An Apple a Day is Not Enough--A Poem by Taylor Mali
Health teachers are teachers that make a difference, but only if we demand that our programs matter! We must insist that health education not be a class that is peripheral to reading, writing, and math, but be programming that works in concert with the core academic programming of the school. As was written by Telljohann, Symons, Pateman (2007), "A variety of advocacy and professional organizations recognized that a focus on school-based health promotion initiatives must occur in context of, rather than in competition with, strategies to improve education outcomes" (p. 10).
So, what do health teachers specifically do?
1. Academic Content Integration: As described in the quote above by Telljohan, et. al. (2007) and confirmed by the the video, effective health education cannot occur in isolation of the other academic content areas. Health education must be built into the fabric of the school. Studies have shown that students understand and retain knowledge best when they have applied it in a practical, relevant setting (Daggett, 2005).
2. Coordinated School Health (CSH): Because students with a background of low educational attainment often have health issues, it is important that many supports are in place for these students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Adolescent and School Health (2002), “Schools by themselves cannot, and should not be expected to, address the nation’s most serious health and social problems. Families, health care workers, the media, religious organizations, community organizations that serve youth, and young people themselves also must be systematically involved. However, schools could provide a critical facility in which many agencies might work together to maintain the wellbeing of young people...” Teachers can collaborate with a supporting cast through the CSH model to more effectively meet the health and educational needs of the child.
3. Quality Health Programming: In communties where lower educational attainment is prevalent, schools are often of lower quality, have high migration of quality teachers, and are less likely to have highly qualified teachers (Muijs, Harris, Chapman, Stoll, & Russ, 2009). Therefore, as health teachers in communities with these histories, it is up to us to ensure that we provide health education that is based on best practice and aligned to validated health standards. Telljoham, et. al. (2007) write "The health education program of study must be addressed with the same commitment and integrity as any other academic discipline" (p. 14). Educational expectations are linked to educational performance (Jackson, 2009); therefore, as health teachers, we must not have different (lower) expectations for our students based on their backgrounds. It is essential that we believe our students are capable learners (Bartolome, 1994). So, it is imperative that we have high expectations for both ourselves and for our students.
4. Skill-Based Health Programming: As mentioned in the video, we must begin to think of health as a skill. Therfore, if it is a skill, we must teach the skills. Focusing solely on content has been shown to be ineffective, yet including skills as the primary learning target arms students with skills they need to be successful in the 21st Century (Connelly, 2012). The National Health Standards are an excellent resource to utilize as these are based on the skills students must know.
5. Utilize and Increase Background Knowledge: Students coming from homes with lower educational attainment may have decreased background knowledge or exposure to content that teachers present. We must utilize their existing background knowledge and work to fill in gaps for knowledge they may not have (Bartolome, 1994; PEBC, 2011).
6. Involve Parents: For health education to be effective and for students to use and maintain the skills they learn, it must not "occur in a vacuum" (Telljohann, et. al. 2007, p. 6). Parents must support the work, but for parents with lower educational attainment, they may not have knowledge of the skills that we teach. When parents are involved in the education of their child, the child does better academically, including in the area of health education, according to the research of Rudiger (2000). Rudiger goes on to list the following strategies to encourage parent engagement: (1) Lower communication barriers, (2) Evaluate parent's needs, (3) Provide parents with training to help them understand their significance to the school health education process, (4) Build trust and maintain regular contact around health issues and classroom health activities, (5) Encourage parent involvement from the start and continue throughout schooling, (6) Help parents become better informed about the academic and social pressures that face their children, (7) Encourage family learning, and (8) Encourage parents and children to use community and informal learning resources.
CSH picture from: http://healthyschools.ospi.k12.wa.us/waschool/csh/what_is_csh.html
2. Coordinated School Health (CSH): Because students with a background of low educational attainment often have health issues, it is important that many supports are in place for these students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Adolescent and School Health (2002), “Schools by themselves cannot, and should not be expected to, address the nation’s most serious health and social problems. Families, health care workers, the media, religious organizations, community organizations that serve youth, and young people themselves also must be systematically involved. However, schools could provide a critical facility in which many agencies might work together to maintain the wellbeing of young people...” Teachers can collaborate with a supporting cast through the CSH model to more effectively meet the health and educational needs of the child.
3. Quality Health Programming: In communties where lower educational attainment is prevalent, schools are often of lower quality, have high migration of quality teachers, and are less likely to have highly qualified teachers (Muijs, Harris, Chapman, Stoll, & Russ, 2009). Therefore, as health teachers in communities with these histories, it is up to us to ensure that we provide health education that is based on best practice and aligned to validated health standards. Telljoham, et. al. (2007) write "The health education program of study must be addressed with the same commitment and integrity as any other academic discipline" (p. 14). Educational expectations are linked to educational performance (Jackson, 2009); therefore, as health teachers, we must not have different (lower) expectations for our students based on their backgrounds. It is essential that we believe our students are capable learners (Bartolome, 1994). So, it is imperative that we have high expectations for both ourselves and for our students.
4. Skill-Based Health Programming: As mentioned in the video, we must begin to think of health as a skill. Therfore, if it is a skill, we must teach the skills. Focusing solely on content has been shown to be ineffective, yet including skills as the primary learning target arms students with skills they need to be successful in the 21st Century (Connelly, 2012). The National Health Standards are an excellent resource to utilize as these are based on the skills students must know.
5. Utilize and Increase Background Knowledge: Students coming from homes with lower educational attainment may have decreased background knowledge or exposure to content that teachers present. We must utilize their existing background knowledge and work to fill in gaps for knowledge they may not have (Bartolome, 1994; PEBC, 2011).
6. Involve Parents: For health education to be effective and for students to use and maintain the skills they learn, it must not "occur in a vacuum" (Telljohann, et. al. 2007, p. 6). Parents must support the work, but for parents with lower educational attainment, they may not have knowledge of the skills that we teach. When parents are involved in the education of their child, the child does better academically, including in the area of health education, according to the research of Rudiger (2000). Rudiger goes on to list the following strategies to encourage parent engagement: (1) Lower communication barriers, (2) Evaluate parent's needs, (3) Provide parents with training to help them understand their significance to the school health education process, (4) Build trust and maintain regular contact around health issues and classroom health activities, (5) Encourage parent involvement from the start and continue throughout schooling, (6) Help parents become better informed about the academic and social pressures that face their children, (7) Encourage family learning, and (8) Encourage parents and children to use community and informal learning resources.
CSH picture from: http://healthyschools.ospi.k12.wa.us/waschool/csh/what_is_csh.html
References
Bartolome, L. I. (1994). Beyond the Methods Fetish: Toward a Humanizing Pedagogy. Harvard Educational Review, 64(2). 173-195.
Centers for Disease Control. Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical
Education and Recreation (2002). Making the connection: health and student achievement. Washington, DC: The Association of State and
Territorial Health Officials and the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
Connely, M. (2012). Skills-Based Health Education. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlette Learning.
Daggett, W. R. (2005). Achieving Academic Excellence through Rigor and Relevance. Paper published on the International Center for Leadership
in Education website. Retreived July 28, 2012 at http://www.daggett.com/pdf/Academic_Excellence.pdf.
Jackson, M. I. (2009). Understanding Links Between Adolescent Health and Educational Attainment. Demography (46)4. 671-694.
Mali, T. An Apple A Day is Not Enough. HealthTeacher.Com. Retreived June 27, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SJ3T6EM3qU.
Pubic Education & Business Coalition (PEBC). (2011). Invesigating Thinking Strategies. Denver, CO: Conrad, L.
Rudiger, K. K. (2000). Parental Involvement in Children's Health Education. Retrieved June 27, 2012 from
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/whats_new/health/june00.shtm.
Telljohann, S., Symons, C., & Pateman, B. (2009). Health education: Elementary and middle school applications (6th ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Centers for Disease Control. Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical
Education and Recreation (2002). Making the connection: health and student achievement. Washington, DC: The Association of State and
Territorial Health Officials and the Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
Connely, M. (2012). Skills-Based Health Education. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlette Learning.
Daggett, W. R. (2005). Achieving Academic Excellence through Rigor and Relevance. Paper published on the International Center for Leadership
in Education website. Retreived July 28, 2012 at http://www.daggett.com/pdf/Academic_Excellence.pdf.
Jackson, M. I. (2009). Understanding Links Between Adolescent Health and Educational Attainment. Demography (46)4. 671-694.
Mali, T. An Apple A Day is Not Enough. HealthTeacher.Com. Retreived June 27, 2012 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SJ3T6EM3qU.
Pubic Education & Business Coalition (PEBC). (2011). Invesigating Thinking Strategies. Denver, CO: Conrad, L.
Rudiger, K. K. (2000). Parental Involvement in Children's Health Education. Retrieved June 27, 2012 from
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/whats_new/health/june00.shtm.
Telljohann, S., Symons, C., & Pateman, B. (2009). Health education: Elementary and middle school applications (6th ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.