Health Standards Alignment Assignment - American Association for Health Education 2008 NCATE Health Education Teacher Preparation Standards

Standard I: Content Knowledge. Candidates demonstrate the knowledge and skills of a health literate educator.

Assignment: Essay on what a Master’s Level Health Educator is

Description:  For this assignment we were required to explain what would make a health educator a Master’s Level Health Educator.  In this essay I discuss how this individual would be proactively observant in addressing the needs of the members of the community they were serving.  They would see a health issue, come up with a plan and then in the vein of being a proactive Master’s Level Educator would address this issue with their school leadership team to address it on a school wide level. 

            I also discuss how this educator would be able to create and appropriately deliver lessons and programs that will address emerging trends that threaten the health of the community they are serving.  I go on to discuss how this educator would have the knowledge and ability to create assessment to make sure that their instruction would meet the needs of these individuals as well.  The last attribute that I discuss in this assignment is how a Master’s Level Health Educator would be proactive in being knowledgeable on a number of health issues that are also culturally relevant to the community they are serving. 

            This assignment aligns with this standard by meeting Key Element C, which is that candidates can describe practices that promote health or safety by describing what a Master’s Level Health Educator should be able to do for their communities and Key Element F, which is that candidates demonstrate the health literacy skills of an informed consumer of health products and services.  This essay also discusses how a Master’s Level Health Educator will be able to access information and research topics.  Again being a resource of health and wellness for their communities, a Master’s Level Health Educator should be able to research topics through libraries, the internet, and through other professionals to provide accurate relevant information for their community members. 

Standard II: Needs Assessment: Candidates assess needs to determine priorities for school health education.

Assignment: Using the Seven Responsibilities to Address a Community Health Problem

Description: The purpose of this assignment was to demonstrate how a knowledgeable and capable health educator could address the problem of overweight and obesity in our communities through the seven responsibilities of a health educator.  In this assignment, I discuss how I as a health educator I would conduct a needs assessment in person, through mail, and by phone surveys that would assess the skills (knowledge of exercise and nutrition), resources (access to information about healthy eating, gyms and community centers to exercise at), agencies, groups and individuals (nutritionists and exercise specialists) to solve the problem and empower the community.

This assessment also required me, to explain how I would use the data collected to plan appropriate health education for my targeted community members.  I also explain how I would then implement the program with proper administration and management.  This assignment also required me to describe how I could continue to be an ongoing resource for individuals seeking assistance in managing their weight.

            This assessment aligns with this standard by meeting Key Element B: Candidates collect health-related data and C: Candidates infer needs for health education from data obtained.  In this assignment I specifically discuss how I would use the data collected from surveys to create a program to address the overweight and obesity problem of the community I am serving.  With that data, I can make determinations for targeted education; connect with other individuals such as trainers, physicians, dieticians etc.  This program could be used in a community setting as well as a school setting.

Standard III: Planning: Candidates plan effective comprehensive school health education curricula and programs.

Assignment: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: Preventing HIV/AIDS

Description: This assignment was actually a final exam for a class on HIV/AIDS.  In this answer I describe a small program that I would use to address HIV/AIDS education for the families of the high school in my network of schools.  The reason why I created this program was because my high school does not have a strong health education program therefore students were not receiving the appropriate health education that young people should get.  The program would work on educating students as well as their families since HIV/AIDS does not only affect the individual but their family as well. 

            Some of the more important concepts that would be included in the curriculum would be the history of HIV/AIDS, how it is perceived by society (stigma), who can be infected and how that may occur (a significant amount of time would be dedicated to this), how doctors may treat a person who becomes HIV positive, the importance of HIV/AIDS education and its role in prevention, how an HIV/AIDS test work and where a person can go to get one.  Since this is an awareness program designed to inform students about HIV/AIDS and how to prevent it there would be a different component for parents on how to initiate conversations with their children about HIV/AIDS.

            This assignment aligns with this standard by meeting Key Element E: which is that candidates align health education curricula with needs assessment data and the National Health Education Standards.  I would implement this program because of the lack of appropriate and adequate health education at my high school. 

Standard IV: Implementation: Candidates implement health education instruction

Assignment: Introduction to the components of Physical Fitness

Description: The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the 4 components of Physical Fitness.  One of the overall goals of a unit on physical activity should be for students to walk away having an understanding of all the components of physical fitness.  At the end of this lesson, I want students to have a basic understanding of these four components and what activities they can do to improve in each.  Various teaching strategies are used in this lesson: Do Now Bingo lesson, lecture and review, kinetic activities to build muscle memory, and group work. 

            This lesson aligns with this standard because it demonstrates my ability to implement lesson plans that make content accessible for all students.  In addition to the teaching strategies that are used throughout the lesson, there is also a paper and pencil activity for students that will allow them to demonstrate their learning as well.  The activities in this lesson plan are also age/grade level appropriate and very interactive making it fun for students as well. 

Standard V: Assessment. Candidates assess student learning.

Assignment: Health Related Fitness Crossword Puzzle and Scenarios

Description: I created an assessment for seventh graders that assesses their knowledge of health related fitness components.  There are two parts to this assessment; the first is a crossword puzzle where students are to fill in the answers using clues based on factual information regarding health related concepts.  The second part consists of scenarios which require students to demonstrate their ability to apply their understanding of the concepts in order to come up with the correct answer.  Results from this assessment would help with modification of the next lesson if needed, for example if a pattern arises where students are answering a particular question wrong, I can then look back at how that concept was taught and attempt a new teaching strategy or technique when teaching it again. 

            All educators should be assessing on a consistent basis for a number of reasons.  Appropriate assessment allows health educators to collect evidence that proves whether or not students are acquiring the knowledge and skills that contribute to a healthy lifestyle.  Assessments also help the health educator with the delivery of instruction and learning strategies that contributing to students’ achievement of health education standards.  This assessment aligns with this standard by meeting Key Elements C and E.

Standard VI: Administration and Coordination. Candidates plan and coordinate a school health education program.

Assignment: Pilot Program Project

Description: The title of this pilot program was Happy Healthy Little Feet and it was a program designed to address childhood overweight/obesity in East Harlem, New York.  The aim of the program was to reduce the rate of childhood obesity in elementary aged children (4 to 11) in East Harlem through nutrition education and fitness activities.

            The program would be managed by me acting as the program leader reaching out to health clinics, private, pediatricians, and elementary physical education teachers who would generate a base of individuals who will refer children and their families to the free program.  At the conclusion of this program individuals would have a “tool-box” of information that they could refer to with regards to healthy eating and fitness activities that they could use to manage their weight on their own.  This assignment meets Key Element B which is: candidates explain how a health education program fits the culture of a school and contributes to the school’s mission.  It aligns with this standard bein that the program is designed to address a health issue in a specific community for a certain group of school aged children.

Standard VII: Being a Resource. Candidates serve as a resource person in health education.

Assignment: Health Resources Project

Description: As a student enrolled in this course one of the assignments I was tasked with was to create a resource packet for obesity and weight management.  I collected 10 items of which any health educator could use to create and deliver age appropriate instruction to their students.  The resources ranged from websites, curriculum materials, and fictional books that could be used in the classroom setting.  The packet has a title page and list of contents for easy access.  Each page lists the materials and provides a brief description of its contents. 

            The reason why this assessment aligns with this standard is because of Key Element A: candidates use health information resources and Key Element B: candidates respond to requests for health information.  I can imagine being the health educator working with physical educators and being asked for some resources in this topic.  As long as the information is current, I can see myself handing this over as a resource.  As a health educator with a responsibility to the community that I am serving, I should have the ability to research and find appropriate information to educate or act as a resource for my community members.  If I am asked questions that I do not have answer to or if a request is made for information that I do not have, it would then be my moral duty to research and prepare answers or information that is relevant, current, and accurate.  That is how this assignment aligns to this standard; the information in the packet is/was relevant as of 2016.

Standard VIII: Communication and Advocacy. Candidates communicate and advocate for health and school health education.

Assignment: Suicide Prevention Workshop

Description: This assignment was a collaborative project; I worked with two other physical education teachers to create a workshop that would be presented to parents of children in grades 6 to 12.  The workshop would take place after school with the overall goal of providing parents with the necessary knowledge on how to recognize the warning signs of suicidal behavior in adolescents and what they can do to address it.  The presentation would deliver information on where to get information inside and outside of school, how to talk with their children about suicide and other unsafe behaviors, and places they can go to get professional help.  The presentation would also allow parents to participate in a carousel activity where they would read scenarios that would help them identify and assess risky situations regarding suicidal behaviors. 

            In a comprehensive school health education program, activities that address mental illness/substance abuse/physical and mental trauma/violence should be included.  Activities and instruction should be aligned to national and state standards in addition to meeting the needs of the school community based upon needs assessments.  This project would satisfy Key Element A which is that candidates analyze and respond to factors that impact current and future needs in comprehensive school health education.  Regardless a workshop on suicide prevention should be included in any school health education program regardless of whether or not the community is in dire need of it; this should be information that anyone in the community should be able to access at any point.  Key Element C: states that candidates advocate for school health education.  While suicide is a very uncomfortable subject for many people, the health educator should be prepared to deliver this type of workshop at any point and advocate for it.  They should be proactive and not reactive; communicate with school administrators and present evidence and research which would support the need for this to be included in a comprehensive school health program.