Physical Education from inside. Performance discourse, hidden curriculum and gender discrimination

Literature on Physical Education shows a subject where conflicts and various unfair practices still exist. For these reasons, this article aims to describe and interpret some of these events. Based on participant observation in a public-state school in the city of Valencia, notes from a field diary and semi-structured interviews with PE teachers, certain behaviours and attitudes have been identified that negatively affect the classroom climate, especially based on gender. In addition, data shows that teachers are strongly aligned with the performance discourse. These data bring to the forefront a powerful hidden curriculum and invite a critical reflection on the status quo of the subject and to try to get teachers out of their comfort zone.