Recommendations for Teaching Physical and Health Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Recommendations for Teaching Physical and Health Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic This is an evolving document that will reflect changes made to health policy recommendations as the situation evolves. The following guidelines reflect the current situation, last updated: Dec 1, 2020 Adapted with permission from Csc Providence School Board Foreword This document aims to support safe and effective physical and basic health education. “The intention of these guidelines is to assist with decision making and to strengthen the capacity of every school’s ability to provide meaningful, safe, engaging, quality PHE and health promoting opportunities during class time and physical activity before, throughout, and after the school day” (Physical Health Education (PHE), Canada). These recommendations are subject to change as directed by Grey Bruce’s Medical Officer of Health and may evolve as new information becomes available. They are based on current best practices in physical health education, COVID-19 health and safety requirements, and Ontario’s Ministry of Education (EDU) Guidance to Reopening Schools. The benefits of participating in physical activity education must be well-balanced with the risk of transmission of COVID-19. It is essential to plan activities well, so that physical, social, and emotional benefits can be maximized. Creating a Safe and Welcoming Environment: It is essential that physical health education is delivered in a welcoming and safe environment, regardless of the situation and context of teaching. Students and staff members should feel safe and comfortable. Safety measures and strict cleaning protocols must be put in place to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and to ensure the health and well-being of all. Below are strategies to create a safe environment during physical activity at school and at home: Ensure a reasonable amount of space is maintained between students and staff during moderate-to-vigorous intensity activities. Maintain a physical distance of at least 2metres between students; 3 metres is better. Respect cohort restrictions to ensure they are not mixing Prioritize teaching phys-ed classes outdoors Identify play zones using duct tape on the floor (inside), or paint and cones (outside) Respect directions of travel in hallways (lines and directional arrows on the ground) Wash your hands before and after physical education class Prioritize activities that do not require any equipment Minimize the amount of equipment used by a group 1 No equipment sharing (eg, each student should have their own ball) Disinfect equipment after each use Ensure board-approved cleaning and disinfection product is available for equipment disinfection If change rooms are used, physical distancing, PPE and enhanced cleaning protocols must be employed. Change rooms can be a high risk environment and Public Health discourages the use of change rooms. Staff and students are wearing face coverings throughout physical education activities Staff are required to wear PPE at all times according to their school board protocol Ensure Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility: The closure of schools and the distance learning that took place during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on students. Some students have had difficulty adapting to virtual learning, the lack of structured schedules and less direct support from support staff. It is essential to provide every child with what they need in order to fully participate in physical health education, learn, and succeed according to their ability and potential. Here are ways to ensure equity, inclusion, and accessibility in physical health education: Promote and develop autonomy, the choice to challenge, decision-making and problem-solving capacities; Invite students to take on an active role in the decision-making process (eg, provide them with the option to choose materials found at home); Find ways to build emotional bonds and strengthen skills such as communication, cooperation, teamwork, and responsibility; Promote non-traditional or modified activities that emphasize skills rather than the sport itself Differentiate activities based on students’ abilities; Promote activities that use little equipment, or use objects commonly found at home for online learning (eg, cups, towels, boxes…); Permit students to use technological applications to communicate their ideas or learning; Establish weekly virtual meetings with flexible schedules to ensure students are able to meet teachers, teachers’ coworkers, and their classmates; Prepare virtual lessons using applications such as Screencastify and share them in Google Classroom so that students can view lessons during their own time For more strategies, please review Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Hospital’s Return to School Recommendations for Children with Special Needs. Ensuring Physical and Mental Health: For many people, the pandemic has caused major disruptions to their daily lives and children feel these changes deeply. Returning to school will not only be welcome, but also exciting for many students. Others may feel anxious or frightened. This can have an impact on learning and behaviour, as well as one’s social connection to school. Students will not be ready to learn if they do not feel physically and 2 emotionally secure. Teachers have an important role when it comes to making young people feel comfortable, by having open conversations about their concerns and by ensuring them that it is natural to feel anxious. When planning for the return-to-school, it will be important to create a learning environment that promotes positive mental, regardless of whether teaching will follow a conventional, adapted, or online model. Here are a few ways to assist you: With your students, discuss the changes they can expect at school, such as having to wear personal protective equipment (eg, masks), and explain the use of face shields among some staff members; Explain to students that it is normal to find being away from their friends and teachers at school difficult; encourage them to think about ways to connect and stay connected while being physically apart; Reassure students about the safety measures put in place to keep students and teachers healthy; Remind students they can also help prevent the spread of germs that can make us sick by washing their hands with soap and water for 15-20 seconds, and coughing and sneezing into their elbows; Place emphasis on the positive aspects of returning to school (students can finally see their friends and teachers and continue to learn new things); Cultivate safety and trust by creating a welcoming environment: o Take the time to learn about students’ extracurricular interests o Greet students by their name Focus on opportunities for choice, collaboration, and connection (with the teacher and other students): o Engage students in choosing activities, materials, construction of criteria, etc. o Take into consideration student feedback when planning and evaluating Favour pedagogical approaches that focus on strengths and strengthening capabilities: o Focus on each student’s talents and strong points o Provide positive feedback to all students in an equitable manner Plan and maintain a routine to create a sense of normalcy Cultivate a sense of responsibility by assigning leadership roles to students o Encourage students to take charge of their own learning about their staying healthy and safe o Offer students the opportunity to share what they’ve learned o Challenge them to teach other students something they learned or are really good at Respond to students’ emotional needs through gestures or words, by listening, your presence, humour, etc. Use these easy-to-implement, evidence-informed mental health practices in your classroom! The Everyday Mental Health Classroom Resource offers a collection of high-quality, everyday mental health practices to enhance the social-emotional learning skills and well-being of students. These practices align with Ontario’s Health and Physical Education Curriculum and are easily incorporated into classroom routines. 3 School Mental Health Ontario is a provincial support team working in partnership with the Ministry of Education, school boards and education and health organizations to develop a comprehensive approach to school mental health across the province. School Mental Health Ontario provides leadership and guidance about best practices in school mental health, tailored, co-created resources, mental health literacy for educators and school/system leaders, training for school mental health professionals, mental health awareness for parents/families, and a platform for student voice and leadership in school mental health. Visit the website for evidence-based information and resources relevant to your role and how you can support mental health for all! Here are some additional examples to assist in your planning: Promote active living (health and physical education courses) Teach students about healthy eating Offer healthy food options Teach the importance of sleep on quality of life, and on many aspects of health, such as maintaining good morale Teach coping mechanisms, such as self-awareness and stress-management Promote positive self-esteem Look at material relevant to students and their families Create safe play environments for students and monitor them Deepen outdoor learning opportunities to increase movement Create a “healthy school” by setting up a “Healthy Schools Action team” to