The BC Curriculum and Health Education

This week in class, we focused a lot on the bc curriculum and how important it is to discuss how it supports the development of health and physical education. We also considered how this curriculum structure aligns with promoting overall well-being and active living. Below, I will reflect on how I can use the BC curriculum’s approach to health and physical education in my future career or community involvement to encourage positive health behaviours.   

Health and physical education play an essential part in developing long-term good health. The British Columbia (BC) Curriculum offers an organizing framework for the whole person, including holistic health, physical activity, and mental health. Before I become a high school teacher, applying and understanding how these principles can be beneficial to achieve positive health behaviour in education and community settings is very important to me.  

The British Columbia Curriculum and Its Sponsorship of Health and Physical Education(BCL)

The BC Curriculum is integrative and student-based, focusing on physical, emotional and social health. The Physical and Health Education (PHE) curriculum includes Core competencies, including communication, thinking and personal and social responsibility, to equip students to manage health-related challenges.

One of the main strengths of the BC Curriculum is its inquiry-based learning framework, which guides students to learn about health and physical education through reflection and interaction. Rather than only being concerned with the physical aspect of health, the course is also concerned with the mental makeup, identity and relationships, allowing a broader picture of health.

The curriculum is based on Big Ideas, which focuses on physical literacy, the relationship between physical and mental health, and the social and cultural impact on health. This broad approach helps students develop lifelong health and active living skills and knowledge.  Having a healthy relationship with staying active starting from a young age is very important in ensuring those active habits continue as you age.

This is a picture that came up in the slideshow this week in class as well as on the BC government website talking about the curriculum.  It discusses the Core Competencies for Physical and Health Education for grade 8’s. Here is the link to read more about it: 

https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/physical-health-education/8/core

Aligning Curriculum Structure with Well-Being and Active Living

The BC Curriculum advocates for well-being and active living by including fundamental health concepts within a modular structure. Its focus is on inclusivity, which means that students from all walks of life and with all needs can participate meaningfully in health and physical education. The individualized approach to learning enables students to select activities they enjoy, thus increasing the likelihood of embarking on lifelong physical activity.

Furthermore, the curriculum is filled with Indigenous understandings of health and healthiness, reinforcing the holistic view of an individual’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. This approach moves health from the individual’s responsibility towards a community-based, collective practice.  I have also heard from teachers and students at my old high school that they have added an indigenous-focused class as a graduation requirement for students.  

Applying the BC Curriculum Beyond the Classroom

Once I become a secondary school teacher, I will adapt these principles to my English and Physical Health Education teaching. Developing a learning environment in which students are motivated to value well-being, resilience, and active living will be an essential policy.

In addition to teaching, this model has applications in coaching, wellness programs, and health promotion. The curriculum’s focus on lifelong health skills ensures individuals maintain positive health behaviours beyond school, benefiting families and communities. I hope to be a coach while also being a teacher.  Having a large sports background in various sports, I feel that I will be exceptionally equipped to teach kids how to live a healthy life, enjoy being active, and make it something they look forward to doing rather than a chore. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, BC’s health and physical education curriculum supports lifelong health, well-being, and physical activity. Combining its key goals into teaching and community outreach is very important.  One thing I took away from this week and looking further into BC’s curriculum is that I realized how I can help promote healthy behaviours, social inclusion, and resilience once I am a high school teacher. I can also implement the BC Curriculum to contribute to holistic development and positive health actions in different contexts.

I look forward to designing my teaching model with all the core competencies included once I am a teacher.  

References

British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2019). Physical and Health Education Curriculum. Retrieved from //curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/physical-health-education

Whitehead, M. (2010). Physical Literacy: Throughout the Lifecourse. Routledge.

A Global Perspective. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-promotion#tab=tab_1