My K-12 news is not really about pedagogy, or what happens in the classroom. As a teacher, I think our concern for our students extends beyond the classroom, which is why I think the newest news about the availability of healthier snack choices in American schools, published by the CDC, is important and encouraging.
From 2002-2008, schools in in almost all states included in the study made candy and salty snacks, and soda and sports drinks less available for their students. They also increased the availability of healthy snacks and juice. As the editorial note points out, states with high increases like Mississippi have significant problems high rates of adult obesity. Encouraging smart food choices helps instill values for healthy eating that students take with them after they walk out the school's doors. I also think that it is encouraging that states, like Utah, that did not have increases in nutritional standards in the food they offer students are willing to revise those standards in the future.
A large part of our jobs as educators is not just to instill content knowledge, but to teach students how to think about how their decisions affect themselves and others. By only offering healthy snack and drink options, we send a united message about health and nutrition both inside the classroom and throughout the school. I think if students believe that we believe the messages we tell them about what they should eat for good health, they will be more willing to internalize these messages, and make right choices for themselves.
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I totally agree with your assertion that we as teachers need to be reaching our students beyond just the classroom. The article by the CDC was really interesting and whats worse, we can see this first hand in many of our public schools. I remember my freshman year having "morning break" and everyone would rush to the vending machines or cookie and slushy counters. ITS 10AM!!! Seriously, if they decided to make the junk food more expensive and the healthy food less expensive, some students will be forced to either eat the healthy stuff or go without. Junk food is easily accessible to everyone, and until it becomes difficult to get hands on, then we still still have this problem.
ReplyDeleteTracie,
ReplyDeleteGood point! I know at my High School they made a concerted effort to give healthy food options. However, it did cost a good penny (figure of speech) to buy the healthier foods/snacks. This is a problem for those students on Free & reduced lunches. How can we provide healthy food options that are appealing (that tend to be more expensive) to every student, not just the one's who can afford it?
I agree that this an important thing in schools. I never remember healthy food being easily accessible. It is cool because I have a friend who had her practicum at Keister Elementary school in Harrisonburg. They have a grant there to provide either a fruit or vegetable every day to the students. This is definitely costly but it gives the students a chance to have a healthy snack and promotes a more new nutrious lifestyle.
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