30 Day Challenge #2 - 100 Push-ups a Day

This is the second entry in my series of monthly challenges. In January, I quit alcohol and sugar and reported on the things I learned. In February, I took the 100 push-up challenge, logging at least 100 push-ups, usually in four sets of 25, every day for 30 days. 

I couldn't have done this without preparation. This 55-year-old body wasn't ready to start any intense exercise without some trial runs. While I was abstaining from alcohol and sugar in January, I was also building my upper body strength. 

To facilitate this, I joined a Push-ups Twitter group, promoted by the Teachers on Fire Podcast logging my daily totals into this impressive spreadsheet. I struggled at first, but persisted. By February 1, I was ready for this month's challenge.

So, what did I learn?

I learned that my body, even at this age, responds positively when challenged. I can easily drop and power out 30 without breaking a sweat. Doing 100 push-ups daily became easier and easier.

My posture has improved. I stand slightly taller and more comfortably, especially after a work-out.

It is an amazing way to start your day. At first, I was doing the full 100 in the evening. Mid-month, I switched the routine. I now do 25 when I start the coffee maker and 25 more after my first cup. I'm not sure if it is the exercise or the caffeine that makes me more alert.

What's Next?

I will continue to complete at least 50 push-ups daily. I recently passed the 4000 mark and I am in the top 5 in the group for average push-ups per day. I know I am significantly older than most of the participants, so that has me chuffed.

In March, I am going to try 30 days as a pescetarian. A pescetarian follows a vegetarian diet that includes fish. I'll report again at the end of the month.

Thanks for reading - feel free to join in, I'd love to hear about your discoveries.

30 Day Challenge #1 - "I went alcohol and sugar-free for January" What did I learn?

Every winter we are warned about the perils of over-indulging.  The health-conscious embark on an annual crusade to protect us from ourselves. For if December is sleigh bells, roaring fires and Christmas cheer then January surely follows with bloated bellies, swollen livers, shameful gloom, and promises to reform.

For years, I have smugly boasted of practising sobriety in January or, as it is known in the Social Media world, #DryJanuary. Admittedly, there was always a little bit of cheating involved.

I would start on the first Sunday before returning to school, which could be any date from January 2 - 7. "After all", I would justify, "I am still on vacation!"

Additionally, I would compensate for the lack of boozy-treats with sugary and savory distractions. Without a beer on Saturday, a double-cheese pizza and a few bowls of M&Ms were a fine replacement.

Often, my alcohol abstinence would ended prematurely. If the last Friday in January fell on the 26th and I'd had a tough week, I'd triumphantly announce (to my better instincts): "Good enough" and pour a dram. The siren song of the nearest liquor store summoned, and I would capitulate. Unlike Odysseus, this untethered and sober sailor was quickly dashed on the rocks and bourbon shores.

The abundant selection at a typical LCBO store.

This year was different. I committed to the full 31 days and added to my no-drink policy an abstinence from refined sugars and heavy carbohydrates (no bread, no rice, no pasta, no chips).

So, how did it go?

Wonderfully well. I am writing this on February 4 and have been dry for 35 days having avoided sugars with the exception of a day when my students and I baked cookies during remote learning.

Cookie Ingredients waiting for my virtual class to log in.

What did I learn?

Quitting alcohol was easy. Quitting sugars and carbs was a different story. I craved sweets or salty snacks, especially watching television in the evenings. Additionally, when I spotted anything sugary, I would desperately try to find any justification  or flimsy excuse that would allow me to take a bite. 

The day I made the cookies with my class I wisely baked only nine and froze the remaining dough. This was sagacious. I devoured those nine biscuits like it was my job.

After three days everything gets better.

Sleep is deeper and more restful. I awake energized after 7 hours in the sack. In fact, I started looking forward to sleep. As a friend who was a new parent once said to me: "Eight hours uninterrupted sleep is my new drug of choice."

My mind became sharper, and my mental acuity improved. I found myself quicker-witted and funnier. Due to Covid-isolation, most of my satire was shared through group texts. Sadly, the speed of my clever retorts were hampered by clumsy thumbs. Alas, comedy is tragedy, plus timing.

A significant benefit has been weight loss -- less than hoped for, but 4 kilograms is pretty good. Professional trainers tell us not to fixate on the number on the scale. Bottom line, I felt better, less bloated and my clothes seem to fit more comfortably. No doubt, my blood pressure has also improved.

Finally, I got a lot more done. Whenever I was bored or drawn toward eating -- I poured my energy into positive distractions. I prepared lessons, wrote report cards, played guitar, practised piano and Spanish, or crafted a blog post...like this one.

Coming up next, 100 push-ups a day for 30 days. Four days in, I'm confident of succeeding. I'll update in March.

Shingles - (A story in 3 Parts)

This is Part Three of my "I'm stuck inside with the Shingles" series. Part One can be found here and Part Two is here.

Driving back from the Bruce Peninsula, I had convinced myself that I had a shellfish allergy and that it would only get worse with time. I quietly resigned myself to a life without oysters, clams, shrimp, mussels, lobster and, my personal favourite, Alaskan crab. 

The next day, the rash was worse...much worse. I made a trip to the Urgent Care clinic at the hospital near my home and was quickly diagnosed.

• The good news...shellfish are staying on the table
• The bad news...I had shingles.

It isn't as painful as I have heard it can be for many. I have described the feeling as a mild, localized sunburn. I am on medication (1000 mg of Valacyclovir - 3 times a day). The biggest downside is that I am stuck inside while beautiful summer weather taunts me through the windows. I can't use sun blocking chemicals on my skin & I don't trust my T-shirts to be dependable sun protection. 

So, I'm watching movies, playing video games and making up for an absence of physical activity by writing blogs and preparing for school in September. I figured I would burn up some boredom by sharing a few recollections that frame this experience - hence the previous two blogs.

As you might imagine, I have learned a lot about shingles in the past few days. 

• It is the chicken pox virus. When you get the pox (which I had as a kid) the virus just lies dormant amid your nerves.
• It is usually triggered when your immune system is compromised ... but sometimes, as in my case, for no discernible reason.
• It travels along your nerves and is always localized to one side of your body (for me the right of my torso).
• It can affect your neck and face ... which is reason for concern because scaring or damage to the eyes and ears is possible. (Whew!)
• It begins as redness, becomes an angry rash with a raised texture and then pustules form. (This is the stage I am in)
• The pustules will eventually burst and leave behind itchy scabs that you should not scratch. (I am not looking forward to this!)

There is a vaccine, Shingrix, which is recommended for adults over 50. However, it is only free if you are over 65 in Ontario. Although, I suspect I have coverage through my health benefits. If you live in Ontario, here is all the information you'll need. 

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.  

#OneWord 2019

It's been a quiet and reflective start to 2019. I just finished watching the Winter Classic (the annual outdoor NHL hockey game that always airs January 1st.) This year, the Boston Bruins defeated the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium. I did my Spanish lesson and cruised Twitter for a bit. It seems that another tradition, the #OneWord challenge, is also trending.

Last year, I wrote the following post and reflected on my goals for 2018. I chose the word CULTIVATE and I set four goals for myself.

1. I planned to cultivate a healthier lifestyle and I was somewhat successful. I eliminated all refined sugars (even things that convert easily to sugar - bread, rice, pasta, etc.) for the entire month of January and I easily dropped 20 lbs. I've kept most of it off, but I did notice that my "cheat day" became "cheat days" and this stopped the weight loss. I tried the "100 push-ups a day for 30 days" challenge four times. I failed in each month from September to December - but certainly got stronger. I am starting again today - as my toe injury (which took me out for two weeks) has finally healed.
2.  I wanted to cultivate my creative spirit. Again, I was somewhat successful. The middle-school novel I was writing sputtered, but I did complete a good number of blog posts and began working with a group of musicians on a Jukebox Musical about the life of Tom Petty. That might see some action next summer - it all depends on the rights to the music.
3. I wanted to cultivate my learning. I persisted with my Spanish on a daily basis - I'm at over 200 straight days on my current streak. I can now read at about a Grade 4 level, but I still struggle with hearing and responding. A trip to Spain in the summer for my wife's 50th birthday should help fix this. I played my guitar sporadically and, sadly, the saxophone never left the case.
4. I wanted to cultivate my capacity for giving to the community. I am fortunate that I have a job that allows me to mentor children & collaborate with educators. I'd like to continue to try to do more. 

Overall, 2018 was a fine year. I'm healthy (generally), I am in a wonderful marriage, I have cats that dote on me, I have a job I love, I got to go to New York City on a surprise vacation, my family members are alive and are doing well and I have so many great friends. I guess I am more this 

than this.

So, what's the plan for 2019 and what's my #Oneword going to be? 

I'll go with PERSIST.

• I am going to persist with the same goals I set for myself last year...maybe even get to that 30 day mark with my Push Ups and, who knows, perhaps pull my saxophone from its case.
• I am going to go refined sugar free until Superbowl and persist with good eating habits beyond that date.
• I am going to persist in my role as instructional coach and see if I can get more opportunities to collaborate with teachers who have not yet invited me in to their practice.
• I am going to persist with my writing. I am going to try to create and share something at least once a week.

Here's to a fantastic 2019 and a strong end to an interesting decade. 

Hope your year is wonderful!

The Health Curriculum and Why Parents don’t need to worry (as much).

Open Letter to My Grade 5 Parents:

We are about to start our Health Unit on Human Development. This is often dubbed the “Sex Ed” curriculum and is the one that has created concern for some parents. Please realize that much of that concern is because the facts have been misrepresented. Last year, I read a note that was being circulated in my community. I was shocked to see how much it distorted the facts. It seemed as if it was intentionally designed to frighten parents about what will be covered in class. Hopefully, I can alleviate any concerns with the following information about the specifics of the Grade 5 curriculum.

Look here for more information (Pages 160 - 162 on the PDF).

First off - the curriculum did not change much in Grade 5. There is a lot of information out there to suggest that this is an entirely different program - it is almost the same as it was 20 years ago.

Here is what it said in 1998 (When I taught my first Grade 5 class)

1. describe the secondary physical changes at puberty (e.g., growth of body hair, changes in body shape).
2. describe the processes of menstruation and spermatogenesis.
3. describe the increasing importance of personal hygiene following puberty.

Here is what it says now

1. identify the parts of the reproductive system, and describe how the body changes during puberty.
2. describe the processes of menstruation and spermatogenesis, and explain how these processes relate to reproduction and overall development.
3. describe emotional and interpersonal stresses related to puberty.

Some other facts to put your mind at ease

• We just finished a unit on human body systems and have already talked about a lot of our inner workings (including all the less pleasant parts of our digestive system). Consequently, the students are familiar with the fact that we talk about the human body like scientists - uncovering the secrets of many systems that help us function.

• Remember that the curriculum is not delivered by a robot. There is a caring, responsible adult who exists between the curriculum and your student. I want your student to be an informed pre-teen who is prepared for the changes that will happen in their bodies. I want them to be considerate, compassionate citizens who will treat others and themselves with respect, patience and kindness. I take great care to craft my lessons and presentations in a way that is honest and as comfortable as possible.

• For you, the curriculum is about your kid, but it is actually written for all kids. Specifically, it written to provide important information to children who would not get this information outside a classroom. A young person’s best advantage when navigating the pitfalls that come with a changing body is knowing the facts. Life changing, and even life ending, mistakes are best prevented by education.

As a final note, I will understand completely if you wish to remove your student from class during these lessons. It is your prerogative to provide this education to them in the way in which you see fit. Drop me a line, and I will let you know the exact periods (to the minute) in which this instruction will take place. You will need to sign your student out at the office and return them for the next period if possible.

However, I will warn you that they will likely ask their friends what was said while they were away. They are naturally curious - which is one of their greatest gifts. I would much prefer that they hear the facts directly from me and not second-hand, through the filter of students who, themselves, are just becoming familiar with this new information.

Sincerely,

Marc Hodgkinson

Grade 5 Teacher

Twitter & The Lesson that makes me Cry

Recently, while facilitating a workshop with a group of colleagues, I was asked about the relevance of Twitter and how it might be used in the classroom. I took some time to share with them the importance of building a Professional Learning Network (PLN) and listed all of the positives that come with a Twitter presence.

• It’s fun to follow people.
• You can facilitate student voice.
• It is a great source for news as it happens and therefore ...
• ...it is a social disruptor and galvanizer (Arab Spring, Russian annexation of Crimea).
• It is great for quick hits of Professional Development.
• Great educators share resources all the time.
• You can build a PLN specific to your interests and grade level.
• A Principal may (should?) ask about yours in an interview.
• It is ongoing evidence of your best practice - because you curate it.
• If you follow comedians, you will always have timely jokes.
• Growing your following rewards your ego (I’d like to say I am better than this … but I have learned that I am not)

When asked about using it in the classroom, I shared the unit that I have dubbed “the one that always makes me cry.”

One would think that, after delivering this unit more than five times, I would have developed a thicker skin. This has not been the case and I am now a firm believer in Andropause. My cynical and hardened veneer has increasingly been showing cracks.

• I struggle through sad movies...particularly those by Pixar (The first 10 minutes of “UP” gutted me).
• I more actively avoid media that is tragic and I have far more difficulty processing it when I encounter it.
• I quickly block any Facebook post that is potentially disturbing (I’m looking at you PETA).

I recognize that this softer side is likely evidence of emotional progress and I realize I am genuinely sharing an empathetic aspect of my personality with my students. However, there remains a nugget of neanderthal masculinity buried deep within my amygdala that steadfastly cautions me - “Emotion bad! You strong! Make joke to relieve tension!.... Good ...now talk about sports!”

The Activity

It begins with an open discussion about the word “homelessness” using a strategy called Post it, Pile it, Pin it. I may start by showing a few photos of homeless people and ask my students to think about words, ideas or opinions that come to mind. They are encouraged to share with each other by writing down their ideas on a post-it note. Another member of the group can also post ideas that are shared orally. A pile of these notes is created in the middle of the table. Finally, the notes are brought to the front and pinned to a chart paper. This also serves to sort the responses because similar responses are grouped.

An updated “techy” version of this involves laptops and a virtual wall - through a program called Padlet.

Obviously, responses will vary but; my experiences have seen the words tend to fall into two categories. One group of posts will contain negative opinions which castigate the homeless (drunk, criminals, lazy, dirty, scary, drug-users). The other set tend to show more compassion or sympathy (misunderstood, mentally ill, helpless, sad, poor). It seems likely that the students are merely parroting opinions that they have heard from others (perhaps the adults in their worlds). The ultimate goal of the lesson is to help them discover their own opinion and move past stereotypes. The Ontario Grade 6 Health curriculum connections fit in nicely here.

C1.3 identify factors that affect the development of a person’s self-concept (e.g., environment, evaluations by others who are important to them, stereotypes, awareness of strengths and needs, social competencies, cultural and gender identity, support, body image, mental health and emotional well-being, physical abilities).

I do my best to list these responses without showing judgement. It is important that students feel comfortable sharing their opinions and we regularly talk about how our perspectives can change when we have additional information. At this point, I share the picture book “Fly Away Home” by Eve Bunting with them. Well, actually, because I struggle to get through it without blubbering - I show the YouTube video of it.

There are some great discussion points available and many students are able to make the connection between the symbolic escape of the bird and Andrew’s life. We can also revisit some of the post it notes and talk about which ones apply to the characters in the story.

The Twitter Connection

So, how does this connect to Twitter? That comes in the next step. I share the following video in which homeless people read mean tweets about the homeless.

It is powerful and requires some setting up (It can also make me weepy). The word “piss” is used. Consequently, that requires some editing or a class discussion about language before it is screened. I prefer the latter. Students respond positively to frank conversation about word choice and this can be empowering for them.

We have a discussion about Tweets, Twitter and Hashtags. We use Edmodo as a classroom forum; so, they are already well versed in Social Media etiquette, online bullying and the T.H.I.N.K. approach to posting.

Again, we can look at our pinned notes and reflect on stereotypes and empathy. I then present the following challenge.

In 140 characters, can you write a kind tweet about homelessness which includes a hashtag to identify it.

As a class, we brainstorm and choose a hashtag. Suggestions and past examples have included #KindnessCounts #EHStudentsCare (EH is Eagle Heights) #HelpHomeless or maybe #KindTweets4Homeless.

I provide the students with a strip of graph paper with about 140 boxes available. The students develop their ideas on scrap paper and then, once satisfied, print them out on the graph paper strip. I log on to my Twitter account and they are invited to type in their Tweets. I do ask that they call me over to confirm things before posting. Over the next few hours, we look forward to alerts that “like” or “retweet” our efforts at kindness.

If you would like to help us, drop me a line. It would be great to organize a day of kind tweets around a common hashtag. If not, look for our tweets this fall. I think I may take the coward’s route and encourage my student teacher to deliver this unit.

Good … Make joke...Sad feeling go back down!

A More Amazing Race

I have made use of The Amazing Race and The Amazing Race - Canada to help deliver the Grade 8 and Grade 4 Social Studies curriculum for over ten years. If you are unfamiliar, “The Amazing Race” is a television program where teams of two, with an existing relationships, race around the world (or Canada) trying to find a predetermined location or "pit-stop". Along the way, they must arrange transportation, find clues and complete multi-disciplinary challenges. The goal for each team on each episode, or leg of the race, is to avoid arriving last at the pit-stop - where they face probable elimination. On the last leg of the race, the remaining three teams strive to be the first pair to make it to a Final Pit-Stop and be declared the winners of The Race. They receive a prize of $1,000,000 or $500,000 on the Canadian Version.

For the last two years, when I was teaching Grade 4, the first season of the Canadian version was ideal for introducing our beautiful and diverse country to my students (more than half of whom are recent arrivals to this vast and splendid landscape). It was the perfect vehicle to explore the Political and Physical Regions of Canada from the Social Studies section of the Ontario Curriculum - see page 102. We were even lucky enough to have Season One participants Jet and Dave visit our classroom to answer questions about their experiences on the show.

Last year, I made the transition to Grade 5/6 and thought I would have to retire the unit. However, near the end of the year, my teaching colleague reminded me that he had attended my workshop in 2011 and had adapted my Grade 7/8 unit to fit the Grade 6 curriculum. Specifically, he used Season 10 as a jumping-off point to discussions about Canada's Interactions with the Global Community (Pg 124). Additionally, he reminded me of all the connections we could make to the Ontario Learning Skills (Pg. 17) - particularly Collaboration, Organization & Initiative.

Furthermore, Season 10 boasted a wonderfully diverse cast of participants which would allow for in-depth discussions of Stereotypes - an important element of this section of the Grade 6 Health Curriculum:

By the end of Grade 6, students will assess the effects of stereotypes, including homophobia and assumptions regarding gender roles and expectations, sexual orientation, gender expression, race, ethnicity or culture, mental health, and abilities, on an individual’s self-concept, social inclusion, and relationships with others, and propose appropriate ways of responding to and changing assumptions and stereotypes.

On Season 10, teams included:

• Asian-American brothers
• Devout Muslim friends
• Beauty Pageant winners
• A married gay couple from New York
• A father and his gay daughter
• A rural Kentucky couple
• African-American, single mothers from Alabama
• Two triatheletes - one of whom has an artificial leg
• Friends who are recovering drug addicts
• An Indian-American Couple

In their opening interviews, many team members emphasize that their goal (aside from winning the million dollar prize) is to help break the assumptions and stereotypes associated with their particular race, gender, culture, physical ability etc.

Our class discussion of the teams (following their introductions) provided us with a safe environment to discuss the stereotypes often associated with these varied individuals. As the show progressed, students had the opportunity to see many stereotypes broken. Mary, one of the Kentuckian participants, summed this experience up for many of my students when she stated; “I’ve never met Asians before, or any gay people...they’re really nice.”

Throughout the unit, engagement was high. We did not simply “watch” an episode...we interacted with it. We paused to discuss learning skills, debate sportsmanship, speculate on strategy or sympathize with the participants.  We kept a score sheet at the back of the room for each leg of the race and awarded teams with a variety of honours, including “most cooperative”, “most organized” or "best self-regulation" at the end of each episode.

Students were given an option of using a printed map or the Google My Maps application, to locate and mark the destinations to which the racers travelled. Additionally, a "Canadian Connections" chart (on paper or through Google Docs) provided students with a space to share things that they saw, they learned and they researched about each destination and Canada. (I had no idea we imported nearly 100 million dollars worth of goods from Madagascar! Thank you for the vanilla & coffee!

My teaching colleague and I arranged our schedules so that we could show the episodes simultaneously. This would prevent any spoilers leaking from one class to the next. At the end of the unit, his class prepared an Amazing Race day for our class with a dozen challenges from multiple areas of the curriculum (Phys. Ed., Math, Science, Art, Language, Dance and more). We returned the favour with our own version a few days later. I hope to write about that shortly. It was a wonderful success.

From Safe Harbour to Slippery Slope - The "New" Ontario Health Curriculum

Here comes the Boom

Last spring, the Ontario Government released the details of the updated Health and Physical Education Curriculum. However, it was quickly branded the “New Sex Ed” curriculum by both detractors and defenders. Controversy and commentary began immediately, and I was soon hearing and reading everything from legitimate, well-considered critique to absurd criticism and outlandish generalities.  

Within the month I was fielding questions from parents, friends and intrigued strangers at social gatherings. It was a political hot-potato and teachers were often thrust into the spotlight as instant authorities. The big questions (other than the occasional “Is it true that…?” inquiries) seemed to be “Did I agree with it?” and “How was I going to implement it?”

My Temporary Harbour of Ignorance

At that time, I was safe.  I was far too busy with the current school year and the existing health curriculum - so I didn’t have to comment.  My grade 4 students were dealing with the dangers of smoking - creating skits about “saying no” and manufacturing warning labels with Google Draw - safe from the storm of controversy in our little harbour of ignorance.

I did, however, remind any inquisitor that the classroom teacher remained an important human factor standing between the specific expectations of the curriculum and the delivery of that information to the student. He or she is the filter who will make a sincere, prudent and professional effort to meet the expectations of as many people as possible.  It was a good sentence and it afforded me many thoughtful nods of approval.  At the least, it was long enough for me have time to change the topic - “So, how about those Jays?”

How do I square that circle?

It is now mid-summer and I do have the time to examine the documents for myself.  I should preface that I am only looking at the Grade 5 (C1.3 C1.4 & C2.4 pages 156-158) and Grade 6  sections (C2.5 C2.6 &C 3.3, pages 174-177) of the curriculum.  I am setting up my lessons for the upcoming year and I know that the flames of controversy will be fanned again on the next "slow-news" day. I know that, this time, I will need to be prepared.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health1to8.pdf

After reading it for the first time...I remarked that it didn't seem markedly different from the curriculum I remembered when I last taught Grade 5 & 6.  Looking back at the 1998 document - I was correct.  

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/health18curr.pdf

Regardless, I typed the following in my lesson plan notes to use as my anchor moving forward...

“So, how do I professionally approach this curriculum in a way that respects the importance of these concepts? How do I ensure that students are prepared for the changes they will undergo while also respecting their innocence? Concurrently, how do I respect the multiple values of each family and culture in my school community?”

I keep thinking about an image I saw on the CBC website several months ago.  A group of chilly protesters are gathered in front of Queen’s Park with a flag that read “Math not masturbation, Science not sex!”

I know I echo the sentiment of many educators when I say - We agree - we don't relish the idea of teaching the "prickly-topics". We would far prefer that the family navigate the edges, angles and corners of human growth and sexuality. In fact, we would rather focus on many of the more conventional topics and leave much of the health curriculum to parents - including dental hygiene, healthy eating & internet safety.  It would certainly free up a lot more time for things like coding, writing, and problem solving.  

However, the prickly topics are unavoidable because we should all be in the business of making informed thinkers. We all want to be difference makers and provide our young charges with the important information they need to protect them from as many avoidable pitfalls as possible.  The question seems to remain - Who needs the information and when do they need it? Additionally, if my students are not able to make healthy choices with their bodies, diet, dental hygiene or internet interactions - things like coding, writing and problem solving become a minor concern.

At this time, I need to take a necessary pause and turn my attention to something else - perhaps the recently adapted Social Studies curriculum.  A fall election is looming and I need to be prepared to maximize that learning experience.  Hopefully, someone much smarter than I will provide me with the ideal approach to this slippery slope.  Volunteers?