Ontario’s Health and Physical Education Curriculum in

Our Catholic Schools

Opening Prayer

Hail Mary, full of grace.The Lord is with thee.Blessed art thou among women,and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.Holy Mary, Mother of God,pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

How is Curriculum Developed/Reviewed?• Regular Review Cycle

• Writing/review team put together: majority are teachers with a specialty in the area

• Usually representatives from the 4 Publicly Funded Education communities: English Public, English Catholic, French Public, French Catholic

• May include researchers or other specialists in the curricular area

• Generally reviews take about 3 years

• Then sent for review – curriculum partners, community groups, etc.

Role of Parents

• Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators. (Pope Paul VI)

• Parents are the primary educators of their children with

respect to learning about values, appropriate behaviour, and ethnocultural, spiritual and personal beliefs and traditions, and they act as significant role models for their children. (Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum)

Family Life

Ontario Catholic schools have always taught “sex-ed” through our Family Life program.

For over thirty-five years, the Ontario Bishops have worked with Catholic partners to develop a faith filled, age appropriate program that provides our students with an understanding of sexuality as God intended.

This program is called “Fully Alive”.

Fully Alive Goals

•present a distinctively Catholic view of human life, sexuality, marriage and family. •complement the efforts of families •support what parents are doing at home.

The entire program, from Grades 1 through Grade 8, is designed to encourage students to become the people God wants them to be – to be fully alive.

5 Themes:1. Created and Loved by God

2. Living in Relationship

3. Created Sexual: Male and Female

4. Growing in Commitment

5. Living in the World

Family Life Curriculum is where we teach Human Development and Sexual Health

Family Life

In Toronto Catholic, every student in Grades 1 to 8 is taught the “sex-ed” curriculum using the approved Fully Alive program.

All “sex-ed” curricula is ONLY taught in our Fully Alive program.

Details about the Fully Alive Program is on the Ontario Bishops’ website: www.acbo.on.ca

Do Catholic school boards have to

follow the Ontario curriculum?

Catholic Curriculum

While working with Ministry of Education curricula, Catholic schools use the Gospel of Jesus and the tradition of the Catholic Church as the starting point in our educational approach to ALL content.

ICE (Institute for Catholic Education)

• works with and assists organizations that share responsibility for English Catholic education in their efforts to promote and maintain publicly funded Catholic schools animated by the Gospel and reflected by the tenets of the Catholic faith

• Coordinates writing Catholic curriculum within the parameters established by the Ministry of Education

• Develops material in Religious Education and related areas under the guidance of and in the name of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario

Revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum, Grades 1 – 8, 2015

Ministry of Education HPE curriculum

HPE Curriculum Overview

• Has 3 strands:• Active Living• Movement Competence• Healthy Living

• Healthy Living Strand covers:• Healthy eating• Personal safety and injury prevention• Substance use, addictions and related behaviours• Human growth and sexual health

TOPIC: Human Development and Sexual Health

Understanding Health Concepts Making Healthy Choices Making Connections for Healthy Living

Grade 1 C1.3 Body PartsC1.4 Senses and functions

C2.5 Hygienic procedures

Grade 2 C1.4 Stages of dev’t C2.4 Oral Health

Grade 3 C1.3 Healthy RelationshipsC1.4 Physical and emotional development

C3.3 Visible, invisible differences, respect

Grade 4 C1.5 Puberty changes; emotional, social impact

C2.4 Puberty – personal hygiene and care

Grade 5 C1.3 Reproductive SystemC1.4 Menstruation, spermatogenesis

C2.4 Emotional, interpersonal stresses - puberty

Ministry curriculum

Fully AliveGRADE 3…CREATED AND LOVED BY GOD:A1. Appreciating God’s Goodness: demonstrate an appreciation that humans have been created in the image of a loving God. A1.2 Recognize and appreciate the variety of people in their classroom

GRADE 3…LIVING IN RELATIONSHIP:B3.1 Describe some unique characteristics of their families

HPE C3.3 describe how visible differences and invisible differences make each person unique, and identify ways of showing respect for differences in others

So what does this look like?

Where’s the controversy?

• Phrases found in the teacher promptsAND/OR

• Expressions used in the student promptsAND/OR

• The “e.g.”s – the examples given

All of these are optional!

Even in the “secular” curriculum…

Example of a Controversial Expectation

HPE Grade 3

C3.3 describe how visible differences and invisible differences make each person unique, and identify ways of showing respect for differences in others

Teacher Prompt: “…..Give me some examples of things that make each person unique.”Student: “We all come from different families. Some students live with two parents. Some live with one parent. Some have two mothers or two fathers….”

A Reminder…..

In Toronto Catholic, every student in Grades 1 to 8 is taught the “sex-ed” curriculum using the approved Fully Alive program.

All HPE human growth and sexual health expectations will be met through our Fully Alive program. Teachers will ONLY use our program.

Details about the Fully Alive Program is on the Ontario Bishops’ website: http://www.acbo.on.ca/

TOPIC: Human Dev’t and Sexual Health

Understanding Health Concepts

Making Healthy Choices

Making Connections for Healthy Living

Grade 6 C1.3 Dev’t of self concept

C2.5 Understanding of puberty changes, healthy relationshipsC2.6 Decision making in relationships

C3.3 Stereotypes and assumptions – impacts and strategies for responding

Grade 7

C1.3 Delaying sexual activityC1.4 Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)C1.5 STI and pregnancy prevention

C2.4 Sexual health and decision making

C3.3 Relationships at puberty

Grade 8 C1.4 Decisions about sexual activity; supportsC1.5 Gender identity, sexual orientation, self-concept

C2.4 Decision making, contraception

C3.2 Relationships and intimacy

So what does this look like?

Fully Alive Grade 7…CREATED SEXUAL MALE AND FEMALE:C1.2 recognize and appreciate the challenge of being good stewards of their lives as body/spirit personsC2.4 recognize and appreciate that intimate sexual activity exposes young people to serious moral, emotional and physical harmC3.2 explain the value of good nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep, protection of sexual health, and a realistic view of body image during adolescenceC3.4 describe attitudes and behaviours that show respect for the gift of sexuality

C1.3 explain the importance of having a shared understanding with a partner about delaying sexual activity until they are older; the reasons for not engaging in sexual activity; the concept of consent and how consent is communicated; and, in general, the need to communicate clearly with each other when making decisions about sexual activity in the relationship

More controversy…..

HPE Grade 7

C1.3 explain the importance of having a shared understanding with a partner about the following: delaying sexual activity until they are older (e.g., choosing to abstain from any genital contact; choosing to abstain from having vaginal or anal intercourse; choosing to abstain from having oral-genital contact); the reasons for not engaging in sexual activity; the concept of consent and how consent is communicated; and, in general, the need to communicate clearly with each other when making decisions about sexual activity in the relationship

A Reminder…..

In Toronto Catholic, every student in Grades 1 to 8 is taught the “sex-ed” curriculum using the approved Fully Alive program.

All HPE human growth and sexual health expectations will be met through our Fully Alive program. Teachers will ONLY use our program.

Details about the Fully Alive Program is on the Ontario Bishops’ website: http://www.acbo.on.ca/

Catholic Schools will continue to teach Fully Alive as we move into the Human Development and Sexual Health sub topic of the Healthy Living portion of the revised 2015 Health and Physical Education Curriculum

Catholic View of Human Life, Sexuality, Marriage and Family

Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario website http://www.acbo.on.ca/englishweb/fullyalive.htm

COMPLETED TO DATE: Reviewed current Family Life Education program Fully Alive Sent home communication to elementary families Responded to and provided direction to community

members Provided Principals with information on updated curriculum Information sharing for SO’s and Trustees Media release

UNDERWAY: Connecting with Catholic partners to create resources Working on linking Secondary HPE Revised Curriculum and

Religious Education curriculum

1. Remember who we are – Values, integrity of the person, hands and feet of Jesus

2. Comment on what we know, not rumour and gossip3. Avoid personalizing and negative stereotypes4. Use the support of the Principal5. Talk about what we are doing – we are doing Great

things.6. Be reassured that we have a plan to continue to teach

according to Gospel teaching7. Remember that even when we disagree and advocate,

we can model our Virtues and strengthen our community

PRESERVE, PROMOTE AND PROTECT

QUESTIONS?