I don’t believe any one person is responsible for the obesity epidemic in this country. I believe schools and the parents play major roles in this. I think school districts need to make more an effort to control the nutrition and physical education factor within a school district. A report from Action Healthy Kids concludes that obese children have lower tests scores and academic deficiencies. You would think with how important test scores are in this country, we would jump at the opportunity to fix this problem. But when we need to cut something, physical education is amongst one of the first to go. Schools can only do so much, but they can do a lot. They have children 5 days a week 6 hours a day. Providing a well balanced meal, information on nutrition, and physical education should be sufficient. In 2007, Oregon passed a law restricting sale of soda, high calorie/fat foods in schools. I think this was a good start. However, the teachers are having a problem with this, because they have also been taken out of the teachers lounge. I think it is our job as a teacher to be role models and encourage our students to stray away from junk food and lean more towards something nutritious. However, if they want to snack on junk food on their break away from their students, I feel that they should be allowed. Now, what about the parents? Parents also need to be educated on nutrition. Literature should be sent home on nutrition.
As far as, immunizations, I believe it’s important for children to have them to attend school. I think it’s the parent’s responsibility to make sure their child is up-to-date. Schools should send home the information about the immunization and clinic information.
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I agree with your point that no one person is responsible for the obesity problem. I also think schools should make an effort in controlling nutrition and PE factors. But, one issue that they overlook is supporting the kids who already have the weight problems. "Facing Up to my Obesity Problem" discusses an individual's negative experience with support from kids and counselors in regards to their weight issue. I found the reference to The Journal by the American Medical Association very interesting. The article stated that "obese kids report more unhappiness than children undergoing chemotherapy." That is a staggering stat in my mind and really draws attention to the issue.
ReplyDeleteTeachers do need to be role models for their children, but I too do not agree that the government has the right to take away the junk food from the teachers' lounge. They are adults and this is their private space. It would be differnet if the kids where witnessing teachers snacking on Ring-Dings and Montain Dew.
ReplyDeleteI can see both sides of this issue. On one hand, of course teachers have the right to eat/drink what they please, and (I assume) their contracts do not contain provisions for healthy eating. On the other hand, is this a case of "Do as I say and not as I do?" What about everything else we are "teaching?" Is it authentic? Do we believe it? Or are we just "doing our job?"
ReplyDeleteSteff, thanks for sharing that quote from the JAMA article. That truly is staggering...these kids are sitting in our classrooms...and our gyms.
Nutrition and physical education in schools go hand in hand but unfortunately it's not looked upon that way. Todd mentioned during his presentation that P.E. and health are subjects that are being eliminated due to budget cuts. Again, this only adds to the childhood obesity issue and we are solving a problem as well as adding on to one. Amanda said in her presentation that studies show children with some type of physical activity do well academically. She also said physical activity promotes your brain to function at its highest level. So why is it that P.E. and health are always expendible? I think people in these authoritative positions should consider what's more expensive...the cost of a gym class and health text books or the cost of various medical treatments due to obesity?
ReplyDeleteIf there have been so many studies that correlate good nutrition with increased tests scores, attentivenes in class, less hyperactivity, and so forth...why are schools experiencing such difficulty in getting either State or Federal funding to assist in promoting health and in turn increasing educational achievements? And yes, parents do need to be more involved in the education of good nutriond and the importance of regular exercise. But how can that be accomplished when parents themselves are aiding in the promotion of the problem? They work hard all day everyday, therefore too tired to come home and cook a health and nutrionally pact meal? It's so much easier to stop for pizza or chicken. Mom and dad are too tired from work to play, so let them watch Tv or get on the computer for hours. Wrong mentallity! Education of good nutritio along with the importance of physical activity needs to be stressed to parents, but again, parents are not involved if it doesn't have immediate impact on grades. That is why we the educators must do what we can at school. Whether through discussion, demonstration, implementation and fore most by example. that may involve removing pop machines from the lounge, fill the machines with healthy alternatives, or better yet make it unavailable to students.
ReplyDeleteI believe that each state should do more to create additional funding for physical education. By adding more physical education if will help the students to focus and to do better in school. Students need more opportunities during the school day for exercise even if it is just a walk around the school building. In Amanda's report she stated that "studies show that students who have some type of physical activity during academic testing score higher in many areas. Schools needs to manage their time more efficiently so there will be more time for physical education or at least more time for free play.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how all of our issues are becoming interrelated. Your reflection makes me think back to our discussions on values education and whose values are we teaching and modeling. While i firmly believe that we must provide education on health issues and give our students the tools to make informed decisions, at what point do we say we gave them the information but we must stop holding their hands and allow them to make their own decisions. It is our job to educate but to become soda and candy police is a bit extreme. We need to provide education and then allow them (students and families) to make and live with their choices.
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