O CAMINHO DE UM PROFESSOR ESTAGIÁRIO: Literacia Física e um Ambiente de Aprendizagem Transformador

Abstract

The school placement teaching practicum represents the culmination of an intense academic journey, but also the starting point for the ongoing construction of a professional teaching identity. This report, written by a Physical Education student-teacher (the author), adopts the metaphor of a walk - a guiding thread that structures the narrative and symbolizes the personal and professional journey lived throughout a school year in the city of Espinho. Through this metaphor, the formative process is retraced step by step, highlighting the challenges, learning moments, and achievements that marked it. Key challenges included managing the diversity of students' learning paces and motivations, planning differentiated pedagogical strategies, and overcoming insecurities typical of initial practice - within a process where the tension between studied theoretical ideals and the complexities of school reality became evident. Added to this was the particular challenge of being a teacher close in age to the students, uncertain of the respect he might gain from them. On the students' side, significant progress was observed across several physical fitness domains, as well as greater engagement in their own learning process. The pedagogical approach adopted was reflective and student-centred, incorporating differentiated strategies and constant attention to individual needs. The action-research project aimed to promote students' physical literacy, not only through tailored training but also by implementing the Youth Participatory Action Research methodology, which granted them an active and critical role in decision-making concerning their Physical Education learning. The results point to improvements in various physical capacities and a stronger sense of autonomy and responsibility among students. This experience proved to be deeply enriching and transformative, reinforcing the intern's vocation and laying solid foundations for a teaching practice that is informed, critical, and focused on students' holistic development.