PBH 586 - Journal #3

Henry Reyes Professor Dipzinski

PBH 586 October 22, 2023

Journal #3

The health educator at my placement site serves as a resource in a few ways. Firstly, as a health educator, she works closely with the school's SAPIS (Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Specialist) counselor. She works closely with this counselor in a few ways. At the beginning of the school year, she had the counselor come into her health class to introduce herself, and what a SAPIS counselor is. This helped the students understand that if they or someone they know might be dealing with substance abuse they have a person/resource at the school that can support them. In addition, the SAPIS counselor explained to the kids that even if there are no substances involved, she is still a counselor and someone that they can come to for whatever they might need. Since that meeting, I’ve noticed that 2 different kids now have a regularly scheduled meeting time with the SAPIS counselor. I think this is a cool relationship that they fostered for the kids. The health education teacher and the SAPIS counselor also have it set up where in October during red ribbon week (10/23-10/27) the SAPIS counselor will push into the health classes and do multiple substance abuse lessons with the students to educate the students on adolescent substance abuse, consequences, and benefits of not partaking in illegal substances. I am excited to observe the SAPIS counselor push into the classroom and work with the students. Another way that my sbte is a resource is through the clubs that she serves as a teacher facilitator for. She currently serves as the facilitator for the school's fitness club and badminton club. These clubs meet at lunchtime and it’s open to the entire student body. By having that relationship with the SAPIS counselor and facilitating those clubs my sbte serves as a resource for many different people in her school community.

Besides the lessons I teach for my sbte and the lesson support I provide my sbte, including the discussions I have with the students in my sbte’s classroom during my visiting days, I have not had other opportunities in my placement to advocate for health education. What I would like to do in the future is create a community health education club. A club that can help advocate for health and wellness-related things for the school community. One thing that comes to mind is the school's culinary menu. This club could help support an upgrade to the culinary menu so that students and community members would have access to healthier options, and healthier snacks or drinks within the school building. The building where I am doing my placement currently has no such club and this would be resourceful to the community.

I am happy with the experience I am having so far in my placement and with the support and assistance I am getting from my sbte. So far, I have supported my sbte with multiple lessons and have gotten to a point where she is letting me run the entire class. The lessons I am teaching are her lessons and she walks me through each lesson in the morning before her classes begin. Getting to understand why she is teaching any particular lesson has been very eye-opening and rewarding. A success that I feel that I have had is the connection that I am building with the majority of the students in the health education classroom. I have been able to build a good rapport with the students and I feel like that has been very helpful in managing the classroom. A challenge that I have is that I cannot get 100% of the students to do the lessons with us. What I mean by this is that 2-3 students (boys) are either tuned out or too self-distracted to be part of the lesson with the class. They aren’t distracting, however, after multiple attempts from my sbte and I to get them engaged in the lesson and their activities, the students always take the lesson materials but they never actually hand them in or complete them. These students all have IEPs and so my sbte and I have been analyzing their IEPs and trying multiple suggestions from their IEPs to see what would help the students the best in class. We have tried a few strategies already, like modified work, intentional grouping/seating, and constant redirection throughout the period. My sbte is now in talks with the student's counselors to see if they can address it during their weekly group sessions. We are hoping that this might give us some better insight into what might be in the student's backpacks that we aren’t aware of yet. A question that I may have for my college supervisor is if they might have some additional suggestions on what might help these students and get them a bit more engaged in the lessons, class work, and homework.

My experience at my placement site has been both insightful and rewarding. The health educator, my SBTE, has proven to be an invaluable resource for her school community in multiple ways. Her collaboration with the SAPIS counselor to introduce students to the support available for substance abuse and overall well-being is commendable, fostering meaningful connections and regular meetings for students in need. The upcoming substance abuse lessons during Red Ribbon Week also demonstrate her commitment to equipping students with essential knowledge. Additionally, her involvement as the facilitator for the school's fitness and badminton clubs highlights her dedication to promoting physical activity and overall well-being for the members of her school community. While I've primarily been involved in supporting her lessons and engaging with students, I'm eager to explore future opportunities for advocacy within the school community. The idea of creating a community health education club holds promise for promoting healthier choices and options within the school, particularly related to the culinary menu. As I continue to assist with her lessons and build rapport with the students, I also face the challenge of engaging a few students with IEPs fully. My SBTE and I are actively seeking solutions through various strategies, including discussions with counselors.

As I look ahead, my dedication to enhancing the learning experience for all students remains unwavering. I'm excited to continue collaborating with my SBTE and finding innovative ways to better reach those students with unique needs. Seeking guidance from my college supervisor will be instrumental in navigating these challenges effectively. This experience has not only deepened my understanding of health education but has also underscored the significance of advocacy for a healthier school environment. It has ignited a passion within me to be a catalyst for positive change, ensuring that every student receives the best possible education on health and well-being. I'm committed to the path of continuous improvement, aspiring to make a lasting impact in the lives of the students I encounter. My journey in this field has only just begun, and I'm enthusiastic about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.