When the sidewalks fill with joggers in brand-new running shoes, it's a sure sign of spring. While the weather in some parts of the country isn't cooperating just yet, there's still a shift that happens around this time of year.
Windows are opened to let in new air, hikers rediscover paths in the woods, and new ideas pop up as frequently as green shoots in the garden.
This issue, we focus on those fresh ideas, as well as alternative approaches to familar challenges.
Jason Stump, a health educator in Brampton, Ont., shares the new practices his school put into place to help get more girls active and invested in physical education in school—and beyond.
Leslie Walberg-Hegan and Deanna Swift of Ontario’s Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board share a success story about a project aimed at helping young people learn to manage life’s stressors, with the help of resources developed by the Psychology Foundation of Canada.
Also tackling the challenge of student stress, David Chorney and Kendra Eliuk explore the different ways teachers can employ mindfulness in the classroom, to help children manage anxiety, and stay calm and in the moment.
Our Teacher to Teacher column this month offers up creative alternatives for physical education teachers whose gyms are out of commission.
Daniel Lehman, a teacher at Gilbert Plains Collegiate in Manitoba shares the promising results of incorporating wearable fitness trackers into his school’s Grade 11 and 12 physical education program.
Our Community Leader Spotlight subject, Brian Lewis, is quietly changing lives as the c-founder and program director for Growing Young Movers (G.Y.M.) Youth Development Inc., an organization dedicated to enhancing the social, emotional and physical well-being of children.
And our peer-reviewed article for this issue, by Shannon Kell, considers how teacher candidates feel about teaching physical education, and proposes changes to improve the structure of PE curriculum and pedagogy courses.
PHE Canada thanks all our authors for their commitment, inspiring ideas and practical strategies for enhancing the health and well-being of Canadian youth.
We hope you enjoy the issue!