SOMETHING I LEARNED WELL

One key framework I have grown to understand and know really well through this class is the comprehensive school health model (CSH). This framework highlights four pillars as the outlet to promoting healthy practices and a better school environment for everyone. I believe a school’s environment is the foundation to student success in learning, which is why recognizing and leveraging the four pillars of this model should be a priority to educators, partners, and community member serving all schools to create the best possible environment for their students.

The CSH model appealed to me because:

• I value the idea of a holistic approach to health and wellness.
• I believe that with this approach, students can be more aware and mindful of the multifaceted influences on their health from the policies in their school to the partnerships in the community that influence their learning. 
• Each pillar helps students understand information and adopt behaviours to achieve their health and wellness goals and maintain them beyond the classroom setting. 

I plan to apply the steps toward a CSH model in my future career as a health educator by taking a holistic approach when educating my clients on health and wellness in different communities. After learning about this model, I now understand that many components go into creating a healthy environment for the people in it, whether it is in a school, a clinic, or in a recreational facility. Because they are so interconnected, my goal is to challenge myself in my career by integrating and addressing more than one of the social, physical, emotional, and mental health markers when planning and delivering health education programs.

Due to the nature of working with a broad demographic of individuals with unique attitudes about the topic of healthy and active living and its role in our lives, I envision that any job I take in the field of recreation and health education will demand me to think outside of the box to try to remove barriers and allow clients to access health promoting services. I also want to support my clients in building foundational skills in knowledge and movement to be able to feel confident, motivated, and competent with taking control over their own health without my support in the long-term.

SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY INTEREST

Something that I found surprising from the course was the ParticipACTION report card, and the statistics on the percentage of youth meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines. As an upper level student in the Recreation and Health Education program, I certainly had an idea that it would be a low number, however seeing that only 4% of youth met the guidelines was a shocking reminder that we still have a lot of work to do to improve the lifestyles of our children and youth because they are our future leaders. Additionally, something that will stick with me beyond this class is how important schools are in our society. They are a place where we have the opportunity to form foundational behaviours and attitudes towards health in children and youth, and if we take the right approaches, I believe we can increase the chance that students sustain the tools, experiences, knowledge, and behaviours they had while in school for the rest of their lives.

WHAT I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

One topic that could have been explored more in this class as it fits into the universal design for learning for inclusivity in classrooms is how to make physical and health education more inclusive for students specifically with learning disorders like high-functioning autism or ADHD. Studies find that students are being diagnosed with these disorders at a rate that has never been seen in history because the awareness around the topic is increasing (Morin, 2019). I think that a lot of typical PHE activities contain triggers, such as bright light, unclear instructions, and lots of noise, which make the experiences of individuals with learning disabilities in PHE frustrating and maybe even isolating. This is an issue because these negative experiences reduce their chances of being engaged in PHE classes, which could then be detrimental to their health and well-being. It is important to dive deeper into this area and explore how we can use the universal design for learning framework explored in this class to support this specific demographic of students because we have an ethical responsibility to continuously try to improve the learning experience by making adaptations to activities, supporting social confidence, and structuring environments so learners can have the equal opportunities to access, engage with, and express their understanding. Getting to know students by actually learning about their different strengths, interests, and needs (which includes different learning styles) allows educators to be more adaptable, patient, and aware of the outcome of their lessons. In sum, inclusive PHE that welcomes students to participate in a safe and comfortable space is not just for students who have learning disabilities, it is something that benefits all students and that is why it is such an important topic.

MY JOURNEY IN THIS CLASS

This semester has passed quickly and I can not believe this is my last blog post! Looking back on my learning journey, I came into this class with a strong understanding of health and it’s role in the social and community context outside of schools. As a result of this course, I can say with confidence that my understanding of physical and health education in the BC curriculum has deepened significantly. I believe I am at a place in my learning where I have learned the foundation of the curriculum and can now look at PHE school systems from a critical and analytical perspective. In school, my experience was not very holistic, so learning about the shift toward a more comprehensive approach has been pleasant news. I appreciate how modern physical and health education now emphasizes not just physical activity but also healthy and active living, community and social health, and mental well-being. These components together provide greater opportunities for students to engage in PHE in ways that resonate with them, even if they are not naturally inclined toward sports or fitness.

My views on creating inclusive, accessible, and engaging learning environments have also evolved. I came into this course with a strong understanding of its importance in recreation and health education, but seeing how it plays out in schools gave me a new perspective. I have gained a deep appreciation for the BC curriculum and how its various components (core competencies, big ideas, content, curricular competencies) work together as a cohesive framework. In my opinion, moving away from memorization and physical performance as indicators of success to introducing the new curriculum in 2016, which makes learning more equitable and meaningful through multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement, was a good move.

This course reinforced my belief that schools play a fundamental role in shaping society. The habits, interests, and values formed during childhood have a lasting impact, making schools one of the most effective places to promote lifelong well-being. Compared to trying to instill these habits later in life, early education provides a unique opportunity to nurture healthier lifestyles in a way that feels natural and sustainable.

REFERENCES

Morin, A. (2019, August 5). A history of learning disabilities and ADHD. Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/history-of-learning-disabilities-and-adhd

Have you tried getting through a full day of school without eating a proper breakfast or lunch?

This is a mentally and physically draining experience that one in four children and youth in Canada live with due to food insecurity (Toronto Foundation Student Success, 2023). Health Canada defines food insecurity as “the inability to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets dietary needs for an active and healthy life due to financial or other resource constraints” (Government of Canada, 2020).

In our Health Competency Seminar, my group has chosen to focus on nutrition and the connection it has to broader themes of active health. Personally, through this project, I am intrigued to examine how food security connects to physical well-being, mental health, and social connections. I hypothesize that there is a strong connection between these concepts, and when food insecurity increases, health and well-being decrease and vice versa. More specifically related to the study of PHE, a student who eats well will not just be physically healthier, but they will also be more alert in class, have higher confidence, and a higher chance of participating. With these positive outcomes, learners can make the most out of in-class learning activities, which are designed to promote active participation, critical thinking, and collaboration. I think that incorporating interactive activities in our seminar can promote engagement and critical thinking from when entire class. For example, going through case studies and having discussions on how schools can better support students facing food insecurity.

There is a strong need for government funded school lunch programs. A teacher in the BC education system named Brent Mansfield, co-founded a lunch program at his school. In the video, he shines a light on his first-hand personal experience witnessing the benefit of how access to foods that are nutrient rich improves students’ school days and their ability to learn and focus. He also touches on the social and community benefit from connections built through initiatives that focus on healthy eating and learning how to cook. Healthy eating and learning how to cook are super important for the health and well-being of students, and schools should take more of a responsibility and role in. Additionally, at the start of the video there is an emphasis on how food insecurity is an issue faced by many beyond elementary, middle, and high schools. Today, approximately 38% of students at postsecondary institutions experience food insecurity (How many Canadians are affected by household food insecurity?, 2021). Information like things raises questions about the government’s responsibility in providing food security and where it ends, or if it ends at all? An important message to take from this video is that there is a need for a systemic change in which the government steps in and utilizes its resources to address a huge barrier to learning, which is food insecurity in all schools.

So, What Now?

Now that we know the reason why having initiatives that address food insecurity among youth and children to support their health and well-being is so important, let’s take a deeper look at a program that has actively taken steps to make a difference from 1994 until now.

The Breakfast Club of Canada started in Longueuil, Quebec as a small initiative to provide breakfast to children in need. Since then, the program has grown into a national organization that supports school nutrition programs all over Canada in providing healthy meals to students who might otherwise go without (Breakfast club of Canada – school breakfast programs – children’s charity, 2023).

How the Breakfast Club of Canada Connects With the Comprehensive School Health Model

When examining the impact of The Breakfast Club of Canada, I have grown to understand that it does so much more for the health of schools and communities than just feeding students. The program connects to the community partnerships pillar of the comprehensive school health model to support communities by:

• Creating a positive environment where students from different classes within a school can eat together and build social connections for a stronger community.
• Teaching nutrition and healthy eating habits to support the long-term health and well-being of members of the school community.
• Building partnerships, which is a powerful tool, with local organizations who have the resources in place to make sure they can access food and continue to supply it in schools.

I have included a video below that I really like, because it does a good job of capturing a yearly summary of the impact that the Breakfast Club of Canada has had in schools over a timeline of the past 30 years. Something that particularly interested me was how the pandemic and inflation post-pandemic impacted the organization’s ability to remain sustainable, since many businesses suffered in that time. In 2020 and 2021, their strategy was to withhold from opening new programs, and their focus was on maintaining the existing ones.

Conclusion

All in all, this club is a practical solution that addresses the issue of food insecurity, which creates a barrier to learning. I believe that bringing food into schools through programs like this can be a promising way to give children and youth an equal chance to succeed socially, mentally, and physically inside and out of schools. No student should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.

My question to you is, do you think schools have an obligation to take on more responsibility when it comes to food security and the health and well-being of their students?

References

Toronto Foundation Student Success. (2023, August 31). Food insecurity among Canadian school-age children jumps by nearly 30%. Toronto Foundation for Student Success. https://tfss.ca/2023/08/31/food-insecurity-among-canadian-school-age-children-jumps-by-nearly-30-toronto-star/

Government of Canada. (2020). Household food insecurity in Canada: Overview – Canada.ca. Canada.Ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-nutrition-surveillance/health-nutrition-surveys/canadian-community-health-survey-cchs/household-food-insecurity-canada-overview.html

How many Canadians are affected by household food insecurity? (2021, December 10). PROOF. https://proof.utoronto.ca/food-insecurity/how-many-canadians-are-affected-by-household-food-insecurity/

Breakfast club of Canada – school breakfast programs – children’s charity. (2023, November 3). Breakfast Club of Canada. https://www.breakfastclubcanada.org/

REVOLUTIONIZING LEARNING: HOW UNIVERSAL DESIGN MAKES EDUCATION WORK FOR EVERYONE

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) refers to a set of principles for creating an inclusive and accessible curriculum, that can revolutionize students’ learning experiences (Creating inclusive and accessible learning environments in higher education, 2023). UDL is based on a framework made up of three key principles that guide educators to develop and use learning materials and assessments so that their students achieve the best learning outcomes.

The three categories of UDL, multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action/expression, focus on altering the design of an environment rather than situating the problem as the perceived deficit within the learner (Principles of UDL, 2023).

MULTIPLE MEANS OF ENGAGEMENT

This component of UDL encourages educators to explore different ways of creating lessons that are engaging and capture learners’ attention.

• Because autonomy fuels interest, learner engagement can happen by presenting choices (Krapp, 1999). A study conducted by psychologist Andreas Krapp confirmed that interest-based learning, which basically means giving learners choices to meet their different interests, leads to better engagement and deeper critical thinking (Krapp, 1999). The findings of this study make sense because greater student interest leads to higher engagement with the learning material, which then enhances the learning experience. An example of how interest, or choice-based learning can happen in PHE is by giving students choice and variety to choose between different movement activities (Anonymous, 2020). This study conducted by PHE Canada recommends interest-based engagement in physical activity settings, claiming that the benefits of this approach to teaching in PHE encourages more engagement from students (Anonymous, 2020). When reflecting on the findings of this study and my personal experiences, I can’t help but remember how disengaged I was as a student. With a better understanding of the concept of interest-based learning and its impact on student engagement now, I feel less concerned about my lack of interest and poor performance in middle school. The teaching approach was very traditional, and only way to pass was to memorize and regurgitate content in the format of a test. Most of the time, I did not understand the reason behind learning the information and felt like it was useless knowledge with no benefit in my personal life. To stimulate interest and motivation for learning educators can inform learners about the importance of the content and find ways to connect it to their personal lives. In addition, providing options that trigger the affective part of the brain like excitement, challenge, or interest can enhance engagement levels (Krapp, 1999)!

MULTIPLE MEANS OF REPRESENTATION

This component of UDL encourages educators to convey information and content in different ways so messages can be understood by learners with different learning styles and abilities. The use of multiple media forms such as visuals, audio, animation, and text can help learners gather facts through what they see, hear, and read. This is especially important in educational settings where students have different learning styles and some digest information better by reading while others from watching a video. An example of this being applied to PHE is educators using diverse instructional methods in their demonstrations, such as both verbal cues and peer modelling. These means of representation can be a powerful tool in supporting students to understand and grasp certain physical or health concepts being shown to them, like how to properly position yourself for a serve in squash. Fortunately, there are studies that support the use of multiple means of representation in education and claim that it helps students with different learning styles grasp PHE concepts, which enhances the learning experience as a result (Heynen, 2008).

• I often find exceptional examples of good display of information on social media, and I believe what makes them so impactful is the use of multiple means of representation. Wether the people who put these videos together know it or not, they use one of the three key principles of the UDL framework to effectively communicate with a broad audience. Although the content in the video below does not relate to our course directly, the structure and design of the video does, making it a good example that showcases the use of multiple means of representation effectively. In my opinion, the video has a strong potential to inform a broad audience with different needs how to handle a specific real-world high-stress situation because it uses multiple media forms (closed-captioning, animation, audio, visuals). When I think about the audience that may come across this video, I assume that english might be their second language and because of this, the visual animation and closed-captioning make the video more impactful and easier to understand.

MULTIPLE MEANS OF ACTION/EXPRESSION

This component of UDL encourages educators to offer options to their students so that they have a chance to demonstrate their learning through different modalities. For example, when assessing students’ learning, giving them a choice between making a video or doing a presentation to showcase their learning. In PHE, allowing students to demonstrate their learning in ways that go beyond traditional assessments, such as through skill-based assessments or by performing movement routines, can go a long way in terms of motivating them to engage with the content.The UDL framework encourages educators to offer choices to students as a way to support learner agency, the capacity to actively participate in making choices in service of learning goals (CAST, Inc, n.d.). In my opinion, the way a learning environment is set up can influence the extent to which all voices are heard, valued, and able to contribute. UDL is structured in a way that makes the learning experience adaptable to meet the learning needs of students. This allows them to share their voice and demonstrate their learning in a way that is unique and meaningful to them. Reflecting back to my personal experience in middle school, I believe if there were more options for freedom of personal expression and choice in my learning modalities my learning experience would have been more meaningful. The goal of this UDL principle is to inspire educators to be proactive and provide learners with choices. With choices, educators give their students autonomy, which transforms the learning experience from being centred around compliance and passive reception to one filled with curiosity and active participation.

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All in all, instead of using teaching resources inefficiently, educators should use the key principles of UDL as a guide to make broad adjustments that improve the learning experience for all learners in their class by minimizing barriers and maximizing learning (Galkienė & Monkevičienėė, 2021). Further, PHE teachers can use UDL to create inclusive environmental that are accommodating towards the different skill levels, physical abilities, and learning preferences amongst the diverse group of students they get to teach every year for better learning outcomes. When students enter the gym prepared for a PHE class, it is the teacher’s job to reflect and consider the possibility for barriers that could prevent all students from being part of the class. For example, are you only using one way to deliver instruction? If so, this does not support a variety of learning styles so what adjustments can you make so everyone in the class can engage and participate. After learning about UDL, I actually believe that PHE is one of the best setting for a UDL framework to thrive in because movement-based learning is different, which makes it well suited for the use of the three principles of UDL. I think that with the current non-traditional approach to teaching in BC, teachers have the opportunity to be more flexible in the delivery of their lessons following the UDL framework so every learner can demonstrate curricular competencies, understand content, and ultimately be able to grasp the big ideas and core competencies of PHE (Davis et al., 2023). Ultimately, it is the positive learning experiences that will drive younger generations to be lifelong learners!

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The following infographic does a really good job at explaining that fairness in education does not mean treating all students the same, but rather giving each student what they need to succeed. It uses the analogy of a doctor providing different treatments for different medical needs, and highlights the importance of accommodations in the classroom as a teaching strategy to support the diverse learning needs of students.

REFERENCES

Anonymous. (2020). A Summary of North American High School Students’ Perspectives of Physical Education. Physical & Health Education Journal, 86(1), 1–15. https://phecanada.ca/professional-learning/journal/summary-north-american-high-school-students-perspectives-physical

CAST, Inc. (n.d.). The Goal of UDL: Learner agency. Cast.org. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/more/udl-goal/

Creating inclusive and accessible learning environments in higher education. (2023, July 10). Norix. https://norix.com/creating-inclusive-and-accessible-learning-environments-in-higher-education/

Davis, M., Gleddie, D. L., Nylen, J., Leidl, R., Toulouse, P., Baker, K., & Gillies, L. (2023). Canadian physical and health education competencies.

Galkienė, A., & Monkevičienėė, O. (2021). Inclusive Learning and Educational Equity 5 Improving Inclusive Education through Universal Design for Learning. http://www.springer.com/series/13450

Heynen, C. (2008). Viewing and Visual Representation in the Physical Education Classroom. Strategies, 22(1), 25–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/08924562.2008.10590805

Krapp, A. (1999). Interest, motivation and learning: An educational-psychological perspective. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 14(1), 23–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23420114

Principles of UDL. (2023, September 12). Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health. https://campusmentalhealth.ca/toolkits/accessibility-and-accommodations/accessibility/principles-of-udl/

Lessons from Experience: A Personal Reflection

One of the highlights of my educational journey are the hands-on experiences I got from going out and doing co-ops. The co-ops expanded my knowledge and perspective in several areas relating to the field I currently study. The most memorable co-op I had was working in a long-term care home, where I created adaptive activities for seniors with late-stage dementia and worked with an interdisciplinary team. This experience influenced my approach as a future health educator by shining a light on the importance of empathy, creativity, and the key role of interdisciplinary collaboration in the delivery of successful wellness programs.

Health Education 101: The Basics and Beyond

When thinking about the role of active health education, I know it has an important role in the lifelong attitudes that children and youth have towards health and wellness. However, I believe that a key component critical to the success of any educational setting is the safety and comfort of the learning environment. School environments play an important role in the development of healthy or unhealthy social relationships, which then influence students ability to digest academics. Due to the clear impact of school environment on learning, it is important to consider analyzing the spaces lessons are taught in, and the teaching approaches used by educators in the curriculum of physical health education and beyond. Two examples that teachers are classroom language and environment, as they play a major role in helping or hindering the creation of safe, comfortable, and supportive spaces for learning to take place effectively. Below is a video I found that delves deeper into this topic.

The following is an image I captured from a Youtube video that does a good job of summarizing the key points of creating optimal classroom environments in which good learning can take place.

In this video, they speak about a few points regarding the importance of creating safe, healthy, and sustaining environments in which students can be engaged, challenged, and supported while learning for better outcomes.

Lastly, as educators, I believe that when teaching active health topics that cover scientifically researched information such as recommended time for sleep, movement, and sedentary time, it is our ethical responsibility to stay informed on the latest research. This means relying on up-to-date, reliable sources, like the most recent publication of the 24-hour movement guidelines.

The Hidden Dangers of Early Specialization in Youth Sports

When children specialize in one specific sport at a high intensity this is known as early specialization, and it is a major threat to youth physical activity for numerous reasons. The high specialization of this approach demands that children and youth dedicate all of their focus on one sport, leaving them with little or no opportunity to develop a wide range of motor skills that are necessary for participating in other sports. As a result, individuals who early specialize in sports have low physical literacy levels and a have a higher chance of not being physically active later in life. However, research shows that health educators can help mitigate the harmful effects of early specialization by advocating for multi-sport participation and offering a variety of sports for children to engage in.

The Silent Killer: How Too Much Sitting is Harming Kids’ Health

Sedentary behaviour is concerning for everyone, however it’s impact may be more significant on youth than we think. It is a silent killer. Sedentary behaviour contributes to the development of irreversible medical issues, like type 2 diabetes, that reduce a person’s quality of life. Additional health concerns like obesity, poor cardiovascular health, and reduced muscle and bone strength are scientifically proven to be directly correlated with an increase in sedentary behaviour and can significantly change the life of an individual. At one point, I thought sedentary behaviour only had temporary effects, however, I now realize how significant its impact is in the long run. To address this, health educators should prioritize teaching proactive strategies that emphasize prevention through behaviour change from health behaviour theories, rather than relying on the healthcare system for treatment.

5 Step Model for Sustaining Active Health

The five step model for active health is a guideline for future health educators to follow as they introduce sustainable physical activity concepts to youth in school settings. This model uses the acronym ABCDE, however I will only focus on the first three steps in this blog post. The desired outcome from using this model is that teachers become confident in creating sustainable plans that involve the entire school community and promote the increase of physical activity and literacy to improve the health and well-being of youth in schools.

• A = The first step of this model stands for assessing where your school currently stands in terms of knowledge and understanding of active living and health.

• B = The next step is all about building a foundation. This is done by identifying which individuals in the school community can join together and form a coalition that does the best job at championing active living and health at the school. This step also involves developing and sharing a vision to inspire the school to identify with, and be a part of bringing the vision to life.

• C= The final step I will cover is clarifying. In this step, the main goal is to advocate for active living and health, and establish a common understanding of what it should look like at the school. This is a process that requires an in-depth examination of what the active living and health awareness and application is currently like at the school, what it should like be after the vision comes alive, and figuring out how to bridge that gap. One way to approach bridging the gap in knowledge and understanding is by sparking informal and formal conversations about the topic of active living and health with school members. This simple yet effective approach helps bring awareness to the topic by talking about it at the school.

In sum, the first three steps of the process focus on defining active living and health, getting everyone on the same page by aligning people’s understanding and beliefs, and then seeking approaches and initiatives that contribute to closing the gap between the knowledge and behaviour.

References

Horn, T. S. (2015). Social Psychological and Developmental Perspectives on Early Sport Specialization. Kinesiology Review (Champaign, Ill.), 4(3), 248–266. https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2015-0025

Mitchell, J. A., & Byun, W. (2014). Sedentary Behavior and Health Outcomes in Children and Adolescents. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 8(3), 173–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827613498700