University of Ottawa B.Ed.

Comprehensive School Health Cohort

The Bachelor of Education program invites preparing teachers who are interested and have a passion for promoting health to enrol in the CSH cohort. As a member of this cohort, student teachers have the opportunity to be actively involved in planning, preparing, and leading health and well-being initiatives in schools. No previous experience is required only an openness and excitement to new ideas.

Primary/Junior B.Ed. students who are accepted into the CSH cohort will experience the CSH themes infused into each of their foundational as well as subject-specific courses. Students in the cohort will also explore how to integrate CSH into Ontario curricula, using the Foundations for a Healthy School resource, as well as participate in various community service learning projects. In addition to the content of these courses, a culture of comprehensive health will also be promoted through experiential learning opportunities (Daily Physical Activity, stress-management, relationship building, healthy eating, mental health, etc.)

The cohort’s programming is also supported by a range of co-curricular activities that may include workshops, team-building activities, guest speakers, lunch-time activity clubs and discussion groups. Candidates who choose to enrol in this cohort are invited to participate in generating new resources (lesson and unit plans, health promotion activities, articles, etc.) for our website and to act as champions of health in their courses as well as their practicum schools. Students are encouraged, but not required, to choose either PED3144 (Counselling Applications) or PED3139 (Creating Health, Safe and Supportive Learning Environments) as their elective course within the B.Ed. program.

As part of the broader CSH community cohort members will have the unique opportunity to meet and work with local health-promoting community groups, gain confidence in ways to integrate health and education, build their professional networks, and develop skills for leading and collaborating to create sustaining health programs for schools in communities to support students’ learning.