EXPERT ADVISORY – AUGUST 20, 2025 – R0094
With parents and teachers preparing for the return to classroom routines, Brock experts say fostering students’ physical and mental health is key for maximum learning and growth.
This begins with providing a suitable learning environment, which may prove challenging if this summer’s high heat continues into September, says Professor of Kinesiology Toby Mündel.
The heat makes it more difficult for children to be alert and even-tempered, says the Canada Research Chair in Extreme Human Environments.
“If a child is generally healthy, cognitive and psychological issues, such as lack of concentration and motivation, can show up before they experience a perilously high heart rate or become dangerously hot because the body generally can cope with a bit of stress,” he says.
While many elementary and high schools don’t have air conditioning, measures can be taken to reduce the impacts of heat in the classroom and the schoolyard, Mündel says.
These include:
- Fitting windows with curtains or blinds to reduce heat and glare from sunlight.
- Installing ceiling fans and placing other fans in strategic locations in the classroom.
- Setting up outdoor tarps and shaded areas so that lessons can take place outside when classrooms are very hot.
- Designing the school’s surrounding outdoor environment to include green spaces, trees, shrubs and other vegetation, which provide shade, deflect solar radiation and trap and release moisture back into the atmosphere.
Ensuring students get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast before school and remain hydrated throughout the day also helps them to cope with the impacts of heat, Mündel says.
A nutritious diet and regular physical activity are also essential for helping children build strong bones and muscles, which sets them up to perform at their best in the classroom, says Professor of Kinesiology Nota Klentrou.
“Research shows that getting enough protein is particularly crucial for boys and girls just before puberty,” says Klentrou, who was named one of Brock’s Distinguished Professors in 2025.
Canada’s food guide outlines recommendations for children and youth to get a mix of foods containing protein, calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients. These foods include meat, dairy, beans, nuts and tofu, which all contribute to healthier bone development, she says.
“Exercise provides the necessary stimulus to increase bone and muscle metabolism, and proper nutrition provides the necessary resources for this process,” she says.
The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend that preschoolers should spend 180 minutes per day performing physical activities. Youth aged five to 17 years old should do 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity and several hours of light activity.
Klentrou, an exercise physiologist, identifies two types of exercise that build bone and muscles:
- Resistance or weight training, such as lifting weights or doing pushups. Muscles pull on bones during these exercises, and that stress encourages bones to grow denser and stronger.
- High-impact or weight-bearing activities, such as running, jumping and dancing. These movements create stress as the body works against gravity, helping to make bones denser and more resilient.
Addressing students’ well-being also means supporting their mental health, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19, says Professor and Associate Dean of Education Darlene Ciuffetelli Parker.
During the pandemic, children and youth were confined to their homes and isolated at a vulnerable point in their social and behavioural development, presenting challenges for students and teachers alike.
“School structure, routines and community building did not readily happen for those students,” says Ciuffetelli Parker. “They lost many taken for granted opportunities to connect with each other through sports, interest groups, school dances and talking with their friends in the hallways at lunchtime.”
As a result, she says, many students struggle with oral communication and socialization skills, leading to incidences of incivility, acting out in the classroom or even violence.
To support students in their return to school, Ciuffetelli Parker encourages the use of mindfulness practices in the classroom, regardless of age. This can take many forms, such as introducing the concept during story time with younger children, or encouraging older students to focus on shared experiences, and together engage in simple breathing exercises and mindful listening.
Mindfulness and self-care practices can be effective for teaching professionals as well, who have also felt the impacts of COVID-19. Ciuffetelli Parker says some teachers are on long-term or sick leave due to lingering effects from the pandemic, resulting in reduced opportunities for graduating teachers to secure permanent positions.
She recommends teachers practice self care — like mindfulness, nature walks, fitness or other wellness strategies — to lower stress and incorporate these exercises directly into classroom lessons.
Brock University Professor of Kinesiology Toby Mündel, Professor of Kinesiology Nota Klentrou and Professor and Associate Dean of Education Darlene Ciuffetelli Parker are available for media interviews on this topic.
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
*Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483
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