Health+Promoting+Schools+Framework

  __**Overview of the Health Promoting Schools Framework and Healthy Activity Day**__  The Australian health promoting schools association was developed in 1994. “Health promoting schools communities make a positive contribution through the interrelationship of three important areas: curriculum, teaching and learning practices; school organisations, ethos and environment; and the partnerships services (AHPSA, 2005).” Curriculum teaching and learning //** ‘Curriculum teaching and learning is concerned with what is taught in the formal classroom, teaching and learning strategies employed, classroom climate established by the teachers, considerations to the diverse learning needs and teachers access to professional development (Mind Matters, 2009)’.
 * //

Our health promotion day addressed the ‘curriculum, teaching and learning’ aspect by ensuring all students had input and active participation in each activity. All activities enhance themes of building self esteem and confidence, making choices and enhancing physical activity. The health promotion day aims to facilitate a positive learning environment and experience in each classroom and activity which can be ongoing in all areas of students learning. Activities that are conducted and organised on the health promotion activity day can be adapted, extended and integrated to many different subject areas including Health, English, Drama, Physical Education and Personal Development. Each activity can be adapted to other year levels and adapted for ongoing curriculum. We encourage students to feel good about themselves, their learning and many decisions and choices that they make in their life. Discussions with the school ensured that our activities addressed the health needs of the school and community. //Warm fuzzies// · Addressed students self confidence and facilitated positive learning environment which ensured all students had a positive learning experience in the classroom. · Warm fuzzies facilitated student’s self esteem levels as each student commented on something good about each student. // Choices // · This activity was established to engage and connect students, through a range of questioning techniques, the ‘choices’ that were given to the student were real life and aspects that each child may have faced or face in the future. · Each child had the opportunity to explain how they felt about the choice that was made and how they may have had the opportunity to change the outcome. // Pilates/Boxing // <span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontweight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Addresses Physical education. <span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontweight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Active involvement of all participants. <span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontweight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Promote the need and importance of physical activity, and educate students on a range of activities that are not ‘mainstream’ and students can then participate in these at other times. //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"> Pizza/Fruit smoothies/ Fruit skewers // <span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontweight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Promoting healthy choices to students, introducing students to a range of fruits and vegetables that students may not have tried before. <span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontweight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msofareastlanguage: EN-AU; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Give students ownership, and encourage them to develop their own ideas on pizza toppings.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">‘School ethos and environment is affected by policies, procedures, practice and organisational structures. This includes the provision of safe and supportive learning social environment, welfare and behaviour management strategies, and the provision of ongoing activities that promote positive relationships, sense of belonging, pride and self worth <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">(Mind Matters, 2009) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">.’
 * //<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">School ethos and environment //**

All policy and procedures respect the rights, safety and health of the wider school community. All actives in the health promotion day incorporated and implemented the provision of simulating learning environments where students can express their opinions in a safe supportive setting. The school has implemented the healthy school canteen program, sun smart polices we ensured that these were implemented and our activities incorporated the polices into our programs. We integrated the schools polices and ensured that we implemented through all activities. In each activity during the day we encouraged and built on students self esteem in a non threatening atmosphere, we reiterated the fact that each individual was important and encouraged each student to build on their own self confidence, through the various activities. The day ensured that the self esteem of all students was enhanced through each activity; teachers and leaders were supportive and encouraging throughout the day which created supportive environments for students learn and feel safe in. Our physical activities were ‘non traditional’ for students living in a small town, therefore all students were encouraged to participate in a non threatening and supportive learning environment. Partnerships and Services //** <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Partnerships and services refer to link between the schools, families; community member’s and service providers. It entails ongoing communication with teachers, student’s parents, community members and health agencies. Building partnerships is important for resources and support. Maintaining and developing good partnerships is an investment that takes time but is an important aspect in the health promoting schools framework <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"> (Mind Matters, 2009) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">.
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

Health promotion day ensured that we developed partnerships with the school by showing the information by presenting our proposal to the school before we implemented the day. The school was contacted before the day was organised to identify needs of the school community. We encouraged students to be involved in the sporting activities that were prepared for them, and gave them information of so they can continue their in Pilates or boxing. Any resources that we needed for the cooking section or other aspects were sourced from the local community.

References: Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (2009) //Mind Matters//, Level one introductory workshop. Australian Health Promoting Schools Association (2005), accessed October 24, 2009 from []