Foundations of Health Education

With contributions from Jim Brenner, Ph.D. & Lynne Hamelton, Ph.D.

How would you define health education?◦ The mission of School Health Education is to advance

the profession by serving health educators and others who strive to promote the health of all people through education and other systematic strategies (AAHPERD).

What stands out to you regarding your elementary, middle or high school health education program? ◦ Elementary health?

What topics are included in health education? ◦ Many relate to current public health concerns.

Q&A

Children born today, for the first time in American history, are expected to have shorter life spans than their parents! (CDC)◦ Imagine the scope of this statement

To Highlight a Few Concerns…

Percentage of Obese U.S. Children and Adolescents

Color by State◦ http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html

College Attendance◦ Sociology of Education (July 2007)

Obesity

Children Born in 2000

% achieving recommended amount

Physical Activity

Preventable Death

JAMA

Gene Barr◦ Rising health care costs◦ Drug testing

PA Chamber of Biz and Industry

What guiding documents or tools are available to provide high quality health education?

Q&A

National Health Ed Standards (short)◦National Standards - expanded

PDE's Health & PE Standards  “As you can see from the last two, skill

development is crucial (i.e., decision making, goal setting, stress management, etc.) and the foundation of any quality Health Education program.”◦Brenner

Standards

Adolescent and School Health – tremendous amount of resources◦ http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/index.htm

Critical Health Behaviors◦ http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/healthtopics/ind

ex.htm

CDC

Coordinated School Health Program

Components of Coordinated School Health

School Health Tools

Healthy You

Youth Risk Behavior Survey

School Wellness Policy Signed into law in 2004 as the Child

Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act Policy must include the following:

1a. Nutrition education goals 1b. Physical activity goals 1c. Other school-based activities 2. Nutrition guidelines/standards3. Assurances that USDA school meals guidelines are being met4. Plan for measuring implementation

We recommend having a specific workgroup designated to work on each of the above sections.

You may be the point person on this policy

YOU ARE GOING TO BE LECTURERS!!! How do you plan to do this effectively? ◦ Make class educational, relevant and

engaging/interesting Alternatives to the dreaded lecture Interactive lecture ideas Improving lectures

◦ Recall any of your favorite lessons?

Effective Instruction

Trained in health and PE◦ 30 credits of each

Taught health in Charlotte, NC and West Philadelphia

HE topics – a whose who of things that can mess up your life◦ Personal connections

Favorite lessons from folders

My HE Background

"Exercise and recreation.., are as necessary as reading. I will rather say, more necessary, because health is worth more than learning"◦ Thomas Jefferson

If you don't take care of your body, where will you live for the rest of your life?

When Health is absent, Wisdom cannot reveal itself, Art cannot manifest, Strength cannot be exerted, Wealth is useless and Reason is powerless◦ Herophiles, 300 BC

Favorite quotes

Hamelton - Plead with them that if they don't think this [health education] is important it will show; we are all role models for health/wellness; make health education fun and active/engaged learning; and lastly I think one of the most crucial things is to link health/physical education with academic performance and school connectedness:  http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/health_and_academics/index.htm

Final Thoughts

You will be teaching BOTH health and physical education and it is essential you be proficient in both. ◦ “Even if you start in one, you can be changed to

the other or to both any given year, as administration needs dictate.”

◦ “When the students do their student teaching they have to be real self-starters as far as researching and planning their lessons.”

Think of ways to get more health education experience

Final Thoughts

Get in groups Plan an outline of a 40 minute health education

lesson. It must have a minimum of three distinct sections. ◦ Presentation: Describe your lesson in 3 minutes or less

including two reasons why you think it is deserving of 1st place (at 3 minutes, the hook comes out)

◦ Afterwards, we’ll vote on which one is our favorite. Criteria include effectiveness in terms of promoting healthy behaviors, student engagement, and creativity

◦ Pick a topic from the following: Healtheducator website, health topics-Dr. C.

Activity