One highlight of my job as a high school teacher is having conversations with young adults. My students give me hope with their questions, their deep reflections, their aspirations and also with the stories that they share. Witnessing my students develop their voice and use it to shape a narrative, advocate for causes about which …
Slowchathealth is venturing into something new, and exploring another social media platform. Up until now you have found us at slowchathealth.com, and you may have seen the fundraising initiative that raises money for health and physical teachers via sendateacher.com. If you are on Instagram you may have stumbled across this account, and if you can't …
Advocating for the subject that we love, is an important role that we can all play and I am delighted that this week's blog post is written by an educator and passionate advocate for whom I have nothing but the utmost respect. Read about Jamie Spark's journey from the classroom to roles at a state …
What is your favorite quote about your subject? The one that you've got printed and pinned above your desk, or on a coffee mug...or tattooed on your arm. As a #HealthEd teacher I'll suggest to my students that "The greatest wealth is health" or ask them "Without health what are we?". I used to …
Twitter is dead. Long live Instagram. OK, so perhaps that's not really true, and for the longest time you would find me espousing the benefits of life on Twitter and how it played a huge role not only in my professional development, but also in my transition from life in England to starting all over …
The Surviving R. Kelly docuseries has once again brought to the fore conversation about the predatory behavior and sexual allegations regarding 51 year old singer R. Kelly. My social media feed has been all over this story for a few years now and for that reason I decided to #MuteRKelly from my own listening back …
In my health class I promote lifelong health and well-being but one area in which I could improve is understanding and fully appreciating the role of adverse childhood experiences, and the impact they have on health and opportunity. This week's blog post and questions specifically addresses this topic and comes from Tammy Wynard, a wonderful …
The eleventh annual World Read Aloud Day will be celebrated on February 5th and I'm inviting #PhysEd and #HealthEd teachers to join in with this global celebration of the power of words. World Read Aloud Day asks everyone to celebrate the day by selecting a book, finding an audience, and reading out loud - it …
There's definitely a difference between the educator interaction on Twitter and that on Facebook, and recently a teacher on the latter put out a call for resources that I retweeted on Twitter. Within an hour, the resources shared were so great, I had to drop them all in this short blog post so that it …
This is my 6th year of choosing a #OneWord to guide me through the year ahead. The theory behind this idea is that our guiding word points us towards the type of person that we want to become.
Reflecting on the previous year before setting goals, or in my case choosing my #OneWord for the year, is important if we want to do it right. This year I am being more intentional in my end-of-year reflection so that I can set myself up for success for next year. Joey Feith reflects by identifying …
Cold and flu season is here, and do I know it? Despite having already had my flu shot, and promoting germ hygiene at my school and at home, I always chuckle when I, the health teacher, fall victim to these pesky viruses. At my school, seasonal healthy habits are promoted in the health classroom and …
Inspiring teachers can be found most places, and they don't have to be veterans of the classroom to be someone from whom you can learn. I first met this week's guest blogger in my role as Health rep for my state organization where she served as President for the IAHPERD Council for Future Professionals. Rachel …
Continue reading Operation: Do Something to Make Someone Smile Today
Instagram has proven to be a refreshing way for me to see the work of health and sexuality service providers and I am inspired by some of the creative images and resources that they share. If you are on Instagram you should check out accounts such as @resiliencechi, @icahgram, @nobodywantstoseeyourdick, @ourmusicmybody and @betweenfriendschi. This weeks …
Teaching is all about relationships, and relationships with students are crucial, even once they have moved on from your classroom. I am delighted that the latest 'Student Voice' guest blog post comes from a student who I last had in class 3 years ago. We have kept in touch as she has transitioned from high …
December sees the launch of the second #slowchatgiftx winter gift exchange. A twitter gift exchange with 60 educators from across North America signed up to take part in a feel-good activity that will see them paired up with another educator with whom to share a gift up to a value of $20. If you follow …
A growing national concern for adolescent health is the use of e-cigarettes, often referred to as vaping or JUULing (for a popular brand name). In just a few short years, there has been a dramatic increase in teen use of these devices, and my school is no exception. The latest data from our own YRBS …
Students continue to report high stress levels with academics, social and parental pressure, juggling extra-curricular activities and post high school plans all impacting their lives on a daily basis. While we hope that they manage their stressors in a healthy way, we know that some of their coping mechanisms are less healthy. I am delighted …
We all have our favorite lessons to teach and this might be mine. With students working in small groups, big groups, collaborative work, research, some kinesthetic instruction and an engaging use of technology, there's something here for everyone. Assigning Students an STI Sit students in groups of 9. Print and cut out multiple sets of …
Habits are formed by repeating a behavior enough times to become automatic, and for two reasons healthy habit formation has been on my mind a lot this week. The first reason is the recent release of Atomic Habits by James Clear, a book that is so impressive, and of such crossover potential for #HealthEd teachers we …
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