Here's the thing about teaching Health Education

I have been an educator for over 20 years and I love what I do.

Sure, there are subjects I enjoy teaching more than others. 

• There is nothing like reading an engaging novel to a room full of excited 10 year-olds who are hanging on to every word - covering their mouths as Virginia tries to escape the Troll King's lair before he makes her "dance" with the red-hot metal shoes baking in the fire. 
• There is also the challenge of convincing a group of disengaged Grade 7 students that calculating unit rates comparing Gillian & Ryan's potato prices is actually important.  

I've been in both situations many times. One is certainly more preferable to the other. Especially because Virginia does escape...with the help of the Half-Wolf!

When it comes to the Ontario Health Curriculum, current Minster of Education Lisa Thompson is promoting a familiar refrain: "Parents are the experts" when it comes to teaching their children about sex-ed.

I agree - in a perfect world - this is absolutely true. 

In a perfect world, every child would return home from school to a safe, healthy, happy environment where balanced meals, screen-viewing limitations and dental hygiene were always part of their evening ritual. Sure, those homes exist in abundance but, sadly these situations are not universal. 

This is the reason why we teach

• Grade 1 students about the difference between caring and exploititive behaviour.
• Grade 2 students about healthy eating & the dangers of prescription medicines.
• Grade 3 students about Oral Health & the impact of fictional vs real violence.
• Grade 4 students about the dangers of tobacco, smoking & the safe use of technology.
• Grade 5 students about alcohol & the changes that happen during puberty.
• Grade 6 students about cannabis, addictive behaviour and self-care.
• Grade 7 students about mental health & body image.
• Grade 8 students about Sexually Transmitted Diseases & the impact of violence.

Here's the thing about teaching Health Education...

• Ideally, parents would take responsible for all of it and teachers would have more time to focus on the other subjects.
• I know that "Your Kid" might not need to hear these things yet but...

"It is not about "Your Kid" - It's about Kids." 

Right now, there are kids in every one of those grades who desperately need the information about exactly the topics that I have listed and that our curriculum addresses. They need caring adults to help guide them through these crucial times in their lives. Fortunately, they have them because ... collectively, we know best.