Performance indicators relate to identifying community resources, accurately communicating health information and ideas, and working cooperati vely to promote health. The school health education program should be based upon local needs the health behaviors and problems within the school population and national data suggesting the health status of children and youth. The objective is to offer an ongoing, sequenced, and developmentally appropriate program that is consistent with community needs and providing at least 50 hours per year of health instruction. Some references for identifying curricula are listed at t he end of this Digest. At the elementary and middle school level, the classroom teacher is expected to teach health as a curricular area like math, reading, and social studies.
Many teachers avoid health subjects because of inadequate undergraduate training.
As with other instructional areas, the teacher should promote parental involvement by sending materials home, involving parents in classroom activities, and creating assignments that involve parents. Because of time limitations in the school day, some teachers find it helpful to infuse health topics into other subject areas. Implications for Teacher Education Teacher preparation is critical to successful school health education programs. A review of selected K-12 health education curricula. The comprehensive school health sourcebook.