Citation

Devlin-Scherer R, Zaccone PR. Clearing House 2004; 77(4): 148.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Losses to the workforce and drains on the national economy posed by illnesses, injuries, and environmental hazards dictate that schools operate to prevent, intervene, and help resolve these social and personal health issues. The costs to society for the medical care of children born to addicted and abusive parents, exposure to smoke and pollution, and preventable diseases are escalating. Type 2 diabetes is on the rise due to inactive lifestyles. As awareness of health threats grows, schools are under pressure to provide instruction for safety, disease prevention, and survival. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002) identified behaviors often established during youth that are linked to the leading causes of disease, impairment, and death among adults and children. Training teachers to integrate health education into their classes poses a challenge to preservice teacher educators who face an overcrowded curriculum. In programs where few required courses relate to health education, the work presented here may assist higher education faculty in increasing their students' competencies and knowledge of health education. The sample lessons presented in this document both promote health instruction as a responsibility for all teachers regardless of their subject matter and involve middle school students in discussions of health issues. Students in the class Instructional Theory into Practice at a private university in New Jersey developed these lessons and delivered them to grade 5-8 students.

Language: en