Page 55 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Canadian and World Studies

A resource document – The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9–12: Environmental Education, Scope and Sequence of Expectations, 2011 – has been prepared to assist teachers in planning lessons that integrate environmental education with other subject areas. It identifies curriculum expectations and related examples and prompts in disciplines across the Ontario curriculum that provide opportunities for student learning “in, about, and/or for” the environment. Teachers can use the document to plan lessons that relate explicitly to the environment, or they can draw on it for opportunities to use the environment as the context for learning. The document can also be used to make curriculum connections to school-wide environ- mental initiatives. This publication is available on the Ministry of Education’s website, at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/environ9to12curr.pdf.
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND CANADIAN AND WORLD STUDIES
Every student is entitled to learn in a safe, caring environment, free from violence and harassment. Research has shown that students learn and achieve better in such environ- ments. A safe and supportive social environment in a school is founded on healthy relationships – the relationships between students, between students and adults, and between adults. Healthy relationships are based on respect, caring, empathy, trust, and dignity, and thrive in an environment in which diversity is honoured and accepted. Healthy relationships do not tolerate abusive, controlling, violent, bullying/harassing, or other inappropriate behaviours. To experience themselves as valued and connected members of an inclusive social environment, students need to be involved in healthy relationships with their peers, teachers, and other members of the school community.
Several provincial policies and initiatives, including the Foundations for a Healthy School framework, the equity and inclusive education strategy, and the Safe Schools strategy, are designed to foster caring and safe learning environments in the context of healthy and inclusive schools. These policies and initiatives promote positive learning and teaching environments that support the development of healthy relationships, encourage academic achievement, and help all students reach their full potential.
In its 2008 report, Shaping a Culture of Respect in Our Schools: Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships, the Safe Schools Action Team confirmed “that the most effective way to enable all students to learn about healthy and respectful relationships is through the school curriculum” (p. 11). Teachers can promote this learning in a variety of ways. For example, they can help students develop and practise the skills they need for building healthy relationships by giving them opportunities to apply critical-thinking and problem- solving strategies and to address issues through group discussions, role play, case study analysis, and other means. Co-curricular activities such as clubs and intramural and interschool sports provide additional opportunities for the kind of interaction that helps students build healthy relationships. Teachers can also have a positive influence on students by modelling the behaviours, values, and skills that are needed to develop and sustain healthy relationships, and by taking advantage of “teachable moments”
to address immediate relationship issues that may arise among students.
One of the elements of the citizenship education framework (see page 13) is attributes – that is, character traits, values, and habits of mind that are associated with responsible citizenship. Several of these attributes – including collaboration, cooperation, empathy, fairness, inclusiveness, and respect – are conducive to healthy relationships. The inter- connections between citizenship education and the Canadian and world studies curriculum
SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING IN CANADIAN AND WORLD STUDIES
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