Administration of health education

adsense 336x280

Administration of health education

The manner in which health education is administered will vary with the local situation. At the outset, however, it should be recognized that health education should be performed by individuals who are trained in the methodology of teaching. An individual who has studied educational psychology and other subjects which yield knowledge and techniques important to effective teaching is better prepared to do a good job of instruction in health than is the individual who does not have such training. This does not exclude using representatives of the health department and voluntary health agencies as consultants and resource persons. They can be invaluable in drawing up course of study and in the presentation of various phases of the health education programme.

    

        Local administration will again determine where health education should be located within the school structure. In many schools it is placed in such areas as physical education, science, and home economics. In other schools it is a separate area by itself. In the larger schools especially, it seems important to have a separate health education department with full-time personnel who have been trained in the area of health education. Such an administrative arrangement is conducive to good interrelationships between the school and public health agencies, to the development of a school health council, and to well-coordinated and well-integrated school health programme.

      

        In smaller and medium-sized schools where inadequate budgets made it impossible to have full-time health educators, physical education personnel or others closely related and interested in the area of school health may be charged with this important responsibility. Under such conditions the following qualifications are needed.

     

        1. Good preparations in health education

        2. Interest in the field

        3. Sufficient time allotted to make instruction functional

        4. Adequate classroom facilities and instructional material assigned.

 

The physical education person many times is assigned such responsibilities as coaching, intramurals, and special events, in addition to physical education classes. If the responsibility, for health education is given to such a teacher, in addition to these numerous other duties, some responsibility is going to suffer. In many cases, with pressure for winning teams, the class instruction programme is neglected. School administrators should recognize that health education is a very important part of the school offering. As such, it should not be placed just anywhere in the school structure and assigned to that person who happens to have a little training in this particular area, or whose interests and teaching load make it feasible. It should be given only to qualified persons and should receive ample time and facilities to make it effective.

 

       Every school, regardless of size, should have someone on its staff assigned to coordinate the various aspects of the school health programme. In larger schools this might be a full-timeposition. In smaller schools it could be the principal, physical education teacher, or some qualified staff member who has interest and responsibility in this area.

        The school health educator, according to the Committee on Terminology, is “a person specially qualified to serve as a teacher, consultant, coordinator, or supervision of health education in an individual school or a school system.” Health coordination, according to this same committee, is "the process of developing relationships within the school health programmes which contribute to harmonious action in the solution of problems relating to pupil health.”

 

         A health coordinator can render valuable service in seeing that a well-rounded health programme exists. Health instruction can be more carefully planned. In addition to the direct health teaching, there can also be provision for the correlation and integration of health instruction with many subject-matter areas. Resource materials can be provided for classroom and other teachers involved in health-teaching. School and community relationships can be developed. The total school health programme can be guided to function as an integrated whole. Every school administrator should recognize the importance of the position and designate a person qualified for such a responsibility.

 

        The administration of the health education programme should also include a school health council or committee. The school health council, according to the committee on terminology, is “a representative group of persons recognized for the purposes of study, planning, and action aimed at the identification and solution of school health problems.” This group would be composed of representatives from the central administration, subject-matter areas, students, parents, professional groups, custodial staff, and others whose duties have particular bearing on the health of the school child. Such a group of individuals, regardless of type or size of school, can play an important part in planning and carrying out the health education programme. They can be instrumental in providing the necessary funds, materials, staff, and experiences that make for an outstanding programme.

adsense 336x280