Secondary educator print and lending resources

Substance use (including alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, vaping, etc,)

Educating students about substance use, as well as addiction, is best done through:

• Engaging students in exploring real-world situations and issues.
• Problem solving related to substance use and addiction.
• Establishing a learning environment that includes positive role models.
• Offering students opportunities to practice decision-making.
• Assisting students in making cross-curricular connections between personal choices related to substance use and potential outcomes.

Additional resources

• Quash: A judgement-free app to help quit smoking or vaping
• Canadian Centre of Substance Abuse: Provides guidance and advice on addiction and substance misuse.  It has information on preventing youth substance use and monitors trends in student drug use.
• iMinds - University of Victoria: A collection of resources for schools related to substance use and gambling. 
• NIDA for Teens: Provides science based resources on substance misuse for teens and educators.  The educators section includes teaching guides, lessons, and quizzes. 
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health: Provides information on substance use. Includes curriculum resources related to substance use, including lesson plans for grades 9 to 10 (catholic and public) and grades 11 to12 (public only). 
• Ontario Physical and Health Education Association: The "Teaching Tools" section provides resources for teaching healthy living. These curriculum resources include lesson plans, supplements, and activities (grades 1 to12).  Each school board has their own password to access lesson plans. 
• MADD Canada: Offers specialized programming and resources for elementary and high school students to educate them about the dangers of mixing alcohol and/or drugs with driving. 
• Understanding Substance Use - educators guide - Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction

Body image

Body image is a person’s attitude and perception of their body size, shape, and attractiveness. Several factors contribute to a student feeling good about themselves including intellectual abilities, physical abilities, social skills, interests, and body image. Helping children and youth increase confidence in their unique talents and abilities reduces the emphasis they place on physical appearance.

Students learn how they feel about themselves from the people around them, their perceptions are affected by the way you feel and talk about yourself and others. Talking to other educators about weight issues and dieting can affect how children and youth view their own bodies. This can send the message that dieting and constant concern about weight are parts of normal behaviour.

It is helpful to examine your own beliefs and attitudes about body size, eating, activity and how you feel about yourself. 

Some questions you can ask yourself are:

• Am I dissatisfied with my shape or size? Do I talk about body weight or shape? Who do I talk to? Who can overhear?
• Do I feel guilty when I eat certain foods? Am I trying different diets to lose weight? Do I talk about my diets?
  • Do I see physical activity as a chore, or a way to lose weight?
  • How many times have I heard, or said, “Oh, you’ve lost weight, you look wonderful!”?
  • Do I feel I would be happier if I lost weight?
  • Do I think that overweight people have made bad choices about what and how much they eat?
  • Do I make comments about myself or others? (e.g., “I feel fat”, “she is nice and skinny”)

If you answered yes to any of these questions, these may be issues that have a negative impact on your own body image and self-esteem, and these feelings may unintentionally transfer to students in your life. It is not necessary for you to be without fault, the goal is to focus on promoting a healthy body image through positive health messaging (enjoying food and fun physical activities) instead of problem-based messaging (weight loss, inactivity, obesity).

People with positive body image recognize and accept that:

• Healthy bodies come in different shapes and sizes.
• Body size and weight do not predict happiness, success, or health.
• People are more than numbers on a scale; every person is a unique individual with admirable talents, skills, and abilities.
• Images in the media are unrealistic and are created to sell products.

Focus on Developing a Positive Body Image

Strive for a positive, or neutral body image. You don’t have to love your body all the time, the goal is to appreciate all that your body allows you to do without a focus on food or weight. 

• Role model for students how you can be healthy and active at any body size.
• Avoid commenting on or complaining about your body, especially in front of students.  

Communicable disease

Dental health

Healthy eating

Teaching about healthy eating

Healthy eating should be taught within the context of a healthy school using the Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum. The best way to teach students about healthy eating is through an inclusive approach. Place the focus on the importance of food to give us energy to learn, play, grow, and keep our bodies functioning. Reinforce that eating looks different for everyone and will depend on many factors including family and cultural context, food access and availability, personal preference, allergies and intolerances, and personal experience. 

When students see the adults in their lives enjoying a variety of foods, they are more likely to do so themselves. When children see adult influencers speaking negatively of certain foods or beverages, or dieting to lose weight, they receive the wrong messages from a person they look to for guidance.  

Teaching about calories and nutrients

Children are concrete thinkers, and it is not until age 12 that they start to understand abstract concepts such as nutrition. For students in grades K to 8, rather than emphasizing the health benefits of certain foods, try to inspire curiosity about food through experiential learning and food exploration. Emphasizing health benefits does not support learning to accept foods and can lead to anxiety for some students. Focusing on building skills related to growing, identifying, and preparing foods can go further in supporting the life-long enjoyment of a variety of foods. Contact your local public health dietitian for more information on appropriate ways to discuss nutrients with older students. 

Talking about "bad foods" or "junk foods"

Try talking about all foods in a neutral manner. Labelling foods into “good or bad”, “healthy or unhealthy” categories promote “all or none” thinking without considering the many factors that influence eating patterns, including food skills, convenience, food availability, and socioeconomic and family situation2.

While it is true that some foods are more nutritious than others, that does not mean they are superior foods. There are many ways that food can promote health and fuel our bodies. Some foods provide us with energy, pleasure, or have cultural significance, and sometimes it is simply the social aspect of eating that allows food to contribute to our mental well-being. 

What should I do if I have concerns about the types of foods in a student's lunch?

It is important not to single out children for the food in their lunches or snacks. As an educator, you shouldn't make comments on what students are eating. According to the Ministry of Education, students have variable amounts of control over the food they eat at home, and the food they bring to school. Educators need to consider these realities and be aware of issues such as poverty, food allergies or sensitivities and cultural practices.

Additional resources

• Canada's Food Guide
• Bright Bites
• The student Body
• Dietitians of Canada
• Unlock Food
• Food Allergies & Intolerances
• Healthy Schools
• School Food & Beverage Policy
• Nutrition Connections

Human development and sexual health 

Human development and sexual health encompasses many topics and concepts, including but not limited to; sexual development, consent, healthy relationships, abstinence and the development of a positive self-concept.

Sexual health is an important component to a person’s overall health. Teaching this topic will help individuals build important knowledge and skills to engage in healthy relationships, prevent sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections, avoid unintended pregnancy and to be healthy and safe now and in the future.

Medical conditions (e.g., asthma and anaphylaxis)

Asthma and Anaphylaxis

One out of five children in Ontario have asthma and while there is no cure, it can be controlled so children can lead healthy lives at home and at school.  Anaphylaxis, caused by an allergic reaction to substances such as certain foods, latex, bee stings and even for some children, exercise, is a life threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. For more information regarding Ryan's Law and Sabrina's Law, refer to your school board policy and procedure manuals.

Additional resources

Asthma

• OPHEA - This website provides recommendations and resources for organizations to develop asthma friendly and supportive environments for children and youth.

• Ontario Lung Association - The OLA provides information on their Asthma Action Plan as well as Ryan's Law.

Allergies

• Food Allergy Canada - Food Allergy Canada educates, supports, and advocates for the needs of people living with food allergies and the risk of anaphylaxis.  This website includes educational resources for elementary and secondary schools.
• Government of Ontario - This website has been developed to assist school boards, principals, teachers, staff and others who play an important role in helping to create safer environments for pupils with life-threatening allergies. It contains vital information on how to develop strategies to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis and how to respond in the event of an emergency, in compliance with Sabrina's Law.

 Mental health

Mental health is an essential component of overall health.  As with physical health, it’s important that students learn how to take care of their mental wellbeing. This is known as ‘mental health literacy’ and includes healthy coping skills, stress management as well as how and where to ask for support.

Additional resources

• School Mental Health Ontario - a provincial implementation support team designed to help Ontario school boards to promote student mental health and well-being.  This team works alongside the Ministry of Education to provide leadership and guidance and a suite of resources for all Ontario school boards and remote school authorities.
• Teach Resiliency - PHE Canada - equips teachers and related health and education professionals with quality evidenced-based resources and tools to foster positive mental health and resiliency among students.
• Mental Health Learning Hub - About Kids Health - includes resources for parents on how to support your child's mental health and general wellbeing through physical activity, sleep and nutrition. It also provides information on the signs, symptoms and treatments of different mental health conditions, including anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, behavioural disorders, anorexia nervosa and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 

Personal safety and injury prevention

Children and youth are at an increased risk of injury. Injuries are the leading cause of death for Canadians between the ages of 1 to 44. About 95% of all injuries are predictable and preventable.

Knowing how and why injuries occur can help educators to reduce the risk of preventable injuries.

Physical activity

Additional resources

• Participation: A Good resource for parents looking for ways to encourage their children to become more active, and students can use this website to get information about cycling to school. This website also provides links to information about developing a walking school bus. 
• Ontario Physical and Health Education Association: The "Teaching Tools" section of this website provides resources for teaching healthy active living. These resources include lesson plans, supplements, and activities for grades K to 12. The website also has curriculum resources for grades 1 to 8 including assessment charts a video series, a poster series, and resources for including children with disabilities in physical education programs.  Each school board has their own password to access lesson plans. 
• Health Canada: Provides tips for getting children and youth to be more active. This website also includes a section for educators with detailed activity plans for healthy eating and physical activity education. These plans include the purpose of the activity, assessment tools, and extension activities. 
• Ministry of Health & Long Term Care: Provides tips to help children and youth become more physically active.  Offers links to community programs and services.
• The Ontario Association for the Support of Physical and Health Educators: Provides resources and information for teachers regarding the Health and Physical Education curriculum.  Resources are created by teachers, for teachers.
• Canadian Intramural Recreation Association: Provides a wealth of physical activities and intramural ideas to encourage, promote, and develop active living and physical literacy.
• Physical & Health Education Canada & OPHEA: Includes a database where teachers can find physical activity cards based on the Ontario health and physical education curriculum. These cards have step-by-step instructions, suggest adaptations to make activities more or less challenging, and provide information on what concepts/strategies/skills to highlight throughout the activity.  Games are based on the development of physical literacy using the 'Teaching Games for Understanding' approach.
• PlaySport: Provides a series of resources, which can be used to improve physical literacy skills in children and youth via games and sports.
• Canadian Fitness and Lifestyles Research Institute: Offers reports on research related to physical activity within the school setting. Their "physical activity programming, curricula, and instruction" report provides an especially comprehensive look at this topic.
• Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity: Provides information on how to make Canada's sport and physical activity system gender equitable. The information on this website can be used by parents, teachers, and coaches.
• Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology/Canada's Physical Activity Guide: Provides information on the Canadian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines.
• Canadian Sport for Life: Provides information on physical literacy. It also has resources for teachers including lesson plans, activities, and posters related to physical activity and healthy eating. Resources are divided by age and by target body part (e.g., heart, muscles, etc).  
• Kingston Gets Active: Provides physical activity opportunities for Kingston residents.  It provides a list of resources for parents including a list of places to get active in Kingston. 
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada: Has several resources for educators including "Heart Healthy" lesson plans and modules (grades 1-8), activity sheets, DPA activity suggestions, and cross-curricular plans to incorporate physical activity into subject areas such as language, math and science (grades K-6).
• Hike Ontario: This website has a resource booklet for teachers as a part of its "Young Hikers Program". The booklet costs $50 and contains lesson plans and activity sheets based on the Ontario curriculum. Some sample lesson plans are available for free. It is also a good resource for parents interested in walking and/or hiking with their children.
• The Best Start Resource Centre: Provides the tools that you need to promote an encourage physical activity for children 0-6.  In it you will find a searchable database with over 100 fun and simple games and activities for kindergarten-age children.  As well as information for professionals, there are parent resources and strategies to help increase the physical activity levels of their children.
• Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for children and youth: an integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep
• Build Your Best Day:  An interactive web tool that helps students learn about the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines in a fun way.
• Kingston Gets ActiveGrade 5 and Grade 9 ActivePass:  grants students free access to KFL&A area recreation facilities at designated times. 

Sedentary behaviour

Sedentary behaviour refers to activities that use very little energy while being awake. Examples of sedentary behaviour include: 

• sitting for long periods,
• watching television,
• riding in a bus or car,
• playing passive video games,
• playing on the computer, and
• sitting in a car seat or stroller.

For optimal health benefits for children and youth between the ages of 5 to 17 years old, physical activity levels should be high, and sedentary behaviour levels should be low, with sufficient sleep each day. A healthy 24-hour includes:

• Sweat (moderate to vigorous physical activity)
  • An accumulation of at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity involving a variety of aerobic activities. Vigorous physical activities, and muscle and bone strengthening activities should each be incorporated at least three times per week.
• Step (light physical activity)
  • Several hours of a variety of structured and unstructured light physical activity.
• Sleep
  • Uninterrupted 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night for those aged 5 to 13 years, and 8 to 10 hours per night for those aged 14 to 17 years, with consistent bed and wake-up times.
• Sit (sedentary behaviour)
  • Less than two hours per day of recreational screen time
  • Limited sitting for extended periods.

Benefits of reducing students' sedentary behaviour

• There are lots of benefits of spending less time being sedentary for children and students, including:
• maintaining a healthy body weight,
• doing better in school,
• improving self-confidence,
• having more fun with friends,
• improving their fitness, and
• having more time to learn new skills.

Reduce sedentary behaviour during the school day

Sedentary time is not only a concern during student leisure time. The classroom has been shown to account for a large percentage (up to approximately 40%) of sedentary time accumulated by children during the weekday. Replacing sedentary, and screen-based learning with movement-based learning activities will better support students’ academic performance and their health and wellbeing.  

Incorporate scheduled and unscheduled movement breaks into the day:

• Break up long periods of sedentary time at least once every 30 minutes for students aged 5-11 years, and at least once every hour for students aged 12-18 years.

Ensure that screen time in school is meaningful and serves a specific teaching purpose that enhances learning compared to alternative methods.

• When screens are necessary, time spent on devices should be limited and students should take a device break at least once every 30 minutes.
• Students should be discouraged from media-multitasking in the classroom and during homework.

Screen time and sedentary behaviour

When discussing the health benefits of physical activity, it is important to include the topic of reducing the amount of recreational screen time for students. As an educator, you can be a positive role model when it comes to the amount of screen time your students are exposed to each school day.

The Canadian Health Measures Survey (2012-2013) reported that Twenty four percent of both children aged 5 to 11 and 12 to 17 met the guideline of two hours or less of recreational screen time per day. There is always room for improvement when it comes to reducing the amount of recreational screen time a student has in their day to day lives.

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend:

• 5 to 17 years - No more than two hours per day. Lower levels of screen time is associated with positive health benefits.

Questions to ask students on the topic of screen time

Question: What does screen time mean?

• Answer: television, video games, computers, and hand held electronic devices.

Question: Why is it so important to set limits on screen time?

• Answer: spending more than two hours a day sitting in front of a screen can have negative health consequences, and takes time away from physical activity. Canadian children spend approximately 7 hours and 48 minutes on screens (i.e., televisions, computers and smart phones).

Question: What can you do instead of sitting in front of a screen?

• Answer: let children discuss some of their favourite physical activities and write them on the chalkboard or whiteboard or chart paper, or have them write them down on their own pieces of paper.

Question: Are active video games okay to play?

• Answer: While active video games do require movement, physical activities like sports, outdoor games, martial arts, and dance, promote social interaction, encourage leadership skill development, and allow children to use a wide range of movement. 

Sun safety