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Teachers have such an important role to play in the health of children. They have a captive audience. The kids will believe anything they say. I just wish teachers would shout out the health message more often.
From my experience talking to and lecturing teachers, I've noticed a few glaring mistakes the profession makes when it comes to spreading the health message.
If you are a teacher, please learn from these mistakes so you can take your message much further than anyone else.
The most common mistake I see is that teachers stick to boring food and health information.
Parents and children are tired of listening to theories from the outdated food pyramid and advice about how sugar gives us cavities and milk strengthens our bones.
The information you give must be relevant to their young lives, such as telling them eating lentils will give them muscles to score at football or dark green leafy vegetables will help them see in the dark.
It is crucial that teachers update their information regularly to make it more exciting and relevant to the pupils. You can also show parents how to do that at home.
The second most common mistake is that teachers don't seem to realise the extent nutrition has on children's health.
A lot of teachers believe in the 'a little won't hurt' theory', but in reality children are not having 'a little', they are having a lot of foods that are negatively affecting their health.
Their consumption of sugar, junk food, fizzy drinks, and foods laden with colourings and additives is not acceptable. If we all turn a blind eye, then how are we helping them?
Eating unhealthy food affects children's digestion, immune system, behaviour, IQ, and just about everything else!
Stop being in denial and make sure that you deliver that message.
Another mistake teachers make is that they don't look out for physical signs in the children they teach, though they are in a perfect position to do that.
What you need to look at are hair and nails (spots on nails), skin (pale, patchy or spotty), behaviour (hyperactive), appetite (food allergies, addictions, likes and dislikes), and immune system (how often they fall sick and how far it goes).
Each of these categories will give you an indication of health or illness. For example, white spots on the nails could indicate a zinc deficiency and patchy skin could mean they are low in iron. Make sure you familiarise yourself with these points and tell the parents about them. That could make a big difference in the child's health because prevention is a key to good health.
If you are a teacher, you need to avoid another common mistake, which is talking to the kids, not their parents.
Children do not have the purchasing power when it comes to food, so speaking to them might be great but not very effective.
If the child is consuming a lot of sweets, for example, you need to speak to the person who is buying these things instead of giving the child a hard time.
You might also want to speak to the school about it, especially when it comes to the quality of food in the canteen.
On the same note, a common mistake teachers make is that they depend on verbal advice. Many parents know all the theories out there about kids' health, but they get stuck when they go home and try to implement them.
As a teacher, you need to give parents advice that works - how to bring healthy food to the home, how to feed it to the child and what to do when the child resists. It's very important to understand that psychology plays a big role in eating habits and parents need to know how to approach that. Doctors will not teach them that, so you have to do it!
And, the mistake that upsets me the most is that teachers don't take action. I hear a lot of teachers (and parents) complaining about the quality of school food, but I rarely see anyone doing anything about it.
As a teacher, you should be sending letters home about healthy eating, arranging talks and lectures about nutrition, and working hard at changing school policies for the better. What are you doing now to improve the quality of food in your school?
Last, but not least, the mistake most teachers make without realising it is that they don't practice what they preach!
Many teachers are confused about the health message they are trying to give. Many have health problems of their own, weight issues, or even have kids they are struggling with.
If you are not practicing what you preach, remember that kids notice. They will copy what you do and will see how you look.
So go seek advice, educate yourself and bring a genuine health message to put into practice. That way the credibility and effectiveness of your message will be unquestionable.
If you would like to learn more, don't miss my complete one-day study-at-home course I have devised especially for parents and teachers. It will give you all you need to know. And you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Order now from www.IWantHealthyKids.com
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