review explores how to create an effective professional development (PD) system for Physical Education (PE) teachers. The review begins by discussing Personal Learning Networks (PLNs), and the impact that they have on professional development. PLNs provide teachers with an opportunity to completely personalize their PD through Twitter, Facebook, and various other blogs. PD in schools is a huge aspect of the professional development process. Allowing time for content specific PD means teachers can analyze strategies and ideas that work for their content areas. Workshops provide teachers with the opportunity to learn from experts and continue to strive to be lifelong learners. They allow teachers to be exposed to new strategies regarding PE and how they can be implemented. Literacy in PE and the ability to collaborate with other content areas is an exciting trend in PD. The ability to hold each other accountable and have different viewpoints helps in the implementation process of new content. The frequency of professional development should be a constant process with teachers striving to better their craft. Providing teachers with specific opportunities can lead to them seeking out their own chances to positively affect their understanding of teaching. All of these components will be identified and shown how they contribute to creating an effective PE professional development plan

The Effectiveness of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in Schools

Negative student behaviors are increasing in schools today (Molly et al., 2013). When students engage in problem behaviors, they are more likely to fall through the cracks and their educational gap increases. Therefore, something needs to be done in school systems to decrease these problem behaviors. PBIS is an implementation framework that is designed to improve academic and social behavior outcomes for all students (Sungai & Simonsen, 2012). The purpose of this literature review is to explore the effects of PBIS on student behavior and ways to implement PBIS successfully. Overall, research shows that when PBIS is implemented correctly and with fidelity, negative student behaviors decrease because of this preventative framework