Effective Session Planning in Physical Education

Understanding the Session

A session is the cell in the general plan that develops a theme of the unit. It is the junction between the theoretical programming that has been previously developed and the practical reality that means pursuing each of the chosen activities.

Approaching the Session

Sessions should be planned carefully to enable compliance with principles such as:

• Making the development of content progressive
• Rational distribution of time
• Rational distribution and proper use of equipment and available space

A correct choice of learning activities, methodology, and organization is needed to achieve specific or immediate objectives. All this is aimed at achieving goals whose attainment measures the quality of teacher education and the efficiency of their technique.

Key Goals to Establish

• Intensity of Class: Is there enough work? This should be rated based on the number of repetitions, the grade and level of participation, and time spent.
• Education: Did the students learn or are they on course to learn something? Did they understand what was taught? Are the tasks at their level? Is the student informed of their level?
• Motivation: Were they interested in what was proposed?

Decisions Prior to Planning a Session

• Objective of the session
• Teaching styles that will be used
• Analyze the group and levels of education
• Content and teaching assignments: Provide the number of activities, the order of presentation, the relationship with the target, the degree of difficulty, duration, and so on.
• Facilities and equipment
• Communication: Channels (visual, verbal, or auditory), demonstrations
• Organization: Preparing materials, organizing tasks, and the group of students
• Evaluation: Choose the aspects and evaluation tools.

Structure of a Session

When it comes to structuring the sessions, the following should be taken into account:

Initial or Warming Phase

This is the gradual entry into action. It occupies about 20% of the total time.

• Organizational part: Includes issues prior to the enactment of the students, such as access to the facility, organizing the material, and the initial information.
• Putting into action: Consists of a gradual warming or input into action. It can be done in a more or less structured and formal way.

Concept of Heating System

Smooth and gradual mobilization of all the muscles and joints to prepare for intense efforts thereafter without injury and to maximize performance.

Objectives of Warming Up

• To prepare the athlete physically, physiologically, and psychologically for subsequent, more intense efforts
• To prevent injuries

Major Effects of Warming Up

• Increased body temperature
• Improved blood flow
• Improved neuromuscular coordination
• Increased cardiac efficiency
• Psychological preparation for the effort

Main Part

This is the central part that contains the essential work of the session. It occupies 70% of the total time. It is the most comprehensive and should focus on meeting the goals that had been raised. This consists of tasks aimed at job-specific content for achieving the objectives. It is important to provide for the control of the class and possible contingencies. It will outlast the preparatory and final parts together.

• Develop activities focused on the content and objectives.
• Design integral activities containing more than one target or intended content.
• Design activities that involve the cognitive, affective, and motor areas.
• Take account of all that derive principles of good organization and good control of contingency.
• Shift from simple to complex and from general to specific.
• Vary the activities to increase motivation.
• Alternate currents.
• In times of heat, ensure fluid replacement during class.
• For physical qualities, work on technical work first, then speed, then strength, and finally resistance with restraint.
• The technical and tactical work of team sports should evolve from simple to complex situations.