type

  • Feature Article
  • Podcast
  • Research

theme

  • Instant Activity
  • Food Literacy
  • Outdoor Learning
  • Physically Active Learning
  • Social Emotional Learning
  • Cross-Curricular Learning
  • Models-Based Approach
  • PHE Community
  • Healthy School Communities
  • Fundamental Movement Skills
  • Dance Education
  • Digital Literacy
  • Health Education
  • Financial Literacy
  • Physical Education
  • Sex Education
  • Educational Leadership
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Teacher Education
  • Mental Health
  • Substance Use
  • Truth & Reconciliation

Search Results

SORT BY:

The Top 5 Reasons to Visit TeachResiliency.ca…Often.

October 10, 2017
TeachResiliency.ca

The Top 5 Reasons to Visit TeachResiliency.ca…Often.

Today we launch the first entry in our blog series, and are proud to introduce you to TeachResiliency.ca. These blog posts will keep you informed about current trends, issues, tools and strategies to assess the resilience of students and teachers. We invite you to come in, connect, and participate. This site is for you. 

What better way to launch the blog than to highlight some of the reasons that TeachResiliency.ca will be helpful in your practice and profession? Let’s take a look at the top 5 reasons to visit TeachResiliency.ca!  

1. A lot of teachers are doing a lot of great teaching, supporting, and leading. Celebrate, get inspired.

There are nearly 400,000 teachers in Canada, responsible for about 5 million school children. The work and magic of teaching isn’t often a “Hollywood moment”. Long hours, the needs of many students, doing-more-with-less (of everything!) layers on top of busy lives, lively classrooms and waves of colds, flu, head lice, and muddy boots. The real work is often quiet, invisible and isolated. The real work is hard and requires us to be so flexible we fear we might break, so resilient we fear we might harden, and so enthusiastic we worry we might burn out.

2. Teachers make a difference. 

I’m fortunate to have had many teachers who made really important connections and differences in my life. How about you? From Grade 1 through university I was fortunate to have wonderful teachers. Mrs. MacDonald opened the world of reading to me in Grade 1, Mr. Crowell showed me the universe in Grade 6, and Miss Mitchell helped me see myself as a capable student when I was a teen. They noticed, listened, inspired and supported me and, in what was often turbulent and unpredictable life, they made school my safe haven; they were my mentors, motivators, and muses. Teachers don’t just deliver curriculum; they encourage students to take risks, create communities of learners, support and scaffold so each student is achieving more than they thought possible, and witness big and small victories and defeats every single day.

3. Wellness must be supported, nurtured and championed. 

The research tells us that 20 % of Canadians- from age 4 to 84- will develop a mental illness during their lives. It also shows us that only 1 in 5 people who suffer a potentially debilitating and destructive illness get help through the health care system. If 5 children broke their arm on the playground, would we stand by and watch as only 4 of them got medical treatment? If 5 adults had diabetes, would we be content if only 4 of them received medication?

Of course, the 20% figure includes adults, and those adults, include teachers. How many times have you heard anyone talk about teacher wellness or the challenges and barriers to the mental health of teachers? To teach well, we must be well, and to be well, we must take care of ourselves and one another.

4. Most teacher education and professional development programs do not prepare teachers to talk about or support mental health in schools.

The research is clear on this: only a few teacher education programs expose candidates to the topic of mental health or provide relevant and useable strategies and tools for the classroom. Fewer still, include teacher wellness in the orientation to the professional knowledge of teachers. When talking to teachers who are working in schools, 90% express an interest in learning more about meeting the mental health needs of their students, and over 80% feel they are not achieving work-life balance; they feel they aren’t meeting the needs of their families or their students.

5. Teachers are critically important to a healthy school and without them, we cannot meet our goals for healthy students, schools, families, and communities. Your professional knowledge and commitment are integral.

When teachers are included in developing whole school approaches to student success, everyone benefits. They stand at the intersection of health and education and understand the importance of and pathways toward safe and secure housing, nutritious food, healthy families and equal opportunities for all. When students find success in the classroom, they are motivated to do well in other parts of their lives. When teachers are supported to create healthy classrooms, we all benefit. 

We look forward to seeing you again soon!

Recent Posts

Sharing Teaching Experiences (Part Two): I Now Feel Confident and Prepared Having Pupils of All Abilities in My PHE Class
[ Feature Article ] This article is two of a series of three about two teacher education programs, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) in Norway and Mount Royal University (MRU) in Calgary, collaboration in the field of Physical and Outdoor Education in teacher education. Written by three teacher educators, these articles are useful to those in the PHE field(s) in schools and in higher education. They demonstrate how there is much to learn from looking beyond our own borders through international partnerships engagement which can support everyone’s professional development, practice and pedagogy, philosophies of learning and teaching, and friendships.
Authored by: Helga Aadland
One teacher in front of 4 students. The teacher is high-fiving the left sudent. The 4 students looks happy and are smiling. / Un professeur devant 4 élèves. Le professeur applaudit l'élève de gauche. Les 4 élèves ont l'air heureux et sourient.
Nervous System Regulation in the Classroom
[ Feature Article ] "In order to make better choices, we need to be calm." Nervous system regulation plays a vital role in creating a supportive classroom environment. Educator Keri Albert shares practical techniques like breathing exercises, movement, and mindfulness to help PHE teachers manage stress and guide students toward emotional balance. By fostering calmness, educators can enhance decision-making and promote a healthier learning experience for everyone.
Authored by: Keri Albert, Martha Gumprich
A teacher holding a net with balls in it in a room that seems to allow physical activity for pupils. She has 5 pupils in front of her, 3 girls and 2 boys. 3 of them raise their hands to get a ball from the teacher. / Une enseignante qui tient un filet avec des ballons dedans dans une salle qui semble permettre de l’activité physique à des élèves. Elle a en face d’elle 5 élèves, 3 filles et 2 garçons. 3 d’entres eux lèvent la main pour avoir une balle de la part de l’enseignante.
Embracing the Unpredictable: Tips for Building your PE Supply Teacher Toolkit
[ Feature Article ] Looking for tips and tricks to keep in your PE supply teacher kit? Check out this article to access a variety of necessary K-8 “grab-and-go” style materials and TIPS to not just help you survive, but THRIVE as a PE supply teacher. Whether you are a seasoned supply teacher or just starting out, this article is a must read as you enter the upcoming school year!
Authored by: Caleb Poulin
A female teacher talking and smiling with 5 students in front of her / Une enseignante parle et sourit avec cinq élèves devant elle.
Amplifying Student Voice in Physical Education
[ Feature Article ] Amplifying student voice in physical education actively involves students in decisions that shape their learning. Through concrete examples and creative activities, teachers can better understand student perceptions and adapt their practices to foster an inclusive and meaningful learning environment. Learn how active listening and co-creation can transform physical education.
Authored by: Carla Nascimento Luguetti , Laura Alfrey
The photo is showing three young people talking and looking relaxed.
“The Peer Mentorship Network Helped Me Flourish”: A Whole School Approach to Peer Mentorship
[ Research ] This paper describes the practices of Health Promoters working for Mental Health and Addictions at Nova Scotia Health and their experience supporting a whole school approach to peer mentorship at a high school with a population of 800+ students.
Authored by: Dr. Laura Kennedy, Emily Berrigan, Alyce Casey, Liane Khoury, Sara Brushett, MA, BSc, Dan Steeves BEd, D.A.U.S, MAEd
The photo shows a festive event taking place on snow-covered ground, celebrated by people dressed in traditional indigenous clothing.
A Conversation with Spirit North: Celebrating Indigenous Youth and Unleashing Potential in Sport, School, and Life
[ Feature Article ] The PHE Journal had the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer MacPherson, Regional Director of Western Canada, and Taz Colbourne, Community Program Leader from an incredible organization, Spirit North, who are empowering Indigenous youth to become unstoppable in sport, school, and life.
Authored by: Jennifer MacPherson, Taz Colbourne, Caleb Poulin