Back to School – COVID style…

Not sure if you’ve noticed, but ‘back to school’ this year is a little different… We’ve had a long journey to this point, now it’s time to take a deep breath and dive in (don’t forget your mask!)! Our team here at the Healthy Schools Lab are also back at it – so we thought we’d share the same collection of resources with you that we are sharing with our students (and teacher-friends). Of course, be sure to always follow your local school authority policies and guidelines for the COVID era of Health and Physical Education (HPE) as these resources are from all over the place. As well, if you need to advocate for HPE with your administrators, check out our popular pandemic post.

A couple general points to begin. First off, go outside as much as possible!! Now is a great time to get those ‘play outside’ habits going, connect with the great outdoors and the community resources around your school. Second, keep advocating for quality HPE – kids need to extend their health and physical literacy journeys now more than ever (again, check out why…). Third, why not share resources virtually with your colleagues through a shared folder – you could even share this post! Finally, don’t re-invent the wheel. Use what’s out there and modify (REPS: rules, equipment, people, space). Ask your students for their ideas on how to be safe and follow guidelines – they are often the most creative!

Physical and Health Education Canada is your national go-to source for HPE resources! Check out these: Return to School Guidelines provides broad ideas and processes for teaching quality HPE in a pandemic. Physical Education Instruction and Health Education Instruction speak specifically to ideas for quality HPE instruction online and in school. The PHE Learning Centre offers a wealth of activities as well as links to the Cross Canada Check In conversations (the next one is September 30th!). Finally, check out At My Best – a free resource for K-6 that focuses on developing lifelong healthy habits!

Many other organizations have COVID-specific or adapted resources. Here’s a few!

• Ever Active Schools
• SHAPE America
• OPHEA
• CIRA Ontario
• Open PhysEd
• The Physical Educator
• Boks Kids
• PlaySport

What about stepping up your virtual game to get connected with people and resources?

• Are you on Twitter? Follow national & provincial organizations @EverActiveAB, @albertaHPEC, @PHECanada, @opheacanada, @DASHBC, @SPEAonline to name a few!
• Check out a few Youtube channels:
  • EAS DPA everyday
  • PL3Y inc.
  • Flaghouse Channel
  • Joey Feith / The Physical Educator
  • Brian Lewis & Growing Young Movers
  • Others? Let us know and we can add them here.

For the Physical and Health Teacher Educators (PHETE) in the crowd, here’s a short article in the Brock Education Journal by some colleagues of ours that examined specific challenges and solutions for online PETE including future research directions.

Finally, two more connections. One of Lauren’s MEd students, Seanne Stillar, was in charge of developing a “COVID” PE year plan and HE year plan. She generously allowed us to share these here: PE YEAR PLAN & HE YEAR PLAN As well, our friend George Kourtis with TDSB (@HPE_TDSB) developed guidelines with his Board that he will be sharing here. Incidentally, this is a fab website with home workouts for staff – nice work George!

We wish you all the best for the return of health and physical education to the lives of your students. Get outside, wash your hands, wear a mask when necessary and stay healthy friends!