Page 9 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Cooperative Education

Educators who have an awareness of a student’s development take each component into account, with an understanding of and focus on the following elements:
• cognitive development – brain development, processing and reasoning skills, use of strategies for learning
• emotional development – emotional regulation, empathy, motivation
• social development – self-development (self-concept, self-efficacy, self-esteem); identity formation (gender identity, social group identity, spiritual identity); relationships (peer, family, romantic)
• physical development – physical activity, sleep patterns, changes that come with puberty, body image, nutritional requirements
The Role of Mental Health
Mental health touches all components of development. Mental health is much more than the absence of mental illness. Well-being is influenced not only by the absence of problems and risks but by the presence of factors that contribute to healthy growth and development. By nurturing and supporting students’ strengths and assets, educators help promote positive mental health in the classroom. At the same time, they can identify students
who need additional support and connect them with the appropriate services.2
What happens at school can have a significant influence on a student’s well-being. With a broader awareness of mental health, educators can plan instructional strategies that contribute to a supportive classroom climate for learning in all subject areas, build awareness of mental health, and reduce stigma associated with mental illness. Taking students’ well-being, including their mental health, into account when planning instructional approaches helps establish a strong foundation for learning.
2. See the ministry document Supporting Minds: An Educator’s Guide to Promoting Students’ Mental Health and Well-being (2013).
PREFACE
7