To meaningfully plan an inclusive Health and Physical Education (H&PE) program, educators need take the time to get to know their students and the identities they hold. The call for Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy (CRRP) requires educators to not only embrace and celebrate individual differences, but also act on the knowledge about cultural differences to provide meaningful and relevant learning experiences. The following questions may be helpful for educators as they reflect on their program planning in the context of culture from a student-centred approach and to purposefully engage in reflective practice to work to support all students, especially those who are marginalized.
- How does your awareness of your own cultural identity impact your instruction and your relationship with your students? What patterns do you observe in the cultural values and norms of your practice? How could you expand your own learning on culture to support the engagement and academic success of more students?
- How might your program activities and instruction embed student preferences for approaches to learning that emerge from home and cultural influences? (e.g., doing your own learning to gain knowledge of different cultural practices, languages, and ways of communication; find meaningful ways to incorporate games, dances, and other activities from their cultures and learning the history of them.)
- How can your program activities and instruction be differentiated to provide every student with relevant and engaging learning experiences, so that every student can experience success? (e.g., learn about students’ strengths and needs and program plan from an asset-based approach when teaching skills and concepts in H&PE; collaborate with other colleagues who work with the student to learn more about how they learn best.)
- How can your program planning and instruction be attuned to the differences among cultures in H&PE? (e.g., respecting cultural clothing; being aware of cultural dates of significance and the potential impact in the H&PE classroom.)
- How can you co-create a teaching and learning space in H&PE with gender equity in mind? (e.g., unlearning and removing expressions and/or practices that uphold the gender binary, ensuring all-gendered options are available in each grade.)
- How are the games and activities adapted to meet diverse individual needs and abilities? (e.g., talking to students to learn about what accommodation they need to be successful; learning what students with disabilities need to determine and meet curriculum expectations and individual learning goals.)
- How do you provide opportunities for students to make choices and to actively be involved in the criteria for learning? (e.g., welcoming different ways to demonstrate a skill; providing access to a variety of equipment when participating in a game or activity.)
- How do you present information without prejudice to culture, academic ability, or socio-economic status? (e.g., provide diverse examples and opportunities that reflect students’ backgrounds, experiences, and abilities when introducing games, activities, and sports; respect the decisions made by students and their families and/or caregivers, while addressing the need to help students make reasoned financial choices about participation in activities or their choices in food and beverages.)
- While reflecting on your program activities and instruction, how does your awareness of the cultural backgrounds and abilities of your students impact and inform your daily practice in H&PE?