Embedded Files
Essential Theory
Essential Theory
Hygiene and health: modelled by the hygiene of adults and by the school through clean classroom environments.
Physical fitness: According to the CDC, children ages 3 to 5 need physical activity throughout the day. Children ages 6 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, which is a significantly more than is needed for an adult. It is essential to incorporate physical activity throughout the school day with mandatory P.E., as well as the availability of diverse forms
Nutrition: supports positive and informative nutrition messaging in schools through knowledge and practice in healthy eating.
Sleep: According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teens should sleep 8-10 hours a night, children ages 6-12 should sleep 9-12 hrs a night, and children ages 3-5 should sleep 10-13 hrs a night. Extreme fatigue in the classroom should be addressed with both students and families.
Clean water and shelter: UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goals include access to clean water and sanitation, which recognize the impact of proper hand-washing, access to quality drinking water sources, and sanitation skills as critical to child and adolescent development. Similarly, stable housing and shelter is key to avoiding the negative benefits of homelessness, which include varying degrees of negative academic impacts
Physical safety (home and school): Learning is extremely limited if a student feels unsafe. Every human being is entitled to an absence of acts of violence, and proactive measures to reduce risky behaviors, and positive learning climates that promote a students’ feelings of connection and belonging to their school community
Physical Development
Physical Development
The physical domain of whole child education focuses on the development of physical health, well-being, and motor skills. It encompasses aspects such as nutrition, exercise, body awareness, and the development of fine and gross motor skills. Physical development promotes overall health, coordination, physical fitness, and the understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
Practice Checklist
Practice Checklist
To the right is an overall checklist that details the major steps in addressing the physical domain of the whole child both at your school and in the classroom.
As the you develop a team and classroom practices, this checklist is designed to help you keep track of your progress and moving forward in the pursuit of whole child development.
physical_checklist.pdfRecommended Practices
Recommended Practices
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
Healthy lifestyles (including nutritious meals and physical activitiy) and physical safety are necessary conditions from which young minds are able to flourish and learn. If a child has not slept, eaten, played or does not feel safe, that child will have a lot of difficulty learning. We need to care for our children's physical body. Jesus remains a model and hope for us in the Resurrection of His Body. In Catholicism, the body is a very important part of the whole person and special sacredness must be placed on the growing bodies of children.
Nutrition Education
Nutrition Education
Educate students on what a healthy plate for each meal looks like and promote these standards in the school lunches offered. To promote service and recognize the distinct opportunities available to students, offer free summer lunches that volunteer students can help to pass out to children who are in need of summer meals.
Physical Activity Throughout the Day
Physical Activity Throughout the Day
Incorporating physical activity throughout the day in all classes, not just P.E., is an important way to keep children active. This can be done by weaving in stretching and movement breaks but also by creating interactive, physical lesson plays that help to use student's bodies and interactions with eachother to teach new concepts.
Identify At-Risk Students
Identify At-Risk Students
Students with declining academic performance and decreased ability to pay attention should be assessed for physical safety within the home and school, as well as sleep hygiene habits. Students and families should work with school counselors and social workers to create personalized safety plans.
Sensory Pathways
Sensory Pathways
Sensory paths provide an environment of organization and interaction that children can engage with. This allows students to channel their energy into their environment without being overstimulated by their environments. Learn more about sensory paths in the classroom.
Recommended Publications
Recommended Publications
Comprehensive physical activity programs guide for schools developed by the CDC
The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC model) developed by the CDC as a framework to address health in schools
Information on Physical Safety by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
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