How to Stay Organized as a PE Teacher

I've added some photos of how I stay organized to inspire you!

STEP ONE

Download and print this

FREE PE Curriculum Outline Template from my TPT Store!

STEP TWO

Start with a Clear Vision

When it comes to running an effective and engaging physical education program, staying organized is key. But organization doesn’t start with the details— it begins with a vision. A clear picture of what you'd like your PE program to look like can help guide your planning, making it easier to structure each class and keep everything running smoothly.

For me, I’ve developed a class flow that helps keep students engaged and ensures that every part of the lesson serves a purpose. Here’s what it looks like...

Warm-Up (Student Led): A student-led warm-up is essential. Not only does it give the students a chance to take ownership of

the class, but it also provides time for me to prepare and set up for the lesson ahead. It's a great way to foster leadership skills and set the tone for a positive class environment.
Lesson: This is where the core content of the class happens. Whether it's a skill-based lesson or a fitness-focused one, having a clear objective and structure for the lesson helps keep things on track. You’ll know exactly where you want to take the class, and students will be able to focus on mastering new skills.
Practice Skills: Giving students time to practice is crucial. This is when they can apply what they’ve learned in a more hands-on way. Whether it's through drills or peer interactions, practice reinforces the lesson and boosts confidence. Make sure there's time for both guided practice and independent practice so students can work at their own pace.
Activity: Once the lesson and practice are in place, it’s time for an activity. Activities should reinforce the skills learned and allow students to engage in a fun, physical way. Whether it's a game, sport, or fitness challenge, the activity portion is where students can put their learning into action.
Closing/Incentive: Every class should have a clear ending. Closing the class with a reflection or an incentive reinforces the positive behaviors you want to encourage. Whether it’s through a game, a shout-out to students for their effort, or a small reward, ending with something positive gives students a sense of accomplishment and leaves them looking forward to the next class.

By starting with this vision and structuring your classes in this way, you can stay organized, maintain focus, and provide your students with a balanced, engaging PE experience. When you’re clear on your goals and class flow, staying organized becomes second nature, and your students will thrive!

STEP THREE

Planning Your PE Curriculum: Organizing Your Year Before It Starts

As a PE teacher, it’s crucial to map out your curriculum ahead of time. By creating a planned outline for the entire school year, you’ll be able to stay organized, maximize the time you have with your students, and ensure a variety of activities that engage them in all seasons. Here’s a simple guide to help you build an effective PE curriculum that is flexible yet structured.

1. Start with Your School Calendar

The first step in planning your curriculum is to take a look at your school calendar. This gives you a big-picture view of your available time, so you can align your lessons with key dates and events. You’ll want to:

Identify breaks/Holidays (like Winter break, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Marking Quarters (due dates for grades)
Special events (field days, school assemblies, field trips, testing weeks etc.)
Meetings (Parent/Teacher Conferences, Faculty, Departments, etc)

By understanding these dates in advance, you can better plan for starting and ending units and lessons.

2. Fill in the Breaks, Holidays, and Events

Once you have your calendar & have identified the dates of these happenings, use a monthly calendar & block out the dates you know you won’t be teaching. For example, if you have a holiday break, you black out these days and it helps you visualize where your larger blocks of time for teaching are located. You don't want to start a new unit if you have 3 days prior to a week off. You can use these "blocks of time" to...

Teach "Stand-Alone" lessons that do not need consecutive classes to reach your objective. (Such as a catching & throwing game that reviews skills).
Review other previously learned skills that you know your students could refresh.
Introduce "Themed days" or lighter, fun activities that don’t require major equipment.

3. Fill in Your Units

I block out the allotted amount of time it takes me to teach a unit. (Ex: Basketball in a 3 week unit so I block off 3 consecutive weeks for basketball)

You may also need to plan around the weather

(I am in upstate NY so I have to teach inside all winter due to snow and freezing temps)

Indoor Units (Nov - March)

During the colder months, it’s essential to have indoor activities ready to go. Since the weather can be unpredictable, you’ll want to focus on lessons that don’t require outdoor space. (Ex: Basketball, Parachute, Cooperative Games, Volleyball, etc.)

Outdoor Units (Sept - Nov, April - June)

The fall and spring months give you the opportunity to get students outside. These are great times for team sports, outdoor games, or fitness circuits that require larger spaces. (Ex: Wiffleball, Tennis, etc.)

*THIS IS ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE, but TRUST me when I say that doing this in advance makes you feel SO MUCH more prepared for your year and it is so easy to swap units around or adjust dates once you have them all visible.

4. Consider Flexibility and Adaptation

While it’s important to have a structured curriculum outline, remember that flexibility is key.

By planning out your year in advance, you can ensure that you’re hitting all the important skills and activities while also making adjustments for breaks, holidays, and weather conditions. This approach not only helps you stay organized, but it also helps students experience a balanced and varied physical education program that keeps them engaged all year long.

STEP FOUR

Monthly/Weekly Breakdown: Events, Routines, and Updates

If you have any routine changes that occur weekly or monthly you can add them in as well to help yourself stay on track. I write in which day

of the month the Class Captains will change. I write in which weeks i'd like to change my bulletin board. I also add in which weeks i'd like to change up our warm-up exercises and swap out the exercise signs.