Affiliations: Teaching and Health, School of Education, American
University, Washington DC, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Anastasia M. Snelling, American
University, School of Education, Teaching and Health, 4400 Massachusetts
Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20016, USA. Tel.: +1 202 885 6278; Fax: +1 202 885
1187; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: The rise in childhood obesity has led policymakers to target schools
and school districts to take a leadership role in addressing this epidemic. As
such, teachers must be prepared to address the complex nature of childhood
obesity through nutrition and health education. This paper outlines how
teachers have the potential to be agents of change in schools thereby creating
a culture of health within the school environment. Through professional
development workshops and employee wellness programs, teachers have the
opportunity to learn the knowledge and skills needed to promote health
resulting in teachers being role models of healthy behaviors and integrating
health concepts into daily instruction. The purpose of this study was to assess
the beliefs and self-efficacy of classroom teachers before and after a
professional development program focused on aligning nutrition lessons with
district learning standards in an urban middle school. The school faculty was
exposed to a minimal intervention designed to align nutrition and health
standards to core curriculum learning standards. As a result of this program,
teachers showed significant changes in their beliefs in the intersection of
health and learning and improved their self-efficacy for delivering health and
nutrition education aligned to existing learning standards. This project
presents the promise that teachers can develop the confidence and conviction to
include health across the curriculum and positively impact student and teacher health outcomes.
Keywords: Childhood obesity, school health, teacher self-efficacy, health disparities, professional preparation
