ROLA BOLA/TEACHER ABANDONMENT VERSUS FREE TIME: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT

Abstract

The article "Teacher abandonment versus free time: an experience report" reflects on the concept of "free time" as a motivational process in Physical Education classes in early elementary school. Initially, the author differentiates "free time"—characterized by the abandonment of the teaching role, when the teacher allows students to do whatever they want, without pedagogical mediation—from "free time," which is structured as a reward for achieving goals established in class, based on B.F. Skinner's Positive Reinforcement Theory (PRT). "Free time," according to the report, occurs after the presentation of content and the achievement of qualitative and quantitative goals, and is a time when students choose between previously defined activities. The procedure seeks to strengthen desirable behaviors, promote social recognition, and adapt rewards to the students' context, without abandoning the teacher's educational role. The author emphasizes that, unlike teacher abandonment, "free time" is conditioned by student performance and participation, functioning as positive reinforcement and contributing to class engagement and self-regulation. The article describes the operationalization of "free time" in four stages: explanation of rules, definition of goals, experience of free time, and final reflection. The practical example presented shows that free time varies according to class performance, promoting discipline, motivation, and motor and socio-affective development. The author concludes that "free time," when well-structured, can be an effective pedagogical strategy, as long as there is clarity in the pedagogical contract and respect for the principles of the TRP, especially in the early grades, where student response tends to be more gradual.