“Instruction in health and physical education should help students acquire the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need in order to achieve the curriculum expectations and be able to enjoy and participate in healthy active living for years to come. In health and physical education, instruction is effective if it motivates students and instills positive habits of mind, such as curiosity and open-mindedness; a willingness to think, question, challenge, and be challenged; and an awareness of the value of listening or reading closely and communicating clearly.”
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2019). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1–8, Health and Physical Education, pg. 55.
Building relationships with students helps educators get to know each individual student, their strengths, and needs. This requires educators to take the time to learn about the cultural norms, beliefs, identities, and behaviors that students have. Oftentimes, these aspects of culture are among the most misunderstood in the educator/student dynamic and cause students who are marginalized to feel a lack of belonging in the class and school community at large. Approaching health and physical education (H&PE) with a Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy (CRRP) lens supports the building of educator/student relationships while helping the educator understand student identities and the cultural nuances that may contribute to students’ physical and emotional safety in the class.
This section provides educator with prompts to guide and foster healthy conversations with students throughout their learning in H&PE.
Leading the Conversation with Students
“Teachers may often find themselves in a role of a caring adult for students. This can be a fulfilling and also challenging responsibility, particularly when students choose to disclose personal information. It is important for teachers to know and follow policies and guidelines regarding confidentiality and risk management and be aware of professional boundaries and of pathways to professional care.”
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2019). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1–8, Health and Physical Education, pg. 16.
Educator Prompts: When describing your learning in H&PE, what would be important for you to include in the program?
- What would you like your physical education program to feel like?
- Describe what health topics you value learning about that contribute to your well-being right now:
- Healthy Eating
- Personal Safety and Injury Prevention
- Substance Use, Addictions and Related Behaviours
- Human Development & Sexual Health
- Mental Health Literacy
- Other?
- Describe what healthy and active living feels like for you outside of the school day?
Educator Prompts: Describe what it means to you, to feel a sense of belonging in H&PE?
- What misconceptions and/or assumptions might I have that need to change to foster a physically and emotionally safe learning environment?
- Describe what you need in H&PE to be engaged in your own learning.
- Describe your learning style, and what you need to be your best in H&PE?
- What would you like me to know about your backgrounds, abilities, and interests to plan for your learning in H&PE?
- What structures do you think need to be put in place so that H&PE includes students of all abilities and identities?
Educator Prompts: What role do you think you could or should have in co-planning and learning in H&PE?
- What do you value about learning in H&PE? What are you curious about learning in H&PE?
- What would you like to be included in the physical environment to support your learning in H&PE?
- What would you like to be included in the social environment to support your learning in H&PE?
- What next steps can you take to help me better understand how you can participate and contribute to H&PE?
Educator Prompts: How might a quality H&PE program at school benefit your everyday life?
- How do the concepts learned in H&PE connect or relate to other areas across the school day and outside of the school day?
- How do the skills and concepts learned in H&PE contribute to your overall wellbeing? How does this help you in other areas of your life?
- How can I support you in making connections with what you are learning in H&PE at school to other areas in your life?