The 2022 PHE Virtual National Conference offers 35+ live and recorded sessions, presented by PHE champions and sector leaders, that will help you continue to gain confidence, practical teaching tools, and innovative ideas to improve your teaching of physical and health education, now and beyond the current educational context.
2022 Physical and Health Education Virtual National Conference will feature two types of presentations: live Spotlight sessions and on-demand Champion Track sessions.
The Spotlight sessions will take place over two days, with three concurrent sessions at all times. All live sessions will be recorded and available for replay along with pre-recorded on-demand Champion Track sessions. Your event registration will give you access to all 35+ sessions through to the end of August.
(Additional sessions will be added as they are finalized. Session titles and descriptions are subject to change.)
Building Healthy Minds Through Physical Activity
Sue Kim | Master’s candidate, School Psychology, University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario
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In this session, we will start with an overview of mental health, discuss the connection between physical activity and mental well-being, followed by practical strategies that can be implemented into physical activity programming to promote youth mental health. We will further enhance our understanding of these topics through several interactive activities.
Being ‘Inclusive’ in Physical Education: Using Collaboration, Student Voice and Non-traditional Activities to Break the Mould
Hayley Morrison | Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
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School contexts and student needs are extremely diverse, making it necessary for educators to move past their traditional conceptions of physical education and work towards a move inclusive program that considers all individuals. This session will discuss ways teachers and educational assistants can collaborate in physical education and support inclusion of all learners in diverse school contexts. Specifically, we will look at how to create inclusive spaces with tips on (a) collaboration, (b) seeking student voice, and (c) adaptations for planning dance, gymnastics, games, individual activities, and activities in alternative environments.
Strategies for Improving Uptake and Implementation Quality of Social-Emotional Learning Programs: Lessons Learned From the MindUp Project
Claire Crooks | Director, Centre for School Mental Health, Western University
London, Ontario
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High-quality mindfulness-based social-emotional learning programs can bring wide-ranging benefits to students and educators alike, but there are many challenges to high-quality implementation and sustainability of these programs. In this presentation, I will share lessons learned from a 6-year school-university partnership to implement and evaluate the MindUP program. I will briefly describe the intervention and the benefits for students and educators that emerged from our evaluation. The second half of the presentation will focus on specific implementation strategies that we used before and following the adoption of the intervention to promote high-quality implementation and sustainability.
Metis Jigging
Madelaine McCallum | Cree/Métis dancer, speaker, and choreographer
Île-à-la-Crosse, SK
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Join Madelaine as she shares the energetic and upbeat steps of Metis Jigging. You will learn the basic step of jigging as well as some fun fancy steps. By the end of the session you will learn how to dance the Red River Jig - known as the national dance of the Metis. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and bring some water as you will work up a sweat!
Engaging Youth in Grade 7/8 in Rethinking Masculinity Norms: How a Guys' Only Health Class Brings Positive Changes to the Health and Well-being of Youth in a Nova Scotia Classroom.
Moe Green (Health Education Consultant, Guys Work) & Chris Gilham, PhD (Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, St Francis Xavier University)
Antigonish, Nova Scotia
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In 2012 the Nova Scotia departments of Health and Education piloted a guys-only grade nine health class to help shift attitudes around help-seeking. 10 years later GuysWork has expanded to younger grades with a new focus on gender-based violence. Learn more about how the work started and where it’s going, including the latest evaluation results as well as an emerging blueprint on how classrooms can adopt the innovative approach to help guys examine the connection between masculinity norms and their health.
Sexual Health Education in Schools: Guidelines for Best Practice and Tools for Implementation
Jessica Wood | Research Specialist, Sex Information & Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN)
Toronto, Ontario
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This session will describe research and best practice guidelines for sexual health education in schools. The presentation will include information on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the sexual health of young people and the implications of the pandemic for sexual health education. Attendees will be introduced to SIECCAN’s Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education and given practical tools for implementing sexual health education in face-to-face and virtual classrooms.
Setting up the Ultimate Outdoor School Program
Darin Faubert | Principal, Wadena Composite School, Horizon School Division
Wadena, Saskatchewan
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Many teachers want to take students on outdoor educational opportunities that will provide them with memories of a lifetime. However, the planning can be intimidating. Whether it be safety, liability or transportation questions or questions around where to go, what to do and how much it costs, the idea of planning a week-long trip is scary. Darin has been to Churchill, MB on numerous occasions to study polar bears, to the Arctic Circle, Yukon to hike, particpated in the reintroduction of the Black-Footed Ferret in Saskatchewan and studied killer whale family units in BC. All with large groups of students. In this session, participants will learn about everything needed to plan outdoor education experiences and setting up an Outdoor School where students can achieve senior high school credits for these experiences. Participants will be provided with, and shown how to use, a template to help with organizing single-day to week-long school trips.
Indigenous Perspectives on Physical and Health Education: How do I see Assessment?
Brenda Delorme (Instructional Resources Analyst), Norbert Mercredi (Land Based Physical Education/Health Facilitator), Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba
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This presentation will discuss the power of culturally relevant PHE assessment, student participation and assessment in the mandated provincial curriculum, students’ ways of knowing and differentiating assessment, as well as assessing physical activity with cultural perspectives and learning frameworks.
Financial Literacy - Balance and Interconnectedness to Holistic Well-Being
Miya Inkster | Financial Literacy Facilitator and Community Development Specialist
Duncan, British Columbia
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Holistic well-being is to be healthy in many dimensions of our lives. That includes the emotional, physical, occupational, intellectual, financial, social, environmental, and spiritual parts. The connection between financial health and holistic well-being are more connected than we think. When we worry about money (for example, debt or being able to afford what we need), we sometimes experience anxiety (emotional). This can lead to medical problems (physical), and trouble at work (occupational). When this happens, we may even question our own sense of meaning and purpose (spiritual). As a result, financial stress can have a severe influence on one's physical health, the quality of one's relationships and family life, and ability to perform at work and school. By making connections between financial literacy, and health and well-being, early on, children can learn how their choices and behaviours affect themselves, their family and others in their community. Knowing how to manage money empowers children to become critical thinkers who have the resources they need to make good decisions and take care of their bodies, minds and relationships which contributes to holistic well-being. This presentation will broaden participants understanding of the interconnectedness and importance of financial literacy and to how it can be incorporated into health programming.
Unstructured Risky Play: What It Is and Why It Matters in PHE
Megan Zeni | PhD student and PHE lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia
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In this session we will explore the research on why unstructured outdoor play is critical for developing children’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive strengths. Leave with a clear understanding of how “risky” or unstructured nature play in the school context can be facilitated. Practical examples and stories of risky play in elementary schools will be shared.
Active Smarter Kids (ASK): A Physically Active Learning (PAL) Model for Curriculum Delivery
Britt Vegsund | NS ASK Project Lead, Municipality of the District of Lunenburg
Cookville, Nova Scotia
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Active Smarter Kids (ASK) is a model for curriculum delivery originally developed in Norway that incorporates physical activity into academic lessons in a meaningful way. ASK physically active learning is led by classroom teachers, occurs primarily outdoors, aims to engage all students, and encourages collaborative and cooperative learning. In this session, you will learn more about the NS ASK Project – a provincial initiative to support the implementation of PAL in schools across the province and gain new activity ideas to keep your students active outside, more often.
Implementing Anti-Racism in Physical Education
Courtney Szto | Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University
Kinston, Ontario
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Since the summer of 2020, the idea of anti-racism has become more mainstream but there is still some confusion about what it actually means and how to implement it. This session will focus on tangible ways to adopt anti-racist practices in your class, from addressing certain Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Report to incorporating representation and knowledges from non-Western perspectives.
Creating Meaningful Experiences in Health Education
Dr. Lauren Sulz | Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
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Do you teach health education? Are you looking for new lessons and activities to refresh your class? Enhance meaning and relevance for your students? This session will unpack quality and meaningful health education through evidence-based strategies and share practical resources/activities to use in your classes with your students.
“Affirming Gender Diversity” in Canadian Schools
Wes Delve | Program Officer, International and Social Justice Program, Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
Ottawa, Ontario
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This session explores the newest Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) social justice resource, “Affirming Gender Diversity”, the 5th booklet in the CTF/FCE Student Voice series. Participants engage in hands-on activities, rich discussions, and authentic sharing, as they explore issues of gender diversity in the Canadian education context. Major foci are the importance of “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” for safe schools, and ideas for how educators could use this rich resource in their classrooms and school communities.
Clearing the Haze: Understanding Youth Vaping and Preventing a New Generation of Nicotine Addiction
Sarah Butson | Public Affairs and Policy Analyst, Canadian Lung Association
Ottawa, Ontario
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This interactive session will explore the rise of youth vaping, the reasons for their appeal, and why it is a cause for concern. It will discuss the role of advocacy at all levels in protecting young people from becoming a next generation addicted to nicotine. Finally the presentation will examine practical tools for educators, schools, and communities to prevent youth vaping and empower young people to take action.
It Starts With Motivation
Steeve Ager | CEO, Réseau Accès Participation
Montreal, Quebec
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Physical literacy is defined as the physical competence, confidence and motivation to be active for life. But too often, much attention, if not all, goes to developing the skills and building competence with little focus on how to build motivation or use the student’s motivation to engage in physical activity. In this session, learn more on how to build motivation for students in your school.
Approaching PE Differently
Kellie Baker (Program Development Specialist, Physical Education K-12, NL Department of Education), Christan Murphy (K-6 PE Specialist, Cowan Heights and Bishop Abraham schools)
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
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Wondering how to do PE differently? This session will be an opportunity to reconsider what we think about and do in the name of PE. Successes and challenges with reframing PE practice will be shared. Block plans will be provided as examples of how to begin the slow and steady process of re-imagining PE practice. Time will also be provided to support first steps of redesign.
Why Schools Need to Make the Time, Space and Freedom for Outdoor Risky Play - Now More Than Ever
Mariana Brussoni | Director, Human Early Learning Partnership; Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics & School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Research is clear on the importance of regular and repeated access to outdoor risky play. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of supporting children’s play outdoors is even more urgent to support infection control and child health and well-being. With children spending more time indoors and on screens engagement in outdoor play has never been lower and inequities of access are widening. This session will help you build the case about the need for outdoor risky play and get ideas to make positive change in your work with children. Myths will be dispelled, truths revealed, and incredible opportunities for children to have new experiences introduced. Learn the key concepts that support outdoor play and how you can begin to incorporate these into your programs and plans. Lastly, hear about tools and educational resources, and what different groups across Canada are doing to support risky play.
Programme de leadership BOKS pour les élèves de votre école
Kim St-Pierre | Manager, Business Development, BOKS Canada
Montreal, Quebec
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Plongez dans le programme gratuit de leadership de BOKS pour les jeunes qui offre aux communautés scolaires tout ce dont elles ont besoin pour lancer un programme de Boum BOKS (pauses actives) dirigé par les élèves. Ce programme est soutenu par des vidéos d’accompagnement, un guide de formation et des ressources supplémentaires spécialement conçues pour les jeunes leaders.
‘Just Pass Me the Ball’ :(Re)Envisioning Sport and Physical Education
Sabrina Razack | Educator in the Toronto area; PhD Candidate, University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario
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The shrinking support for sport and physical education requires a universal examination of critical issues plaguing the field. A recent research project entitled “OUA Anti-Racism Report” collected data of student athletes, coaches and sport administrators from 20 Ontario universities. Findings suggest that valuing diversity, equity and inclusion approaches are paramount to recruiting, hiring and retaining athletes, coaches and sport administrators. This workshop will integrate the learnings from this report and apply to physical education settings. The intention of this presentation is to correlate methodologies of sport within physical education and existing school practices. In summary, participants will gain a heightened understanding on how to evolve existing (hidden) curriculums of health and physical education.'
To view descriptions of the on-demand Champion Tracks sessions, please click here.