Health Education
What is it?
Formal, structured health education consists of any combination of planned learning experiences that provide the opportunity to acquire information and the skills students need to make quality health decisions. When provided by qualified, trained teachers, health education helps students acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need for making health-promoting decisions, achieving health literacy, adopting health-enhancing behaviors, and promoting the health of others. Comprehensive school health education includes curricula and instruction for students in pre-K through grade 12 that address a variety of topics such as alcohol and other drug use and abuse, healthy eating/nutrition, mental and emotional health, personal health and wellness, physical activity, safety and injury prevention, sexual health, tobacco use, and violence prevention. Health education curricula and instruction should address the National Health Education Standards (NHES) and incorporate the characteristics of an effective health education curriculum. Health education, based on an assessment of student health needs and planned in collaboration with the community, ensures reinforcement of health messages that are relevant for students and meet community needs. Students might also acquire health information through education that occurs as part of a patient visit with a school nurse, through posters or public service announcements, or through conversations with family and peers.
Ideas for Your PTA
- Host health education events like Drugs Uncovered or Talk it Out.
- Bring in speakers for health education classes.
- Conduct a school health assessment to determine what your students’ health education needs are.
- Stock a hygiene closet at your school with personal hygiene items and educational materials.
- Advocate for more time on health education, for health and personal care topics to be included across the curriculum, and for school nurses who provide critical reinforcement of health education.
- Support a wellness club for students to take on health education topics.
Resources
- The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education’s Programs such as:
- Talk It Out
- Just ASK! Health Events page
Do you have other ideas to share? Email us at [email protected]!