Hey Gang,
After reading over the article “From teaching young people to be healthy to learning health”, I found some very interesting/truthful points and opinions made by the authors. Throughout the reading we learn that health promotion has been a cornerstone in schools and the proper programming is put in place to educate kids on the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. The evolution of “health promotion” is evident in my school board and i’ve seen positive changes made since I was a student myself. I found the article particularly interesting as it discussed the evolution of health promotion over the past 70 years. We learn that it is imperative to educate our students on the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle.
I taught “Healthy Living” the past 5 years at my school. The curriculum is well put together and has a full unit on nutrition and proper eating habits. I think back to my school days and remember every recess we could buy something from the canteen. Dating back to the early 90’s, a kid could purchase a bag of chips, juice or a chocolate bar. Every second Friday we had hot dog or pizza day. Oh how things have changed…This is a testatment to the evoution of health promotion in socitey. People are more educated now days then in the past. I have attached an email that my principal received last week from a concerned parent.
—–Original Message—–
From: Steve Machat [mailto:stevemachat@me.com]
Sent: February-02-17 10:15 AM
To: Skeete, Ivan
Subject: Coke logo in Gymnasium
Hi Ivan,
I hope all is well.
Just want to let you know the whole team at Bicentennial has had such a positive impact on my son’s learning – he is incredibly motivated since coming to BiHi. A real testament to all the work of the teachers to set such a positive learning environment. Thank you!!
I need to mention a couple of other things, however.
I have been intending to write this note since September at the ice cream social when I noticed that there is a Coke logo in the gym, perhaps my memory is wrong about this, please correct me if I am. Nevertheless, is having this kind of marketing and advertising in violation of the provincial school food nutrition policy? I am not happy that Coke is being advertised in a school if my memory is correct about this.
Equally, my son also informed me that Gatorade is now in the vending machine at the school. Again, I would please ask that you check with the school board to see if this is in violation of the food policy.
Happy to discuss.
Thanks.
Steve Machat
Sent from my iPhone
This email was eye opening to the fact that parents are educated and generally concerned about their children’s health. I can honestly say that I don’t think this email would have been generated 30 years ago. The parent voices his concern for the Coke logo displayed in the gymnasium. In my school we have a vending machine. It has all healthy snacks in it. That’s a big change from the chips and bars I could purchase from the canteen back when I was in grade school. I truly believe that times have changed and we are more educated on health promotion in general. We as educators are doing a great job making our students aware of the benefits of leading a healthy life. If we educate our students on how to lead a healthy lifestyle and get them to understand the importance of eating healthy and exercising then we as a society will see a much smaller obesity rate. I am lucky that as a physical educator I can pass on my knowledge to my students on the benefits of exercise and healthy eating. I do a whole unit in my PE class on proper eating and the benefits of eating properly. In the classroom I teach health to my grade 7’s and 8’s, this allows me to educate my students on many different units promoting a healthy lifestyle.
