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.