Corporeality and body perception of public school students: experiences lived thru extension activities

Abstract

This research aimed to understand the body perception of students from a state public school, based on the experiences lived in extension activities provided in a course of the pedagogy program at a Federal University. It was characterized as a qualitative research study, based on phenomenological assumptions, with a focus on understanding the manifestation of the corporeality phenomenon. Six adolescents participated in the study, selected based on criteria of participation and involvement in the proposed activities, and who submitted the TCLE and TALE duly signed. Data production occurred thru interviews guided by generative questions. The analysis was conducted using the technique of units of meaning, as proposed by Moreira, Simões, and Porto (2005). The results indicate that the perception of the body, initially marked by fragmented understandings and focused on the biological dimension, was redefined over the course of the experiences lived. It was observed that the students began to understand the body as an expression of identity, as an inseparable unit between physical and subjective dimensions, as well as a space for care, relationship, and the construction of meanings. It is evident that learning about the body is constructed thru experience. It is concluded that extension activities are configured as powerful spaces for the expansion of the meanings attributed to corporeality, contributing to educational practices that are more sensitive to the totality of the individual.