Ontario’s Health & Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum, 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Health & Physical Education Curriculum A Renewed Vision for Education in Ontario Achieving Excellence Ensuring Equity Promoting Well-Being Enhancing Public Confidence In Ontario, the Ministry of Education is responsible for the development of curriculum policy documents and since 2003, the Ministry has adopted an ongoing cycle of curriculum review. The review typically does represent the development of a completely new curriculum, but it is intended to ensure that curriculum remains current and relevant, responsive to emerging trends, and is developmentally appropriate from Kindergarten to Grade 12 in all subjects. A number of subject disciplines enter the review process each year and for 2015 one of these subjects is Health and Physical Education. The review supports students, teachers, schools and boards by identifying targeted areas in need of support and allows time for development or updating of related support materials as required. The Health and Physical Education curriculum supports all aspects of the Ministry of Education’s renewed vision. Proven links between well-being and achievement – promotes healthy development (physical, social, emotional, cognitive) of all students Builds skills and knowledge to live healthy, active, productive, inclusive and accepting lives now and in the future Develops living skills, such as resilience, problem-solving, critical thinking, decision making, communication, collaboration, and others that are referenced in the 21st century literature; that are valued personally and professionally throughout life HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Vision An Overview for Catholic Educators “The revised health and physical education curriculum is based on the vision that the knowledge and skills students acquire in the program will benefit them throughout their lives and enable them to thrive in an ever- changing world by helping them develop physical and health literacy as well as the comprehension, capacity, and commitment they will need to lead healthy, active lives and promote healthy, active living.” The Ministry of Education describes their vision for the revised HPE curriculum as follows (either read aloud or allow teachers to read to themselves) – “The revised health and physical education curriculum is based on the vision that the knowledge and skills students acquire in the program will benefit them throughout their lives and enable them to thrive in an ever-changing world by helping them develop physical and health literacy as well as the comprehension, capacity, and commitment they will need to lead healthy, active lives and promote healthy, active living.” HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

An Overview of the HPE Curriculum The revised curriculum heightens the focus on the whole child – physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively. In the context of Catholic schools, an understanding of the whole child necessarily includes the spiritual dimension. The revised curriculum: Adopts a holistic, integrated approach focuses on healthy active living Identifies living skills across the curriculum HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators HPE 2015 The revised curriculum adopts the same structure for both elementary and secondary schools – Grades 1-12 The three strands: A: Active Living B: Movement Skills and Concepts C: Healthy Living Living skills is a separate strand – with an overall expectation, learning integrated throughout the curriculum This replaces the language in the current secondary curriculum (3 strands– Healthy Living, Physical Activity, Active Living + Living Skills; different health topics in different grade); In the current elementary curriculum, growth and development (1998) was not integrated in Healthy Living HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Living Skills An Overview for Catholic Educators HPE 2015 See pages 23-25elem, 26-29sec Feedback from students and educators supported the approach to emphasize learning skills, which have integrated and strengthened across the curriculum. This is consistent with recent updates and revisions in other curriculum areas over the last few years, building skills for learning in the 21st century and beyond. Brackets behind expectations within the curriculum identify the specific living skills: PS – Personal skills IS – Interpersonal skills CT – Critical and creative thinking More information – p. 24 (elementary), p. 27 (secondary). Pages 23-25 Pages 26-29 HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Strand A: Active Living See pages 25elem, 29sec Strand A: Active Living Similar components to current secondary curriculum; current elementary curriculum Teachers will find more examples – wide variety of activities, emphasis on enjoyment, personal fitness development Safety – includes personal safety and safety of others Page 25 Pages 29 HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Strand B: Movement Competence – Skills, Concepts, Strategies See pages 27elem, 31sec Strand B: Movement Competence Similar components to current secondary curriculum; current elementary curriculum Teachers will find more examples – wide variety of activities, emphasis on enjoyment, development of movement competence Addition of Movement Strategies was new for elementary in 2010 and is new for secondary in 2015, however these concepts were a component of the “Sport and Recreation” component of the previous curriculum. Key idea – integration of movement skills, concepts and strategies – to develop movement competence. Focus on building competence and confidence to support development of physical literacy and lifelong healthy active living. See p. 29 (elementary) and p. 33 (secondary) for a one-page overview of key concepts within this strand. Page 27 Pages 31 HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Strand C: Healthy Living See pages 34elem, 37-38sec Strand C: Healthy Living An updated and integrated approach to health education Focus on learning in an integrated way – using health knowledge to make healthy choices and understand connections and impacts of actions – between self and community and vice versa. Focus is on skills rather than isolated topics. It is the Human Development and Sexual Health topic within this strand which has been the source of much of the public controversy related to this curriculum. Mental health – a part of all health topics (and also physical education) The healthy living strand consists of healthy eating and nutrition; personal safety and injury prevention; substance, addictions, and other behaviour; and human development and sexual health. The changes to the phys ed curriculum that have attracted the most attention, and have been a source of concern for many, are mostly found in the healthy living section, under human development and sexual health. [CLICK AGAIN TWICE TO EMPHASIZE THIS SECTION IN THE CHART] Page 34 Pages 37-38 HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Key Changes Pedagogical Approach Currency 21st Century skills Diversity Curriculum structure Additional recent changes Key changes were made curriculum. Pedagogical approach Focus shift from “topics” to “skills”; help students acquire and practice skills for physical and health literacy; support students to lead and promote healthy active lives; holistic and integrated, wide range of examples Currency Relevant and current; mental health; factual updates; sexual health – a part of overall development, physical education - healthy active living, HPE vision 21st century skills Living skills, greater emphasis, integrated throughout Diversity FNMI, LGBTQ, cultural, religious, physical, cognitive needs Structure Organization from Gr. 1-12, examples and prompts, OE/SE connection, front matter additions HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Recent Updates Healthy relationships and consent Online safety, including risks of sexting Mental health and well-being Respect for Diversity Examine the focus of the learning Supporting the learning across the curriculum The revised curriculum contains a number of updates, including new material related to healthy relationships, consent, mental health, online safety , the risks of sexting, and respect for diversity. Some topic areas that have been the source of some public concern and controversy are Consent and Respect for Diversity. Consent – The foundation for understanding consent is linked closely to skills for healthy relationships. Young children learn to stand up for themselves; older children learn refusal skills as part of good decision-making. They also learn, in age-appropriate settings, to listen to others, show respect, and to take responsibility for not causing harm. From an early age, the message that consent is a two-way street has been strengthened in the curriculum. Respect for Diversity – The curriculum is inclusive, addresses the education needs of all students, and reflects the diversity of the Ontario population. Students come to understand or appreciate how visible and invisible differences make each person unique and identify ways of showing respect for differences in others. In Catholic schools we are called to recognize each person as a gift of God’s love. We hope to instill in students a profound sense of what it means to be created in the image of God. All staff and students must demonstrate respect for diversity in school and our community. Implementation of the curriculum should be done in such a way that honours the dignity of all students and values the diversity of life experiences that they bring to the classroom. Educators should reflect on their own attitudes, biases and values with respect to the topics they are teaching, and ensure that your instruction remains grounded in the teachings of the Church and the Religious Education and Family Life Documents approved by the Education Commission of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario. Teachers are reminded that effective instruction not only supports student success but is a response to and honours each student’s dignity. (FL 27). HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Making Connections An Overview for Catholic Educators HPE 2015 Key EDU policies, programs, priorities are reflected within the HPE curriculum, including: Growing Success Pathways FNMI Financial Literacy Equity and Inclusion Safe Schools HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Catholic Curriculum Connections Since its release in February 2015, Catholic educators have been working with the revised Health and Physical Education (HPE) 2015 Curriculum, exploring and mapping the alignment of the HPE curriculum with the Family Life Education Curriculum (FLE) 2012 and the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations. The work confirms that the HPE curriculum can be implemented in a manner that is respectful of, and consistent with the perspective and mandate of Catholic schools. HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Teaching all Curriculum Through the Lens of Faith “A Catholic world view is a way of looking at the world through a Catholic Church lens. This world view is derived from Catholic Church teachings, scripture and Catholic Church traditions. These teachings, scripture and traditions form the basis of what is taught in Catholic schools.” ~ Catholic Curriculum Cooperative of Ontario, Writing Catholic Curriculum, 2006, p.7 As a publicly funded Catholic school system in Ontario, we teach the curriculum established by the Ministry of Education. For more than 30 years, we have taught all curriculum, across all subject areas, through the lens of faith. HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

The Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations In 1998, ICE developed the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations, which identified 7 expectations, or desired outcomes of a Catholic education: A DISCERNING BELIEVER formed in the Catholic faith community who celebrates the signs and sacred mystery of God’s presence through word, sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflections and moral living. A SELF-DIRECTED, RESPONSIBLE LIFELONG LEARNER who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential. A COLLABORATIVE CONTRIBUTOR who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good. A CARING FAMILY MEMBER who attends to family, school, parish, and the wider community. A REFLECTIVE, CREATIVE, AND HOLISTIC THINKER who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral conscience of the common good. A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human life HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

HPE is delivered within FLE in Catholic Schools Catholic schools will implement the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations through Family Life Education (Fully Alive program), which has been endorsed by the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario. HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

The Five Themes in the Fully Alive Program The Fully Alive program presents a distinctively Catholic view of human life, sexuality, marriage and family and is designed to encourage students to become the people God wants them to be – to be fully alive. • The themes should be taught sequentially. • Religion Education Program is delivered 4 days a week and Family Life (Fully Alive) is delivered once weekly. • Integrate Family Life expectations into other curriculum areas whenever possible. • Ensure parent letters are sent home for every theme. • Delivered by the classroom teacher and reported on in the Religion and Family Life section of the Provincial Report Card. HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

An Overview for Catholic Educators “Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. Every person, from the moment of conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. Human dignity comes from God, not from any human quality or accomplishment.” – Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions In Catholic schools, we ground our work in this overarching Catholic Social Teaching. The primary belief of the Dignity of the Human person should guide the implementation of the revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum. This is an opportunity to remind our stakeholders and the public about the vision of Catholic Education – viewing human life as an integration of body, mind and spirit. And most importantly, it provides an opportunity to support our Catholic students along their journey to realize the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations. HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Resources to Support Catholic Teachers and Educators as they implement HPE 2015 A number of resources have been developed to support the implementation of HPE in Catholic schools. Resources for parents, for teachers, and for school-based leaders can be accessed on the ICE website: www.iceont.ca HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators

Need more information? Institute for Catholic Education www.iceont.ca Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario http://www.acbo.on.ca/ Ontario Ministry of Education http://edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health.html More detailed information can be found on the Institute for Catholic Education website at: www.iceont.ca Parent resources for the Fully Alive program are found on the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario website at: http://www.acbo.on.ca/ The Health and Physical Education Curriculum, and additional parent resources prepared by the Ontario Ministry of Education, are available at: http://edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health.html HPE 2015 An Overview for Catholic Educators