Why Concepts in Health and Physical Education Require Sensitivity to Teach The Ontario curriculum reflects that today’s students require the information, knowledge, and skills necessary not only to become critical thinkers, but also to make sound decisions about matters affecting their health and...
Global Perspective The World Health Organization affirms that the conditions in which people live directly affect the quality of their health i . These conditions are known as social determinants of health (SDH). The World Health Organization defines SDH as the living conditions in which people are...
Health and Physical Education classes provide students with opportunities to develop their higher-order thinking skills and make connections to the world in which they live. By recognizing these connections, students can apply their learning while making decisions about their health and well-being...
Health topics are intrinsically connected to students’ personal values, perspectives, identities, and beliefs. As such, teaching students about health issues provides unique opportunities and challenges for educators. It is important to protect and promote the self-respect and well-being of all...
Please note: The word parent/s is used in this guide to refer to parent/s or guardian/s. It may also be taken to include caregivers or close family members who are responsible for raising a child. Parents, guardians, and caregivers play a crucial role in the health and well-being of their children...
The role of public health professionals in health education has changed dramatically in recent years. Historically, health education in schools generally focused on issues related to physical health (e.g., smoking cessation, cancer prevention) or the dangers of substance abuse. Mental health was...
While teaching healthy living can be challenging, most educators find that once a safe, inclusive, and accepting learning environment has been established, they can have thoughtful and productive discussions with their students. In a classroom where respectful teacher-student relationships have been...
Preparing to teach about healthy living begins with knowing the curriculum expectations associated with it. Find ways to help students focus on the key learnings from the overall expectations. Based on the needs of your students, adapt and use the 2015 H&PE Curriculum’s optional examples, teacher...
After an educator thoughtfully prepares to teach healthy living, it is important to work together with students to establish classroom/learning guidelines for the classroom with both student and teacher input. The degree to which educators can successfully establish emotionally, psychologically, and...
Students should be supported in schools by educators who are respectful and knowledgeable, and who can provide them with valuable referrals and resources. They also need to know what professionals they can talk to about personal matters. Educators should consult their administrators for information...
While the personal information shared by students in class should remain in the classroom, educators need to inform students that there are limits to teacher-student confidentiality. Students must be informed that if they disclose personal information indicating they are at risk of harm to...
“Neutral perspectives on a situation are rare and … everyone’s perspective is coloured by their context, beliefs and background. i ” Before teaching students about healthy living topics, educators need to reflect on their own assumptions, prejudices, stereotypes, and biases, in order to create a...
A thorough examination of your personal bias also includes considering the ways your teaching strategies and instruction style could affect your students. Once we recognize that biases and perspectives are inherent in any topic, we can take steps to understand the values, assumptions, possible...
The 2015 H&PE curriculum provides educators with an opportunity to integrate multiple aspects of healthy living and well-being by clustering expectations to connect with the skills students need for good overall health. As a result, the approach to learning becomes skill based rather than content...
Mental health is a key element of the well-being of all students and their families. Misunderstandings associated with mental health and mental illness, as well as the stigma associated with them, can have profound and lasting impacts on students who are affected by mental health issues. By...
The Healthy Eating component of the Healthy Living strand equips students with the knowledge and skills they need to make the healthiest eating choices possible. Students learn to examine their food choices and eating patterns. They are given opportunities to think through decisions and set...
Learning about personal safety is intended to reduce injuries as well as equip youth with the skills to recognize, assess, and manage potentially dangerous situations. Personal safety topics focus on identifying, preventing, and resolving issues in areas such as bullying, harassment, and violence in...
As students move through the school system, they will undoubtedly be affected by issues related to substance abuse and addictions, whether through their own experiences or those of family members, peers, or friends. Given the numerous substances available in our society, from prescription drugs to...
Teaching about human development and sexual health helps students better understanding themselves as they mature and are faced with many important personal decisions. Good sexual health education requires more than simply teaching young people about the anatomy and physiology of reproduction i...
Educators should use a wide range of instructional approaches to enhance students’ social, emotional, and cognitive learning. Skill-based health education can empower students and improve their resiliency by allowing students to learn, practise, and refine active listening, critical-thinking...
