Educating the Body: A History of Physical Education in Canada

Physical education is imperative for growth, development, and culture. Educating the Body presents a history of physical education in Canada, shedding light on its major advocates, innovators, and institutions and the conditions that shaped their efforts.

The book traces the major developments in physical education from the early nineteenth century to the present day, including school sports, the Strathcona Trust, initiatives like ParticipACTION, and struggles for gender equity and inclusive access. It examines teacher preparation programs in universities and considers the provision of physical education beyond schools, such as in playgrounds, public recreation programs, and summer camps. The book concludes with a vision of physical education for the future.

Because a history of physical education cannot be told in isolation from the economic, political, and social circumstances in which it took place, the book examines the realities of Canada's classed, gendered, and racialized society and the impact of settler forms of sport and physical education. It also reveals the rich history of Indigenous teachings and practices that were marginalized and erased as Indigenous children were forced to assimilate in the residential school system.

Written by a team of authors who are products, practitioners, and leading advocates of physical education, the book ultimately aims to strengthen the subject of physical education. Today, after the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's resilience and health, and the worrying decline in physical activity levels across the population, Educating the Body is indispensable to understanding the policy options moving ahead.