Defense of teaching practice by USUST students of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports

On March 6, 2026, SEI ‘Prydniprovska State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports’,  USUST, hosted the defense of teaching practice by third-year students of the Faculty of Physical Culture and Sports enrolled in the educational and professional programme ‘Coaching and Teaching’.
 
The teaching practice took eight weeks and was held at general secondary education institutions in the city of Dnipro. For the students, it became an important stage of professional development, allowing them to combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience of working with school pupils.
 
The students completed their teaching practice under the supervision of Dmytro Afanasiev, Associate Professor of the Department of Theory and Methods of Physical Education, with the participation of the department’s academic staff: Associate Professors Olena Omelchenko, Mykola Makhinko, and Olha Kakovkina, as well as Senior Lecturers Anastasiia Chernokolenko, Ihor Yaremko, Olha Kusovska, Liudmyla Bila, Vladyslav Voronyi, and Iryna Rakovska.
 
Throughout the practice, the students enhanced their theoretical training and developed practical skills in organising and conducting physical education lessons, physical activity breaks, active recess sessions, extracurricular sports classes, and themed events. These included Olympic lessons and Olympic readings dedicated to the opening of the XXV Winter Olympic Games 2026, as well as sports events such as ‘Rhythm of Victory’, ‘Basketball Day’, Shoulder to Shoulder’, etc.
 
In addition, the students gained experience I dealing with school documentation, applying pedagogical teaching methods, improving communication skills in interaction with pupils and teachers, and mastering the basics of pedagogical lesson analysis.

During the practice, the students actively used both offline and online formats for conducting classes, demonstrating flexibility and a creative approach to organising the educational process.

Particular attention was paid to the introduction of modern and non-traditional forms of physical activity. In particular, activities such as floorball, futsal, dodgeball, and elements of contemporary choreography were incorporated into the classes, helping to increase pupils’ interest in physical education and an active lifestyle.

The results of the teaching practice were highly appreciated by the management of Dnipro’s  secondary education institutions. School administrations commended the students with letters of appreciation and certificates in recognition of their responsible attitude to work, active engagement, and high-quality organisation of classes.

The teaching practice became an important stage in the professional training of future specialists, contributing to the development of pedagogical competencies and confirming the students’ readiness for further professional activity in the field of physical education and sports.