Page 11 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12: Health and Physical Education, 2015 - revised

Fundamental Principles in Health and Physical Education
The revised health and physical education curriculum from Grade 1 to Grade 12 is founded on the following principles.3
1. Health and physical education programs are most effective when they are delivered in healthy schools and when students’ learning is supported by school staff, families, and communities.
When students see the concepts they are learning in health and physical education reflected and reinforced through healthy-school policies and healthy practices in their families and communities, their learning is validated and reinforced. Students are then more likely to adopt healthy active living practices and maintain them throughout their lives.
2. Physical activity is the key vehicle for student learning.
Health and physical education offers students a unique opportunity for kinesthetic learning – they learn about healthy, active living primarily by “doing”, that is, through physical activity. In health and physical education, students discover the joy of movement, learn about their bodies, and develop physical and cognitive skills that will contribute to their lifelong health and well-being.
3. Physical and emotional safety is a precondition for effective learning in health and physical education.
Students learn best in an environment that is physically and emotionally
safe. In health and physical education, students are learning new skills and participating in a physical environment where there is inherent risk. They are learning in a public space where others can see them explore, learn, succeed, and make mistakes. They discuss health topics that have implications for their personal health and well-being. It is critical that teachers provide a physically and emotionally safe environment for learning by emphasizing the importance of safety in physical activity, treating students with respect at all times, being sensitive to individual differences, following all board safety guidelines, and providing an inclusive learning environment that recognizes and respects
the diversity of all students and accommodates individual strengths, needs, and interests.
4. Learning in health and physical education is student-centred and skill-based.
Learning in health and physical education should be directly connected to the needs and abilities of individual students. The curriculum expectations are age- related but not age-dependent – the readiness of students to learn will depend on their individual physical and emotional development. The learning in all strands is focused on individual skill development for healthy, active living, supported by knowledge of content and conceptual understanding. In order to reach their full potential, students need to receive progressive instruction and constructive feedback, as well as numerous opportunities to practise, reflect, and learn experientially in a safe environment.
3. The Grade 11 and 12 destination courses integrate these principles while also focusing on specialized topics.
INTRODUCTION
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