Health Class
What Teachers Can Do

Most elementary school teachers spend more than five hours a day with their students. This puts you in an excellent position to influence their eating and exercise habits, and in turn help prevent or reduce their chance of obesity.

Be informed. Make sure you’re well informed about the severity, causes, and effects of childhood obesity, as well as the preventative measures that can be taken to address it. Look for teachable moments throughout the day to work in messages about nutrition and exercise. For example, if you’re discussing Native Americans, you can talk about the kinds of food they ate, the amount of exercise they got every day just trying to survive, and compare those facts to the lifestyles of kids today. You can also read books that present healthy choices in an engaging way.

Be a positive role model. Tell your students about the hikes and bike rides you took over the weekends and on vacations, emphasizing the sense of fun and adventure you felt. Talk about the great meal you cooked for a dinner party with friends, and why it was delicious AND nutritious. Point out that you don’t have to be an athlete to be active – that there are plenty of physical activities kids can do that are neither difficult nor competitive (biking, swimming). Remind them about the sense of accomplishment people get when they feel strong and reach goals.

Encourage healthy snacking. At snack time, talk with your students about healthy choices for snacks. Challenge them with a “Healthy Snack Contest” to see who can bring in the healthiest snack. Let the class vote on the winners and award certificates as prizes. There can be one winner per contest, or as many as warranted by the contents of their snack bags. Run the contest once a day, week or month, as your schedule allows. You can even spring the contest on kids once in a while, which would encourage them to bring a healthy snack every day, since they’ll never know in advance when the contest is happening.

Include physical activity. Whenever possible, build physical activity into your lesson plans, even if it’s just movement at the students’ desks. Not only will this kind of activity give the kids a bit of exercise, it will likely refresh them so they can better focus on their work.

Use your voice. Speak up at meetings where phys-ed programs are being discussed and where cafeteria menus are being planned. As a teacher, your voice counts: you have the experience and authority to convince others that fit students have significant advantages over less fit kids.

Take advantage of resources. When planning your curriculum, take advantage of the many resources available to you from such organizations as the Dairy Council, 5-A-Day, Build Better Bones and others. Put up posters around the classroom illustrating healthy eating and fitness habits.