A Safe and Healthy School Environment (Ch.8)

Abstract
This chapter focused on the influence that a healthy school environment can have on students throughout their education. There was a lot of stress on the idea that students who feel more connected to their school, teachers, and community have much lower risks of submitting themselves to self harm, drug use, alcohol use, or early sexual activity. All of these behaviors can be caused by (or made worse by) a disconnected feeling in relation to the school environment. The chapter gave many suggestions for classroom management and discipline policies, supportive group efforts, dealing with multiple cultures, conflict resolution and management, as well as basic efforts for healthy school environments. Health education for students is a huge part of all of these suggestions and efforts. The chapters explains that at this middle school age, many students will choose their future health standards and efforts by beginning those lifestyle changes now. The emphasis in the chapter lies on the importance of supporting health efforts within the school systems to make students and their families well aware of the risks and dangers of an unhealthy lifestyle, as well as the benefits welcomed by a healthy lifestyle.

Reflection
I actually really enjoyed this chapter! I was very interested to see how health education was worked into the curriculum in a way that involved the community and inspired healthy lifestyles for these young adolescents. I particularly liked the idea of a "health club" in the middle school that allowed the students that were uncomfortable participating in after school sports or physical education classes to come into the school a couple nights a week for aerobics classes and gym nights! The fact that those students were able to get involved in a way they were comfortable with was very cool and the fact that their parents were coming also was an even better improvement. I think health education at this age is incredibly important. I feel like if we can reach the students at this age and assist them in developing healthier mindsets, that will only improve throughout their lives, and hopefully cause enough of a health-kick wave that the nation's unhealthy numbers and statistics can decrease dramatically. At this point, anything we can do to encourage healthy eating and exercise is an incredible feat!