Marcas no corpo, cansaço e experiência: Nuances do envelhecer como professor de Educação Física

Abstract

This study aimed to gain comprehension of and interpret the meanings that physical education teachers attribute to body and aging, and to investigate how these representations could influence their professional practice. This qualitative study was conducted among 43 teachers at schools and gyms with around 30 years of experience since graduating. The data were evaluated using content analysis. The teachers' aging gave them maturity, experience and confidence in their work. However, the physical body seemed to be separated from the subject, which led to contradictory feelings about aging. In the gyms, there was a certain adjustment to the context of visibility, since the potential of the body and the marks of health imprinted on it are highly valued. Wear and fatigue were particularly felt by the teachers working in schools.