Ensinar com sentido: Da formação à prática docente em Educação Física

Abstract

This School Placement Report is part of the School Placement course (EP) unit of the Master's Degree in Physical Education Teaching in Basic and Secondary Education at the Faculty of Sport, University of Porto (FADEUP). It reflects the formative path developed throughout the school year, highlighting learning, challenges overcome, and professional growth in a real teaching context. The placement took place in a public school in Porto, involving two 11th-grade classes with distinct profiles (general and vocational education), which required pedagogical flexibility, adaptability, and the development of competencies in different dimensions of teaching practice. Lesson planning was a structuring element of practice, marked by the need to adapt objectives and contents to the specificities of each class. Classroom management involved balancing time, space, and participation, while instruction stood out for its clarity and differentiation. Feedback evolved from a corrective approach to a more positive and motivational one, assessment was integrated into the teaching process, and systematic reflection proved decisive in consolidating a more critical and conscious teaching identity. In addition to teaching practice, the report includes a research study on students' motivation in Physical Education, based on Self-Determination Theory and developed through a mixed-methods design. The results indicated high levels of self-determined motivation and highlighted the positive impact of pedagogical strategies within this process. Overall, this experience made it possible to articulate theory and practice, deepen the understanding of the challenges and potential of Physical Education, and significantly contribute to professional development.