Running an organization that prioritizes self-care requires a lot. It means walking the walk, talking the talk, and not just posting how others should take care of themselves, but modeling our values in our own actions. Now if I'm being real, to be a mother, a wife, an entrepreneur, and an educator all in one …
The recent outcry over the NCAA’s unequal treatment of the men’s and women’s March Madness tournaments did not surprise me in one bit. Female athletes grow up knowing that despite equal amounts of hard work and dedication to their sports, the worth of their performance or level of respect they receive is far less than …
If I only knew 31 years ago that teaching outside could, and would, transform both me and students, I would have started doing it much sooner! This was one of my “Covid 19 Silver Linings”. I teach in an Elementary School on Long Island, New York. In the past most of my teaching was done …
The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to us how important our dimensions of wellness really are and how much they are interconnected. We’ve all had to examine and reassess our own health behaviors and analyze how we either deposit to, or make a withdrawal from, our health and well-being. It was interesting to see the response …
“What do you mean you’re fasting? You’re going to run the mile!” bellowed my seventh grade physical education teacher. I tried to formulate a response, attempting to squeeze an explanation out of me. My throat felt empty; I couldn’t find my voice. It was like a blow to my chest: I felt betrayed and speechless …
Continue reading No, Not Even Water: Why Non-Muslims Should Learn About Ramadan
After reading the book Beginners by Tom Vanderbilt, which was the slowchathealth book of the month for February of 2021, I started to get an itch to be a beginner again and try something new. When this microblog post opportunity presented itself, I knew it was something new that I had to try, I had …
My life is a musical comedy, at least that’s what my students think. One even went so far as to tell me I was better than anything on Netflix right now. I should be worried, but I am not. It was probably one of the best compliments they could give me. It means I’m relevant, …
We get it. You already know! It’s why you are here exploring blogs about health-related content. That said... please indulge us for the next 5 minutes or so. Are you floundering or flourishing right now? One of the common misconceptions we find when we present to educators around the world is that having an “others …
We all have sex education stories. Even if that education came from friends, family members, movies/tv, songs, or the internet, instead of school. We might have... Puberty stories. First date stories. Coming out stories. The Talk stories. Me too stories. Identity stories. Sex ed stories are universal - they are the stories of our bodies, …
With in-person conferences canceled, travel restricted, and gathering in large crowds still uncomfortable, our options for professional development have dwindled. Despite organizations trying their best to provide online conferences (shout out to my favorite people @SHAPE_America and their #SHAPEVirtual conference), and with one eye on planning for next school year already, you might be finding …
Continue reading Free, Contactless, Maskless, Personalized Professional Development
"What should I teach?" is a fairly easy question to answer - there are things you legally must teach (mandated by the state), things you should teach (informed by community data) and things you like teaching (your favorite lessons). "How should I teach?" is a deeper question, and one that is considered in this weeks …
Advocating for the subject we love, in the face of challenges from those around us, is as important now as it has always been. When Matthew Bassett, SHAPE America's Elementary Physical Education teacher of the year, shared his passionate plea in support of physical education and health with parents and educators it was well received. …
Last year 50 educators and authors joined in with the inaugural #microblog event here on slowchathealth.com and it was a huge success, lasting just over a week and featuring voices from across the globe. Sharing bite-sized blog posts of up to 500 words, there were experienced bloggers, first-time writers, authors, teachers, and some students eager …
Good habits start early, and there's perhaps no better habit to cultivate than by incorporating proper nutrition and healthy eating into your diet. It's well proven that poor or insufficient nutrition as a child can lead to serious diseases later on in life. The University of Michigan lists out a few of these illnesses, including …
Continue reading How to Empower Students with Mindful Nutrition at Home
To those who work hard to de-stigmatize sex education, to normalize sexual behavior, to promote pleasure, make lessons inclusive, and have the confidence to do all of that while injecting in some humor - you are my heroes. If you are one of those educators, or striving to become one, I present to you, Ina …
Our teaching spaces should be as inclusive as possible so that all of our students see themselves in the curriculum, and feel safe and respected, as teachers model the behavior and language that they expect from all present. In the health classroom we no longer talk about male and female condoms, replacing those dated terms …
I've noticed during recent months that co-workers, friends, and neighbors have been more intentional in checking in with each other. We might be seeing less of each other, but the times when we are together seem to be more meaningful. We are all going through the shared experience of the pandemic and although the light …
ALL teachers must strive to best serve their students. ALL students, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political views, immigration status, ability, socioeconomic status, and other identities or characteristics. Every individual in our teaching space brings with them a unique set of strengths, experiences, and backgrounds that should be acknowledged and harnessed …
The recent C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health 2020 survey of child health concerns asked a national sample of parents to rate the top health concerns for US children and teens aged 0-18 years. While the survey revealed much about the differences in concerns across racial and ethnic groups, the most significant …
Continue reading Easy Tips for Teachers & Students to Reduce Digital Eye Strain
Walking my school hallways and seeing the familiar faces of students has always been a highlight of my day. Prior to the pandemic, I would 'collect' those smiles, "hellos" and fist bumps in the same way that Sonic the Hedgehog collects rings. A walk from one end of my school to another is a guaranteed …
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