fostering positive body-image: teacher's guide -

CANADIAN OLYMPIC SCHOOL PROGRAM | Winter 2013/2014

www.olympic.ca/education

TEACHER’S GUIDE

BE A CHAMPION FOR LIFE:FOSTERING POSITIVE BODY-IMAGE

BE A CHAMPION FOR LIFE: FOSTERING POSITIVE BODY-IMAGE | TEACHER’S GUIDE

INTRODUCTIONIMAGINE A WORLD WHERE NO ONE CARED ABOUT HOW SMALL, TALL, SKINNY OR LARGE YOU WERE. Where no one judged you and where you could wear clothes that made you feel comfortable, where you did not care about the brand nor the colour of your clothes. A world where no one was ever made fun of or bullied and where you had the confidence to do what was really important to you. Where you had healthy relationships and felt valued and accepted, where positive body image and self-esteem were fostered in all people of all body shapes, races, genders, and abilities in physical activity.

Unfortunately, today’s world places a great deal of pressure on children and youth that challenges their mental fitness, including body image and self-esteem. Promoting positive body image and healthy self-esteem at an early age must start today across all Canadian schools and within the many homes across the nation. This call to action is NOW so Canadian children and youth can develop a healthy relationship with food and physical activity, develop a positive body image, enhance their mental fitness and self-esteem and avoid disordered eating.

CANADIAN OLYMPIC SCHOOL PROGRAM | Winter 2013/2014 www.olympic.ca/education2

WHAT IS MENTAL FITNESS?Mental fitness is defined as a “state of psychological well-being derived from our thoughts and emotions, and is based on our need to be valued or appreciated for our strengths and positive qualities (competence), need to be included or belong (relatedness) and the freedom to make healthy choices (autonomy) (Allain & Orlick, 2013; Deci & Ryan, 2007; Health and Education Research Group, 2007).

To learn more about fostering positive Mental Fitness in your students check out the Give Your Everything: Be a Champion For Life at http://olympic.ca/resources/give-your-everything-be-a-champion-for-life/.

“I was a late bloomer growing up and had to undergo a lot of bullying in my Junior high years. I never changed who I was on the inside and always stayed true to myself.”- Adrienne Power, Athletics



“A positive body image to me means, learning to love your body just the way you are made.”- Ohenewa Akuffo, Wrestling

WHAT IS SELF-ESTEEM?When we speak about having a healthy self-esteem, we usually refer to having good feelings about ourselves (Katz, 1995). With younger children and adolescents, this often refers to feeling accepted and valued by those who are important to them. When children and adolescents feel that they are accepted and valued and are cared for by important adults and friends, they feel mentally fit and safe and that they can pursue their dreams. Unfortunately when children and adolescents feel that their peers or significant adults do not accept them, do not care about them, and do not value or appreciate them, they develop low-self-esteem and often do not meet their potential to succeed.

The National Eating Disorder Information Centre defines body image as “the mental picture you have of your body - what it looks like, what you believe about it, and how you feel about your body. Self-esteem is the ‘real’ opinion you have of yourself, how you value and respect yourself as a person. Your self-esteem has a direct effect on how you take care of yourself, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Self-esteem and body image also exert influences on each other - it is hard to feel good about yourself if you hate your body.” (National Eating Disorder Information Centre, http://www.nedic.ca)

Body-image is thought to be composed of four different attitudes and behaviours:

• Body-imagesatisfactionreferstohowsatisfied one is with one’s body-image appearance

• Body-imageinvestmentreferstothe importance one places on body-image physical appearance in defining one’s self and determining self-worth

• Body-imagebehaviourreferstoappearance- related behaviours such as grooming, concealing, and avoiding the sight of one’s body

• Body-imageperceptionrelatestohow accurately one estimates one’s own body size (Jarry, Kosser & Ip, 2013)

WHAT IS BODY IMAGE?HEALTHY SELF-ESTEEM AND POSITIVE BODY IMAGEUnderstand that no one is “perfect”. Even if you do not look like the super models or movie stars, if you like and accept yourself the way you look and are, you have a positive body image.

This healthy attitude will allow you to think about what is really important to you and about the significant and supportive people in your life, who just allow you to be you. Healthy relationships with these supportive people are created as they accept you for who you are and never judge you. They also encourage you to meet your true potential. Simply put, you will develop healthy relationships, become more independent, enhance your physical and mental fitness and appreciate a positive body image when your self-esteem is boosted or fulfilled.



“Self-esteem is made up of the sum of our personal accomplishments.”- Élise Marcotte, Synchronized Swimming

”Living a positive and healthy lifestyle that promotes a healthy body image will help build self-esteem and result in one feeling more confident as a person.”- Scott Dickens, Swimming

WHAT DO THE STATS SAY?Unfortunately, pressure from media sources, including magazines, websites, TV shows, movies and music videos demonstrate a need for all girls to fit a “mold”. The following statistics and facts demonstrate the outcomes of dealing with such pressures to be “perfect and thin”.

• AccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControland Prevention (CDC), for women aged 20 years old and older, the average height for women in America is 5’3” and weight is 166.2 pounds. For fashion models the average is 5’10” and 120 pounds.

• Byage6,girlsstart to express concerns about their own weight or shape. 40-60% of elementary school girls (ages 6-12) are concerned about their weight or about becoming too fat. This concern endures through life. (National Eating Disorders Association, 2010)

• Thebest-known contributor to the development of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa is body

dissatisfaction. The median ages for onset of an eating disorder in adolescents is 12- to 13-years-old. (National Eating Disorders Association, 2010)

• Onlyfourpercentofwomengloballyconsider themselves beautiful. (A National Report on the State of Self-Esteem, Dove, 2008)

• Aglobal survey found that two thirds of women strongly agree that “the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women can’t ever achieve.” (Jessie’s Legacy Fact Sheet on Disordered Eating. www.heretohelp.ca)

Note: Keeping in mind that these statistics focus on the female gender, research also shows that body image issues are also occurring in the male population. Often, males may feel too “small” or “thin” and may consider increasing a workout routine or take steroids to increase their muscle mass. Male athletes who compete in esthetic sports such as gymnastics or figure skating also feel the pressure to “fit the mold”.

CANADIAN OLYMPIC SCHOOL PROGRAM | Winter 2013/2014 www.olympic.ca/education


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MY HEALTHY POSTER MY HEALTHY PLACEMATDiscuss with students the types of food they eat that help their bodies grow healthy and strong. Ask them to also reflect on their favourite physical activities and with whom they like to do these activities with. Ask students to draw their own posters of eating their healthy foods and doing their favourite physical activities.

Ask students to also provide examples of things they like to do that make them happy and foster their mental fitness. They can list activities such as walking the dog, playing with friends, visiting Grandma and Grandpa, going to the park with Mom and Dad, reading with their school buddy, playing tag, sitting in a quiet and special place, etc.

Teachers are encouraged to post the Eat Well Be Active Every Day poster (free of charge at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/pdf/food-guide-aliment/educ-comm/toolkit-trousse/poster-affiche-eng.pdf).

Students share their poster with their classmates.

Suggested additional activity: Students are to share their poster with their parents/guardians and siblings, and as a family, they create their Family Healthy Poster.

Ask students to draw their family’s favourite healthy foods and their favourite physical activities. Ask them to also provide examples of things they like to do as a family that make them happy and foster their mental fitness. They can list activities such as walking the dog, playing with friends, visiting Grandma and Grandpa, going to the park with their family, reading with their school buddy, playing tag, sitting in a quiet and special place, etc. Students can refer to Health Canada’s Food Guide and Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca).

Once the placemat is completed (and if possible laminated), have your students give it to their parents/guardians as a present.

Note: To ensure that this is a positive and fulfilling experience for all, tell students that it is okay to have some foods that are not listed on Health Canada’s Food Guide, in moderation. Consideration must also be given to students who come from low socio-economic settings and their family composition. No negative comments should be allowed to be stated during the creation and sharing of the Healthy Placemats.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

BRONZE grades 2-3 SILVER grades 4-5BRONZE grades 2-3 SILVER grades 4-5

“Not everyone’s athletic goals will be the same as mine, but I think that being comfortable with yourself, and how you look, is a goal we all share.”- Jason Burnett, Trampoline

Eat Well and Be Active Every Day

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Ask students to review a series of questions that challenges them to reflect upon things they like about themselves, what they are good at and what makes them special.

Once students have answered the 6 questions, ask them to talk to 3 people who are important to them and who they believe accept them for who they truly are.

Once the students have completed the activity, ask them to review the responses they have received and pull out common themes that emerge from the responses.

I AM UNIQUE…IN THIS WORLD, THERE IS NO ONE LIKE ME.

IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

BRONZE grades 2-3 SILVER grades 4-5 GOLD grades 6+

Left to Right: Ohenewa Akuffo | Delhi 2010 Joannie Rochette | Vancouver 2010 Adrienne Power | Beijing 2008

CANADIAN OLYMPIC SCHOOL PROGRAM | Winter 2013/2014 www.olympic.ca/education


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IT’S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT…EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE

Students will quickly realize that everyone is different and unique and that they will develop and grow at their own pace. For some, a growth spurt may occur early on, while for others, it may take some time to grow a few centimeters. All body shapes and sizes can be found in the classroom. What is imperative is that students understand that there is neither “perfect size” nor “perfect body”. Regardless of shape, size, gender or colour, students must understand that they are all unique and special and that it is important to respect each other and celebrate these differences.

Lead the students in a guided discussion that demonstrates how unique they all are and that all bodies will develop at their own rate. Ask the students the following questions and encourage them to indicate by raising their hand if their answer is “yes”:

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

BRONZE grades 2-3 SILVER grades 4-5 GOLD grades 6+

1. Do you remember if you were born with hair? (You can encourage them to look at their baby pictures)

2. How many of you have lost a tooth already? If you have lost a tooth, how old were you when you lost your first tooth? (For the younger students, do not be discouraged if you have not yet lost a tooth, because we all lose our baby teeth at different times)

3. How old were you when you started to walk? Do you remember starting to walk?

4. What was the first word that you said? (They may want to ask their parents/guardians)

5. Can you drive a two wheel bicycle without training wheels? If yes, how old were you when you rode the bicycle for the first time?

6. Do you have a parent or grandparent who has grey hair?

7. How many of you can speak a different language? How old were you when you learned this language?

8. How many of you can play a musical instrument? How old were you when you started playing this musical instrument?

9. How many of you play a sport? How old were you when you started playing this sport?

10. Can you think of other ways or things that make you different from the others? (Ex. Like to play outdoors, play with their pet, live with grandma, parents/guardians are divorced, different skin colour, number of brother or sisters, etc.)

Note: Upon reflecting on the answers, what is important to emphasize as an educator is that we will learn some things such as walking or talking or riding a bicycle when we are ready and that there is no perfect time. People will also lose their first tooth when their bodies are ready and that people will get gray hair eventually (in fact some will cover their gray hair). This is what makes us unique and different from everyone else.

(Source: adapted from Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image- Actions School! BC)



REFERENCESACTION Schools! BC (2012), Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image. A teachers’ support resource for elementary and middle schools (www.actionschoolsbc.ca)

Allain, M. (2013). Chasing the Dream: Understanding the Journey of Canadian High Performance Athletes, the Nature of the Challenges and the Motivation to Persevere (PhD-Dissertation, UNB)

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2011), Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults: United States, 2007-2010

Health Canada (2013), Eat Well Be Active Every Day poster (free of charge at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/pdf/food-guide-aliment/educ-comm/toolkit-trousse/poster-affiche-eng.pdf).

National Eating Disorder Information Centre, 200 Elizabeth St. 7ES-421, Toronto. ON. M5G 2C4 www.nedic.ca

Orlick, T. (2011). Positive Living Skills; Joy and Focus for Everyone. General Store Publishing House, Ontario

Population Reference Bureau (2011), The World’s Women and Girl’s 2011 Data Sheet.

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2011), EFA Global Monitoring Report The hidden crisis; conflict and education. Education for All.

United States Department of Justice (2000), Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women (Research Report).

Health Canada (2013), Canada’s Food Guide and Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca)

Jarry, J. Kossert, A., & Ip, K. (2013), Do Women With Low Self-Esteem Use Appearance to Feel Better? (http://www.nedic.ca/knowthefacts/documents/Appearanceandselfesteem.pdf)

Katz, L, (1995), How Can We Strengthen Children’s Self-Esteem? ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.

Lavigne, M., & SMolak, L. (2013), http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/10-will-powers-improving-body-image

National Eating Disorders Association, 2010, American Viewpoint (a nationally recognized public opinion research company).

THE CANADIAN OLYMPIC SCHOOL PROGRAM WISHES TO THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE

CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE. WITHOUT THEIR EFFORTS, AND CREATIVITY, THIS

PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.

CANADIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEETy GreeneDerek KentJulie MahoneyKate Moorhouse Nathaniel Miller Olya Ovtchinnikova Sandra Sassine Paulo SenraTys van der Drift

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS WEBSITE Todd DenisMark NadolnyGeorgia Sapounas

WRITER Monique Allain Anne Marie Eagles (Reviewer)

GRAPHIC DESIGNERAndy Maier

TRANSLATION Célyne Malette, EditorPascale Seide LegrosAnne-Marie Lemieux

FEATURED ATHLETESJason BurnettScott DickensÉlise MarcotteAdrienne PowerJoannie Rochette

Left to Right: Synchronized Swimming Team | London 2012 Joannie Rochette | Vancouver 2010 Scott Dickens | London 2012

BE A CHAMPION FOR LIFE: FOSTERING POSITIVE BODY-IMAGE | TEACHER’S GUIDE | Winter 2013/2014

fostering positive body-image: teacher's guide -

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