Essay

Essay

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Yes, I agree with this statement and think that all schools should establish these health standards.

School communities are increasingly becoming places where healthy habits can flourish. The responsibility for teaching children healthy habits, of course, does not fall only on teachers though.

A healthy school community involves all partners and sends children the same message in the home, school, and community. Children who attend a healthy school can make decisions about their health that affect their own lives and the lives of their families.

It doesn’t take a lot to create a healthier school. Some changes could include:

  • Incorporating healthy eating and physical activity across the curriculum in fun and creative ways
  • Creating partnerships with the broader community, for example local food growers, sporting clubs, library etc.

Healthy eating

Schools can encourage good nutritional habits by:

  • Developing a school food policy
  • Involving pupils and parents in guiding food policy and practice within the school, and enabling them to contribute to healthy eating
  • Offering healthy foods in school canteens
  • Providing parents with information on healthy food choices and active living
  • Allowing students to bring their water bottles into the classroom with them

Physical activity

Ways in which schools can help students to become more active, include:

  • Developing a school physical activity rules, which encourages all staff and students to be physically active
  • Providing a school environment that encourages being active, for example playground facilities, access to equipment, walking paths etc.
  • Including students opinion when deciding the type of physical activity to be undertaken, making them more committed to participation

Be a role model

Positive modelling by school staff is important to support healthy eating, physical activity policies and actions. It helps to show leadership and commitment that others, such as students and parents, can be inspired by.

Teachers are in a good position to act as positive role models for students. As a teacher, you know that students watch what you say and repeat it very carefully. Any difference between your words and your actions is picked up quickly. This can be frustrating, but keep in mind that students learn by watching and copying the behaviour of others.

A teacher who makes healthy choices – including healthy eating and regular physical activity – can have a good influence on the health of students and most importantly, yourself.

Schools and teachers can model healthy eating and being active at school by:

  • Packing a healthy lunch and taking the time to eat it
  • Providing healthy snacks at school and staff meetings
  • Walking rapidly during yard duty
  • Joining in the activities during physical education classes or lunchtime
  • Taking activity breaks during classes
  • Supporting physical activity opportunities after school

Why should teachers be a role model?

Here is the best part - this is your health too! When teachers model healthy habits, their own health improves.

By choosing to eat healthy foods and be physically active, teacher will find that he is more alert, has more energy, smiles more, remembers more and generally feels better about yourself.

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