The Best of At My Best K–3

A Student- and Teacher-informed Evaluation of an Elementary Health Education Resource

Abstract

At My Best K–3 is a curriculum-aligned resource intended for elementary teachers to support their instruction of health education in Canadian schools. Developed by Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada), At My Best K–3aims to help students develop emotional awareness while also seeing the connections between healthy eating, physical activity, and emotional well-being. Using drawing-telling (a novel participatory action research method) and qualitative interviews, this study explored student (n = 31) and teacher (n = 4) experiences and perceptions of the At My Best K–3program across three Canadian provinces. Data sources included students’ drawings and recorded discussions (drawing-telling) as well as individual interviews with their teachers. Students’ drawings of learnings from the program reflected aspects of healthy eating and physical activity. Emotional well-being was also reflected through students’ drawings related to personal happiness. Teachers reported positive observations of At My Best K–3, particularly as they relate to student engagement, materials, and impact. Based on the evaluation of At My Best K–3, we offer recommendations for inclusivity and cultural relevance within health education programing. Furthermore, given students’ limited understanding of interdependence between health behaviours, we suggest future emphasis needs to be placed on holistic health and interconnections of health behaviours within health education programming. Overall, At My Best K–3 program supports health education teachers in the delivery of quality health education.