Educação física escolar e justiça social: um autoestudo sobre a prática docente diante de incidentes críticos

Abstract

This study aims to analyze, through a self-study process, the pedagogical strategies mobilized by the teacher-researcher when facing situations of social injustice in school Physical Education classes, seeking to understand how these episodes emerge in everyday school life and how they can be problematized and addressed within the pedagogical context. It is based on the assumption that Physical Education, as a curricular component, constitutes a privileged space for the experience of social relationships, while also being a fertile environment for the manifestation of inequalities, exclusions, and conflicts that require intentional interventions by the teacher. The study is characterized as a qualitative research of an interpretative nature, conducted with a 4th-grade class in a public school located in the municipality of Igarapé-Açu, in the state of Pará, Brazil, consisting of 16 students. In order to identify and analyze situations involving cases of social injustice within Physical Education classes, the Critical Incident Technique was employed, which has proven to be highly effective in the analysis of teachers’ pedagogical practices. As methodological procedures, the teacher-researcher’s field diary was used, in which classroom events, student interactions, and incidents considered critical were recorded, along with systematic dialogue with a critical friend, with whom the records were shared for analysis, questioning, and reflective deepening. The results indicate that the self-study process significantly contributed to the development of a more conscious, critical, and reflective pedagogical practice. It was possible to identify situations of exclusion, unequal participation, interpersonal conflicts, and silencing, which would often go unnoticed in a noninvestigative practice. Based on these findings, the teacher-researcher began to adopt more intentional interventions, aiming to promote dialogue, inclusion, respect for differences, and the active participation of all students. Furthermore, the study fostered a re-signification of the teaching role, highlighting the importance of an investigative stance committed to social transformation. It is concluded that school Physical Education can play a relevant role in problematizing social injustices present in everyday school life, contributing to the development of critical and participatory individuals. In this sense, self-study emerges as a powerful strategy for teachers’ continuing professional development, as it enables the systematic analysis of one’s own practice and the construction of more inclusive and equitable pedagogical pathways.