Multiperspectivity as a Basis of Current German Physical Education

Multiperspectivity has become the basis of the current German physical education system for the teacher and student alike. During one`s life time the perspectives by which physical activity and sports are performed is shifting. It is therefore mandatory that the student is prepared for these shifts. If the capability for life long activity in sport is the main object of the physical education lessons, then different perspectives have to be taught. Only this seems to assure that the student will have a chance to be well prepared for a sport setting outside of the school in the long run. The main perspectives are social learning, body experience, health education, the sporting spirit and the willingness to do better, adventure education. The paper places multiperspectivity in the historical context of German physical education and argues that the (future) teacher should be able to teach the same activity under different perspectives to assure that the student does not identify a certain activity with a certain perspective, but is capable of acting in any sporting context.