MY SCHOOL by Dr .Nilesh Gopal das Joshi (beginner reading books for adults .txt) 📕

OF HEALTH EDUCATION IN A TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Sir William Temple once said “Health is the soul that animates all the enjoyments of life which fade and are tasteless without it.” Importance of health is self-evident. It has been realised by all and at all times. We must have a well-shaped body capable of carrying out physical efforts in many directions. A man generally suffering from diseases, on the other hand, has imperfect metabolism and he/she becomes a burden on society. A healthy body has greater resistance to diseases. Therefore, health education occupies an important position in the teaching learning process.

The old saying ‘Healthy mind in a healthy body’, is absolutely correct. No one can achieve any considerable measure of success without sound health. A healthy man can do any great thing in life. When health is gone one is mentally and physically bankrupt.  Therefore, it is the greatest folly of a country to neglect a programme of health education in the teacher education programme.

What makes a Successful Teacher?

Teaching is both a science and an art. It is a science in that careful planning of objectives, methods, contents, experiences and evaluation are required of the teacher. It is an art because the teacher needs fine qualities such as sensitivity to the needs, interest and progress of pupils, sympathetic personal relationship and skills in working with children and adults. The teacher should be a large personality, a great soul characterised by simplicity, sincerity, love, faith in eternal values and deeply conscious of human relationships.

The success of any health education programme depends upon the teacher. They have the responsibility for recognising needs, introducing new ideas, adapting old customs, encouraging co-operative participation, inspiring action and fostering desirable practices in pupils.

What is Teacher-Education?

Teacher-education refers to the total educative experiences which contribute to t employed to designate the programme of courses and other experiences offered by an educational institution for the announced purposes of preparing persons for teaching and other educational service. Such teacher education programmes are offered in colleges of education, district institutes, educational school complexes, colleges and universities.

The ultimate aim of teacher education is to prepare effective teachers. Teacher education is presumed to attempt to meet this challenge following certain assumptions. In the first place, it is assumed that there is an adequate concept of teaching. Secondly, it is assumed that this concept of teaching can be operationalized in terms of teaching behaviour pattern invariably related to desired educational outcomes. Thirdly, it is assumed that there are certain techniques of training available, through which the requisite teaching behaviour patterns can be developed in prospective teachers to effect the desired educational outcomes. Fourthly, it is assumed that once the teaching behaviour patterns are acquired by prospective teachers during the course of their training, these patterns are sustained and carried over to their assigned positions in the teaching profession till more efficient teaching behaviour patterns are discovered and mastered to effect the desired educational outcomes. Lastly, it is assumed that teacher-education institutions make plans and execute their programmes directed towards this end.

The teacher education programme can be of two types:

Pre-service training and In-service training

Pre-service Training

A bachelor of Science, Arts or Commerce can be admitted to a College of Teacher Education in order to learn the art of teaching in different subjects. In this programme, the teacher should undergo a specific training in health service, health instruction and healthful school living. The teacher education programmes should equip the trainees with necessary knowledge about organization of health education programmes in a school. If the health programme is to be meaningful and stimulating to students, it must be organized well. After all, our real aim is that health experiences given in the school should lead to good health habits which may be carried over into adolescence and adult life. So, this programme needs very good organization, supervision and control. Although all school teachers have a basic responsibility to contribute to the health education of their students, the administrative responsibility of the total programme must be entrusted to a particular individual in the school. Once responsibility has been clearly defined, the organization of the total programme can be undertaken.

Importance of Health Education

In teacher-education programme, health education should be considered as an important subject. It should be taught on a compulsory basis. The student teachers should develop knowledge about human physiology. In this subject, they should learn that human body is like a machine. In a machine, there are different units. Each unit performs its own distinct functions, but they all do their work in full co-operation and co-ordination for producing the goods. In the human body also there are different units. All the different units perform their specified functions. They all lead to the good of the human body, provide energy to it and keep it healthy.

The units in the human body are known as systems. There are six major systems in the human body; namely the Digestive System, Respiratory System, Circulatory System, Excretory System, Nervous System and the Reproductive System. Each of these systems has a particular role in the human body.

There are a number of minute units also in the human body, called cells. When a group of cells perform uniform functions, it is called a tissue and when a group of tissues perform one particular function, it is known as an organ. When a group of organs are engaged in discharging a particular function, it is known as a system. Thus, we can say that cells make tissues, tissues make organs and organs make the system.

Health education is a study of human life and its processes. So it involves all its related problems, interests and needs. In fact, there is nothing which involves health in man’s social, emotional and physical life. Factors like emotional stability, sexual and social maturity, physical development, adjustment to strain and stress, illness and many other problems associated with personality development, all influence a person’s health. To define these problems, to examine them and to teach about them in an appropriate manner with achievement and ability, is a task which requires great knowledge and skill on the part of a teacher. Here, a teacher of health and physical education, besides being a specialist of his/her own field, is also required to possess knowledge of various social, physical and biological sciences, personnel qualities, skills, attitudes and professional efficiencies which he/she should receive from the colleges of teacher education.

Both the pre-service and in-service teacher trainees should develop knowledge about certain aspects of health education during the training period. For this the first stage is :

Planning

The teacher trainee should know how to plan the health and physical education programme for the whole year in advance. They should also learn how to plan all the physical and health programme activities, including those of the Annual Sports Day, Annual Medical Examination, Parents Day, social service camp as well as sub-divisional district and State tournaments in advance and place them before the school Health and Sports Committee for approval

Organizing

The pre-service and in-service teachers should learn how to organise the school plant, look after decoration and upkeep of the school campus, including playgrounds, check sanitary arrangements and conduct experiences in health education. They also have to organise social service camps, Girl’s guide and Boy Scout Camps and many other out-door co-curricular and recreational activities.

Guiding

The trainees should learn how to guide their students in their proper selection of physical activities, athletics and games, suited to their aptitudes and capacities. They have to guide them to remove their physical deformities, postural defects, mental illness and emotional immaturity.

They also have to give guidance to the backward and the slow learner. They have to guide and suggest remedial measures for the delinquent, abnormal and maladjusted children.

Supervising

The trainees should learn the art of supervising the total school health programmes, which include healthful school living, health services and health instructions. They are also to supervise the work and achievement of students in physical exercise, athletics, games, scouting, safety measures and first-aid, social service, cultural programmes and recreational activities.

Co-ordinating and Assisting

The trainees should learn to co-ordinate the school health programme with different teachers, health authorities, parents, voluntary health agencies etc.

Maintenance of Records

They should learn how to maintain the health records of all the students. Each student should possess a cumulative health record during his school stage, which should include his health history, health history of his family and symptoms and signs of health disturbances if any.

Evaluating

The teacher trainees should not only learn the art of teaching health education, but should also learn how to evaluate the achievements of the pupils from time to time and diagnose weaknesses.

Both physical and health education is important in teacher education colleges on certain grounds which are:

A teacher’s wellness gets reflected on the student’s wellness. Hence student teacher should be trained to keep good health habits to motivate students to improve and maintain their health, prevent disease and reduce risky behaviours. Health education curricula and instruction help student teacher to acquire skills they will use to make healthy choices throughout their lifetime. This enables them to have good physical and mental health and makes them mentally and physically fit to their profession. Healthy and teachers who are aware promote healthy behaviours and practices among students, who then imitate these behaviours into their own lifestyle and engage in more health-promoting activities. Whatever the teacher or role model does is easily adopted by the students. Healthy teacher is a crucial component of a happy and progressive school. A healthy and stress-free workplace makes for satisfying and high performing teacher. Such a school teacher is more likely to be happy in their position of work and tend to stay longer. They display good attendance records and take fewer leaves, thus providing the stability and continued development which is very essential for educational success. Hence the prospective teachers should have provision for health education. Stress management is an important problem that a teacher addresses in schools. Schools are dominated by female teachers who have to devote time and look after students in schools and back home in their own families. Hence, lifestyles leave employees with no time to look after themselves. Hence, the teacher should be equipped to address issues like lack of physical activity, stress management etc. Health education prepares the student teacher to provide appropriate first aids for the student if any emergency arises. It will give them knowledge and skill to organize physical and health related activities in schools.

ROLE OF TEACHERS IN HEALTH EDUCATION

Personal Cleanliness:

The daily inspection of the student’s cleanliness by the teacher in the morning is very helpful in enforcing personal cleanliness. A rapid survey may be made daily and cleanliness competitions may be introduced among the students.

Development of healthy habits:

Correct habits of breathing and feeding should be introduced among them. A good teacher also pays adequate attention to classroom habits like posture etc.

Physical exercises:

A variety of programmes of physical activities will be provided so that the students may choose suitable physical exercises for themselves.

Vaccinations and Inoculation:

The students should be regularly vaccinated and inoculated through the arrangements by the school.

Medical Inspection and follow-up work:

Regular and thorough medical examination should be arranged and its follow-up taken seriously.

Training in First-Aid:

The students should be given training in first-aid in terms of emergency.

Better Human Relations:

The children should be educated to do their best for the betterment of the health of their friends, relatives, neighbours and the whole community.

Special Methods of Teaching Health:

The school should arrange for special methods of teaching health in the form of health posters, health projects and health weeks, health books, films and film strips, excursions, health clubs, health counselling and follow-up, healthy environment, radio etc.

Importance of health education in teacher education programmes

The main aim of education is the development of all aspects of the child’s personality-physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and social. The aims of school education are to be realised by the teacher. They are associated with all school programmes and it is they who always mingles with the pupils.

Very few teachers may be interested in acquiring knowledge about health matters. They may not be aware of