National Award for Teaching Excellence in Physical and Health Education

The PHE Canada National Award for Teaching Excellence in Physical and Health Education honours Canadian teachers at the elementary, middle, or secondary levels, who have an exceptional ability to motivate students to engage meaningfully in their journey through physical and/or health literacy with thoughtful and inspiring teaching practices and pedagogy, exemplifying high quality Physical and/or Health Education in Canada.

2024-2025 Nomination Period

November 4^th, 2024 - January 10^th, 2025

Nomination Form

Number of Awards

Up to fifteen (15) recipients are selected for this award each conference cycle.

Who may Nominate?

Anyone may nominate an individual, group, or organization for this award. This includes provincial/territorial physical and health education association members, PHE Canada and Provincial/Territorial Association staff, public health professionals, colleagues, parents, students, or any individual wishing to highlight the exceptional work of an individual, group or organization implementing a Health Promoting Schools program. Nominations from underrepresented groups are encouraged. 

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive the National Award for Teaching Excellence in Physical and Health Education, a nominee must meet the following requirements:

• Teaching responsibility for physical and/or health education in one or more grades from kindergarten to grade 12/CEGEP.
• Candidate may be in early, mid, or late career.
• Full time teaching at time of application submission & selection with a minimum of 50% of the teaching responsibilities in Health and/or Physical Education.
• The candidate must not be a previous PHE National Award for Teaching Excellence recipient or have previously received the National Award for Teaching Excellence in Physical and/or Health Education.

Selection Criteria

• The nominee conducts a quality physical and/or health education program as reflected in PHE Canada’s definition and the provincial curriculum.
• The nominee has established a balanced program that includes a wide range of learning opportunities, a variety of teaching methodologies, utilizes assessment for and of learning, and provides innovative, engaging learning experiences.
• The nominee provides meaningful learning experiences for students in physical and/or health education and supports and encourages students to actively engage in their life long journey through physical and/or health literacy.
• The nominee participates in professional development opportunities related to the teaching of physical and/or health education and also shares their expertise with colleagues locally, regionally, provincially or nationally.
• The package must be supported with a biographical sketch and two (2) letters of reference that speak specifically to the above criteria.

Nomination Process

The nomination form must be submitted online, accompanied by:

• three nominators listed;
• biographical sketch of the nominee that is 250-300 words in length;
• 500-word description of:
  • Nominees teaching practices and pedagogy including assessment practices;
  • Description of high quality Physical or Health programs delivered by the nominee;
  • Professional Development.
• 100-word synopsis of accomplishments;
• two (2) one-page letters of reference that speak specifically to the evaluation criteria.

Selection Process

PHE Canada’s review team is composed of PHE Canada Board Members, subject matter experts, and partners from education, health, culture, sport and recreation. In addition, the review committee has two youth members. This team works collaboratively to ensure a thorough and impartial evaluation process, maintaining the integrity and prestige of our awards.

Selection Process:

• Review: PHE Canada reviews each nomination for completeness and eligibility.
• Committee Evaluation: Nominations are forwarded to the PHE Canada Awards Committee for assessment.
• Decision: Recipients are selected based on their alignment with the award's criteria.

Award Presentation and Benefits

National Award for Teaching Excellence in Physical Education recipients receive:

• Recognition: Recipients receive an award plaque and are acknowledged at PHE Canada's Awards Ceremony, annual report, and on the website.
• Registration: Complimentary registration at the next conference (travel and accommodation not included).
• Professional development opportunities sponsored by Gopher, including: 
  • selected recipients will receive an all-expenses paid trips to participating in Gopher/Spark Training Course;
  • all recipients will receive free registration to participating in a SPARK Institute (a $400 value); and,
  • all recipients will receive a free digital subscription to SPARKfamily ($149 value).

Presenting Partner