Healthy Schools Campaign

How to Start a School Garden: Fit to Learn Helps Teachers Plant Seeds for the Future

By giving children the opportunity to garden and experience outdoor learning, schools can boost physical activity, mental health and academic performance. Plus school gardens forge important links to surrounding communities while teaching life and career skills.

Last week, teachers from all over the city who are part of HSC’s Fit to Learn program focused on the hows and whys of starting school gardens during a fun and informative session at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

Many local teachers shared the great results from their own school garden projects. Cecilia Ludvik, a physical education teacher and basketball coach at Dawes Elementary School on the far Southwest Side, said their garden wraps around the building and offers educational opportunities for all grade levels. The garden features custom-made raised beds so that students who use wheelchairs could garden alongside other classmates. Another teacher connected the school's  gardens with healthy fundraisers. There, the garden grows pumpkins, squash and other autumnal vegetables, which are then sold as part of a harvest festival fundraiser -- a unique answer to the healthy fundraising guidelines in the Chicago Public Schools’ new wellness policy.

The core activity of the evening involved teachers breaking into groups and mapping out all the components needed to start a school garden. 

Erin McMillan, from the nonprofit Seven Generations Ahead, provided her expertise and gave three key steps for educators interested in bringing garden projects to their schools:

1. Start talking to people about interest. Gather a thoughtful, committed team who will be in it for the long haul. Ask about each other’s interests and skills to determine the most effective roles for each person.
2. Create goals and a timeline. There’s a lot to be done even before the first seed is planted. Establish smaller, gradual goals to more effectively and efficiently manage the tasks ahead.
3. Find financial support. McMillan noted that Chicago is home to a number of organizations and local and community resources who are interested in promoting school gardens and could potentially assist with funding, as well as local, state and national grants. For a list of upcoming grants and opportunities, you can visit our website or subscribe to the Fit to Learn newsletter.

Team members from Seven Generations Ahead also noted that even schools in areas with contaminated soil, tight spaces, or predominantly indoor space have the capacity to create even a small garden. They suggested repurposing paint buckets, pickle jars, or other containers for raised or indoor gardens, as well as plants that would weather in them more effectively. They also suggested composting as an easy way to manage organic waste and get started, and seeking out local agricultural or horticultural resources for labor. 

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Starting a school garden takes a lot of work, but as our Fit to Learn team learned, it sows the seeds for healthy students, a healthy school, a healthy community and a bright future. Thanks to all participants for making this an incredible day!

Chicago Principals Share Strategies to Model Healthy, Active Behavior in Schools

HSC's Fit to Learn sessions, which demonstrate how learning can be part of the everyday classroom routine, are usually lots of fun. But our recent session was really electric.

In the auditorium at William Ray Elementary School in Chicago, students jumped and cheered -- a teacher used a big monitor to let kids choose songs from a popular dance video game. Next, everyone joined in the high-energy, on-screen choreography. 

The morning fun extended beyond the students, too -- because of Fit to Learn, the group included Healthy Schools Campaign staffers and a dozen principals and faculty members from around Chicago, picking up new strategies about educating a generation of healthier students. The dancing game was just one example of Ray Elementary’s Morning Fitness activities, which take place at the beginning of every school day for 25 minutes, motivating students and getting them active. Other activities include basketball, fitness stations and classroom yoga. 

Ray Elementary Principal and Fit to Learn advisory committee member Tatia Beckwith is one of a number of educators from across the city of Chicago who have become part of Fit to Learn, our professional development program for teachers and principals to learn more about ways to incorporate more physical activity and messages about healthy eating throughout the school day. In the advisory committee, local principals provide assistance with the vision, direction and launch of Fit to Learn, providing strategic advice, and helping recruit and mentor other principals.

Jenni Rice, a Physical Education teacher at Christopher Elementary School, attended the event as her school’s Wellness Champion to develop new strategies to bolster her school’s new nutrition and wellness initiative. “Our students do not get enough physical activity throughout their day, and considering the population of our students, both regular education and special education, we felt it could benefit them in increasing their achievement,” she says. 

After Morning Fitness, local innovators and experts presented new strategies. Then Carla Tantillo of Mindful Practices, a facilitator of our teacher program, led a fun yoga activity. Allison Slade, founder of Namaste Charter School, shared her philosophy and strategies as well. Learn more about her take on a healthy, fun-filled school day here. 

Participating teachers and principals not only gained new insights from the day’s discussions and presentations, but the event also served as a motivator to continue with current efforts or expand upon them.

“The more energy you burn off, the more you’ll be able to sit and focus,” says Gerardo Trujillo, principal at Pasteur Elementary School.  (Learn more about yoga for classrooms here.)

Gerardo Trujillo said one of his key takeaways from the day’s events was to work to ensure that he and his teachers led the charge to set an example for students. “You have to practice what you preach,” Trujillo says. 

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Our next Fit to Learn Professional Development event, Healthy Habits for Lifelong Learning, will take place Thursday, March 21, at a Chicago Public School to be confirmed in the coming weeks. If you are interested or would like more information, contact Rosa Ramirez at [email protected].

Case Study: Teachers Mix Physical Fitness and Classroom Learning

Today we're featuring a case study from Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, we learned about a teacher at McCutcheon Elementary School in Chicago who teaches her students about healthy choices through HSC's Fit to Learn program.

Kindergarten teacher Dolores Navarro leads students in a physical activity break.

by Kadesha Thomas

Karen Jasinski sees all the early warning signs in her students—the hot chips and donuts for breakfast, washed down with a jug of blue juice. She sees the childhood obesity that leads students to  develop type two diabetes by seventh or eighth grade, not to mention added complications from asthma and other chronic conditions.

Jasinski teaches health and fitness to more than 350 students, pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, at McCutcheon Elementary School on Chicago’s North Side. She gets two 45-minute classes with them each week, and the school does not have a gymnasium onsite.

Recognizing the need for more health education and fitness education, Jasinski enrolled in Fit to Learn. Healthy Schools Campaign created the Fit to Learn professional development program in October 2010. The program offers a series of full-day and half-day sessions to equip P.E. teachers, health teachers and core subject teachers with a roster of techniques and all necessary materials for incorporating health and fitness lessons into any subject and any school environment. “We can’t
change [the students’] chemical makeups, but we have to make changes if they’re not learning it at home,” said Jasinski, who completed Fit to Learn in May 2012.

Since launching, more than 130 Chicago public school teachers have participated in Fit to Learn. “With the limitations teachers face throughout the day and the specific curriculum guidelines they
have to follow, it’s hard to be flexible or incorporate fitness into the lessons,” explained Kristi Cox, training and program manager at Healthy Schools Campaign who leads Fit to Learn. “Our program is a simple way for teachers to introduce fitness to students and let them know it’s important, while still meeting guidelines and learning standards.”

The program trains teachers to make exercise and nutrition lessons a regular part of the classroom experience. It’s the difference between sitting at a desk to do a spelling lesson or playing the Nutritious Words game, one of Jasinski’s favorites. This exercise requires students to stand as the teacher tosses a multicolored beach ball around the classroom. The student who catches the ball has to name a fruit or vegetable that is the same color as the part of the ball where the student’s thumb lands. Then, the student spells that fruit or vegetable’s name while doing jumping jacks. There’s also the MyPlate Shuffle. In this activity, each food group is assigned a dance or exercise move. When the teacher flashes a picture of a certain food, students do the corresponding dance move to indicate its food group.

Jasinski has also learned how to incorporate yoga into her fitness lessons, and she has learned activities that allow the students to move around, even in a tight classroom space. Fit to Learn also includes sessions from medical experts on the latest pediatric research, including how the most prevalent childhood health issues can play out in the classroom and impact learning. The ultimate goal of the program, which is provided free of charge to teachers, is to empower teachers to change the culture of health and fitness at their schools.

Karen Pippen’s participation in Fit to Learn stemmed from her conviction that schools can no longer
afford to ignore how health issues are impacting students. “The best place to talk about health is at school, because some children are just not getting it at home,” said Pippen, a resource teacher who works with special education and gifted students at Lincoln Elementary School in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. She also teaches an after-school health class twice a week.

Since her first Fit to Learn session in July 2011, Pippen has been able to incorporate health messages and physical activity into her class time. Five-minute dance breaks have helped her students release energy, then refocus on class work. She has woven nutrition information into her lessons, encouraging students to choose water over sugary juice, pick healthy snacks and cut back on excessive portions.

“The kids love it,” she said. Pippen knew the lessons were working when, one day, a couple of students noticed an empty potato chip bag in the class trash can. “Were those your chips?” they teased. “Was that a healthy choice?"

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As the year progresses, we'll share more about Health in Mind and the progress of this initiative! For more information or to view the full report, please visit www.healthinmind.org.

Can Video Games Affect Kids' Wellness? New Research on the Connection Between Good Health & Games

At HSC, we've followed with interest over the years as video games have become a bigger part of the conversation about healthy eating and physical activity.  Gaming continues to become more a part of classroom and out-of-school learning. But what impact does it have? Do games really increase physical activity? Do messages about healthy eating of junk food really have an impact on what kids eat? With two new studies in the news, we're taking a moment to check in on this trend.

First, the food: one new study found that games involving food products may encourage unhealthy habits.

According to NPR's story earlier this month on the research:

...Children who play with these games may eat more, and eat more junk food, even if the game features fruit or other healthful choices.

Called "advergames" by their critics, junk food-centric games and apps have names such as "Cookie Dough Bites Factory" and "Candy Sports". It's easy for parents and teachers to guess that these may be dubious choices for chidren. 

But even more intriguingly, all food-themed games seemed to negatively affect kids' eating habits -- even when fruit played a starring role.

The researchers say they assumed that the children who played the fruit game would choose fruit. But boy, were they wrong. All the children who played a food-themed game ate more, and ate more candy, even if they played the fruit game.

"We were very surprised," Frans Folkford, a graduate student in communications at the University of Amsterdam who led the study, tells The Salt. The children who played food-themed games took in about twice as many calories as children who played a non-food game, or played no game at all. The work was published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Other studies have found that video games involving fruit can boost kids' fruit consumption -- but also tend to increase their overall calorie consumption. "A lot depends on the game and the actual messages in there," said Jennifer Harris, director of marketing initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. "It's very complicated." In that context, experts say that parents should keep an eye on mobile games and tablet apps. Harris adds: 

Pay attention to what your kids are downloading... A lot of parents figure as long as it's free and it's listed as for children, they assume it's safe and not harmful. You really can't assume that.

Here's the full story on this new research.

And on to physical activity: research also suggests that physically active video games can actually help kids be more active and play a role in efforts to curb childhood obesity. Researchers said: “It appears as though e-gaming may provide an effective adjunct to traditional PE activities in promoting recommended daily levels of — at least in younger children and perhaps in overweight/obese children.”

The lesson, as always, is about getting kids moving in fun, educational ways. We'll continue to follow the research and conversation emerging around games as one approach to boosting activity.

Looking for an offline way to help kids get active? We love the idea of using yoga in the classroom. Check out this post from mindfulness expert Carla Tantillo for more on a unique, engaging way to increase student health!

 

Educator Spotlight: Congrats to Lori Klein-Blazek, Physical Education Award Winner!

This fall, HSC was thrilled to learn that physical education teacher Lori Klein-Blazek was named Illinois Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD).   

HSC first met Lori through Fit to Learn, a professional development program that helps teachers make health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience. Lori, a Chicago Public Schools teacher for more than 27 years, has worked hard to inspire her young students to lead healthier, more active lives. At Jungman Elementary School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, she’s been responsible for more than 19 heath and physical education programs. Plus she’s helped spark a new partnership with Children’s Memorial Hospital’s KIPP program, which prevents knee injuries amongst young female athletes.

She’s known for being highly invested in her school (where she teaches all grades) and in her individual students. She says: “What makes a good teacher? The kids have to know that you like them. I tell my kids all the time that they're awesome, they’re great and that I'm proud of them." She adds with a smile: "Even when I'm saying, ‘Stop, pick that hockey stick up!’”

She’s also a big believer in teachers stretching their creativity to the limit, making lessons more engaging and active. She recently recycled unwanted foam swimming pool “noodles” by slicing them into hockey pucks. “If you give me something, I can figure out something to do with it,” she says. “I have a million things I can do with popcorn buckets!”

When she first heard about Fit to Learn, she wasn’t sure if the activities would work in her school’s classrooms. But, she says, "All I can do is try.  I talk about Fit to Learn to teachers all the time, and I do some of the activities in PE with the kids. It's good energy. The seminars are fun -- especially for someone like me. I can’t sit still. I’m like, show me, let's get up, let's get moving."

Recently we learned yet another way that she’s connected to HSC: Anayency Elizondo, Administrative Coordinator at HSC, is a former student! Seventeen years later, Anayency still remembers the tough encouragement that’s made Lori so important to her students. 

“I’ve always been terrible at volleyball,” Anayency says. “I remember playing it, and she didn’t really care if you were terrible at it. She would just make you try it and feel good about trying. She encouraged us, however she could.” 

With her signature creativity and energy, Lori Klein-Blazek continues to make learning healthy and fun for her students.

Congratulations, Lori, on your award -- we’re proud that you’re part of HSC’s family of incredible educators!

Happy, Healthy Holiday Celebrations!

Students jump for joy in a healthy celebration at this summer's Parent Leadership Institute.

It’s time for holiday celebrations -- at school, at home, in community centers and, it seems, everywhere we turn!

As part of HSC’s Fit to Learn professional development program, we work with teachers to create classroom experiences that support wellness, from daily lessons to special occasions. But how can we celebrate without unhealthy treats? It's easier, and more fun, than you might think! This fall, we heard lots of creative ideas from Fit to Learn teachers for celebrating Halloween in healthy ways. Now, we’re thinking about healthy holidays! Check out these tips from Fit to Learn facilitators Rosa Ramirez and Kristi Cox:

One of the easiest ways to make positive childhood memories is by creating holiday traditions. Whether they are old traditions or new ones you create, students will learn to look forward to them.  Here are some fun, health-inspired ideas for holiday traditions:

• Holiday Card-Making Party! Encourage students to share their creativity. Consider giving awards for most beautiful, creative, etc.
• Snowball Sweep! Divide the gym or a large, open room in half with cones or tape. Divide students into two teams and provide each team with soft balls of varying size (even cotton!) for them to toss onto the other side. (The goal is to throw the ball into the other team’s area, not at other team members!) Each team tries to keep their side clear of “snowballs” by continually throwing them to the opposite side.
• Spoken Word Holiday Poetry Slam! Students work in groups to create and perform poems (or songs) about holiday themes.
• Gift-Stacking Relay! Wrap a few boxes of varying sizes and create a fun holiday race! Stack three gifts on top of each other. Each team must take the stack of gifts from one end point (such as a chair) to the other end point without dropping any gifts. Then, the next person must pick up the gifts and take them back to the other end without dropping any! If the gifts fall, then the person must go back to their starting point and begin again.
• Dance the Santa Shuffle! What is the Santa Shuffle? Have the students create the dance moves  in groups of four, then bring them all together to do the shuffle.

Combine all these activities and more for your own unique holiday party.  There is no right or wrong when it comes to healthy traditions!

Looking for more ideas? Check out this tip sheet  [pdf] in the Go for the Gold resource center.

Having a Happy & Healthy Halloween in the Classroom

Halloween is here -- which means that classroom parties are in full swing! While Halloween celebrations often come with bags of candy and trays of cupcakes, the truth is that a fun Halloween in the classroom doesn't have to be unhealthy.

Try these quick tips for a healthier holiday, with fewer sweets but just as much fun!

• Have a scavenger hunt for items or information in the classroom or around the school. Have children search for items related to the party theme.
• Have a dance party, with music themed for Halloween.
• Set up a photo board. Take photos of students in their costumes and post copies, using a digital camera and printer or Polaroid. 
• Try a fresh fruit tasting. Cut up fruits in interesting shapes and give prizes for students who try each one.

How are teachers putting healthy Halloween ideas in action?

We talked to a few of the teachers taking part in HSC's Fit to Learn professional development program here in Chicago and heard these great examples of creative and healthy ways they're celebrating Halloween:

• Fall Festival: Duprey Elementary hosts a no-candy Halloween Fall Festival where the eighth graders create different stations with activities and games for the younger kids, such as face painting and a scarecrow photo station.
• Field Trips: Ray Elementary School schedules field trips on Halloween, in order to best make the focus about an event, rather than candy. The "little kids" are going to the pumpkin patch and the "big kids" are going to an international film festival screening at the University of Chicago. In the past, the school has hosted a literacy parade, where students dressed as their favorite character from a book and then marched in a parade outside for parents and then in the building for each other.
• Vampire Tag! At Boone Elementary, Students are celebrating Halloween during physical education class. They are playing Vampire Tag, Zombie Escape and other Halloween-inspired games that involve moderate-intensity physical activity.
• Wax Museum: At Lincoln Elementary, different classes are celebrating in ways that connect to what they are learning. For example, the sixth-grade classes will create a “wax museum” on Halloween, where each student dresses up as a character from ancient Egypt (which they're studying) and will give a monologue on their historical character to museum visitors.
• Hallow-green: At Stockton Elementary, first graders will participate in “Hallow-green” science and nature activities that will include a nature walk/Halloween parade, followed by Hallow-green arts and crafts and language arts activities using recycled materials.  Students will also do twisting and stretching yoga-style to eeeerie music and poems.

For more ideas on healthy classroom celebrations, check out our tip sheet!

What are your ideas for a healthy Halloween?

Cooling Down with Carla Tantillo: Bringing Mindfulness to the Classroom

Carla Tantillo leads a yoga exercise for teachers as part of HSC's Fit to Learn professional development program

This post is the first part of a Q&A with Carla Tantillo, owner/founder of Mindful Practices, author of Cooling Down Your Classroom, and a frequent facilitator in HSC's Fit to Learn professional development program.  A former teacher in the Chicago Public School system, Carla has experience working with youth from low-income communities.  Both her private yoga practice and her occupation as an educator inspired Carla to start a business that combines her two passions.  Now she works closely with Chicago schools, demonstrating how to incorporate mindfulness techniques into the regular school day.  

How did you become interested in mindfulness?

It happened as a result of my yoga practice. I hadn’t thought about mindfulness truly and really until I started practicing yoga, and I noticed the energy that I was bringing to my mat. And this is just my personal practice, prior to when I started the business.  I think it’s really interesting when in the beginning, you learn the poses and you feel like, "Okay! I’ve got this down, I know how to do triangle.  I’m in, next!" But it’s not just about getting your body into the actual yoga poses... how you’re moving to and from the pose has almost as much importance as the asana itself. Are you taking necessary steps between poses? You notice these pieces, at least for me, because you are confined to this mat.

And then you notice how it translates to how you are when you are at the grocery store.  How you are walking through the store? If you're in a hurry, what energy are you putting out there? And how you reach for that box of tea, how does that energy affect the person who’s just kind of strolling through the store, kind of browsing the tea?  I noticed it for myself with my own physical movements, and how those physical movements impact the integrity of the action—whether it’s grocery shopping, whether it’s a yoga pose, whether it’s writing—and the quality of the action.  So that’s how it began for me on a personal level.

Why is mindfulness so important for the modern classroom?

Because we are producing -- not intentionally, but -- we are producing angry adults as a society. We’re producing adults who feel powerless and out of control, and often it is something that is overlooked in their elementary and secondary school education. It's the ability to control one’s behavior for one’s own sake.

So, when I’m a classroom teacher, I want my students to settle down, and calm down, and cool down because I have a lesson that needs to be taught. So, my objective is teaching my lesson on Haiku poetry. But, should there be a different objective? Should the objective be that I want that student to be empowered to cool themselves down for their own sake? Not because of my lesson, but because I need to teach them these tools. These are lifelong learning tools they need to be successful adults. Often, no one teaches students not only the techniques of mindfulness relaxation (breathing, perhaps yoga), but also models it for them and practices it with them.

If that’s not happening in the classroom with the same amount of fervor as practicing multiplication tables, then how do we expect an adult to be able to access that when needed? So, if I ask you right now "What’s three times five?" you would spit out fifteen, and you wouldn’t even know why. With the knowledge of multiplication tables, the practice was drilled into you because someone somewhere said, "That’s a really important ability to have." We need to prioritize students’ social and emotional learning and wellness with that same amount of integrity and practice. We need to see this as a skill that’s necessary for adults to have. 

Thanks to Carla for sharing her experience; stay posted for the next in this series on mindfulness in the classroom.

Plus! Hear from Carla and other Fit to Learn facilitators on mindfulness, yoga and physical activity in the classroom in this segment from WGN News:

 

For an example of a classroom exercise that focuses on mindfulness, check out this post.

Fit to Learn Graduates Share Tips for School Health and Wellness

Earlier this summer, a small group of Chicago teachers completed HSC’s Fit to Learn program. The professional development program focused on practical approaches to making health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience.

Amy Andrews, a third grade teacher at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, found the Fit to Learn workshops to be helpful in building lessons and sharing resources with her students. After participating in the program, Andrews created a “Tasty Tuesday” program to incorporate nutrition education into her classroom. She also provided opportunities for physical activity in her classroom and urged students to commit to physical activity.

When Andrews created opportunities for movement, she observed more focused students. “The kids said during ISAT, [those mind and body breaks] really helped them. It was the first time I really heard their point of view. They feel calmer and more confident,” she said.

Graduates explained that their experience showed them how important it is to engage parents and fellow educators in fostering a culture of wellness throughout the school. “You have to get other teachers on board,” said John T. McCutcheon Elementary School teacher Karen Jasinski. “You also want parents on board. You need both, [because] we set the example. If we’re telling them not to have hot chips and pop and then they see us with pop, then it’s not going to be effective.” To make this connection, Jasinski also invited nutritionists to facilitate six popular parent workshops to demonstrate how to make home meals healthier.

We look forward to hearing more from Fit to Learn alums in the coming school year. Kudos to all the Fit to Learn graduates!

Fit to Learn Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers this Summer

by Kristi Cox, HSC training and program manager

Fit to Learn professional development session

Calling all Chicago teachers! I’d like to invite you to be part of Fit to Learn, an innovative professional development program from Healthy Schools Campaign.

Teachers who have taken part in this new program have described it as "awesome," "realistic and helpful," and "right on track." Participants appreciated the "many ideas that are easy to implement in a classroom setting," "lots of great lessons," and the opportunity to brainstorm and collaborate with other teachers who care about wellness. Thanks to an exceptional response from teachers, we’re excited to offer Fit to Learn again this summer.

Through this experience, teachers will develop and share the skills for integrating nutrition education and fitness into classroom lessons that meet Illinois Common Core Strategies in math, reading, science, social studies, art and music.

This training is open to CPS teachers of grades K-5 and is available at no cost to teachers. Teachers will receive CPDUs for participation.

WHO: Chicago Public Schools teachers of grades K-5

WHAT: Training to integrate healthy eating and physical activity into the classroom

WHEN: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Wednesday July 18 or Wednesday August 1

WHERE: The Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd. Chicago, IL 60612 [map]

COST: Available at no cost to teachers

APPLY: Teachers, click here to apply! Deadline for applications is July 13, 2012.

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Presenting Fit to Learn resources

What are the benefits?

Perhaps most importantly, Fit to Learn offers an opportunity to prepare students for increased academic achievement and reduced absenteeism: studies show that when kids are physically active and have a healthy school environment, learning and test scores improve. Teachers will receive CPDUs for participation. Other benefits include:

• Free resources, new lesson plans and a practical kit for creating healthier classrooms; raffles each day for curricula and resources worth hundreds of dollars
• Opportunity to focus on teaching the whole child and develop new skills
• Leadership opportunities to cultivate a culture of wellness at school
• Connections and opportunities to share ideas with other teachers who care about healthy eating, physical activity and wellness
• Becoming part of the Go for the Gold campaign and help your school meet the high standards for food, fitness and nutrition education that First Lady Michelle Obama is challenging schools to achieve

Of course, trainings include both breakfast and lunch.

To learn more and apply, visit www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/FitToLearn. Remember that the deadline to apply is July 13, 2012 Questions? Contact me by email or at 312-419-1810 (office).

Plus: Check out stories from Fit to Learn alums on HSC's blog!

Fit to Learn Teachers Recognized as Champions of Wellness

In classrooms all over the city of Chicago, students are moving, playing, and learning about the importance of physical activity and nutrition with the help of teachers who have graduated from HSC’s Fit to Learn professional development program. Now prepared with classroom lessons and a comprehensive skill set, this group of teachers is already engaging their students in meaningful activities that complement classroom learning and promote health in schools. At Healthy Schools Campaign, we are celebrating over a dozen Chicago Public School (CPS) teachers who have now completed the Fit to Learn professional development program. The teachers gathered at nearby Wishbone restaurant last month to accept recognition for their achievements. Joined by program administrators, instructors, and school principals, the graduates celebrated their accomplishments and reflected on the strategies they have used to empower students and staff to live healthy lifestyles.

Fit to Learn graduates pose for a picture with HSC, CPS and Mindful Practices representatives

Through Fit to Learn, CPS teachers from grades K-5 gained practical approaches for integrating health and wellness into classroom curriculum. They participated in one-day training session and additional evening booster sessions. During these sessions they became familiar with the body of knowledge documenting the link between health and academic achievement, and learned how to incorporate wellness into subjects ranging from social studies to physical education. They reviewed existing curricula, participated in games and activities, and adapted the information to create lesson plans tailored to their own classroom needs.

During the graduation celebration, teachers expressed gratitude for the program and hope for creating last change in their school environments. Physical Education Teacher Mark Franklin of Charles W. Earle Elementary School described the Fit to Learn program as filling an important gap in existing professional development opportunities for Chicago area educators. While trained in subjects such as physiology and Kinesiology, he had never been exposed to the benefits of incorporating yoga in the school setting. However, after Carla Tantillo, founder of Mindful Practices and a Fit to Learn facilitator, presented on using relaxation techniques to modify energy levels, Mark tried out some activities in his PE classes. He found that while students needed a little initial encouragement, they enjoyed trying out new things and were engaged in the activities.

Fit to Learn graduates agreed that the program has helped them promote wellness in the classroom. Mary Holmes of Oscar DePriest Elementary School commented that it is something all teachers can do to help empower students. When breakfast arrives in Mary’s classroom, she eats with the children and leads by example. She sees this simple act of participation as effective strategy to teach healthy behaviors. For more great ideas and stories from leaders like Mary, visit the Fit to Learn section of the HSC blog.

We look forward to hearing more about the Fit to Learn graduates' accomplishments in the coming school year. Again, congratulations to all Fit to Learn graduates! We are now accepting applicants for the 2012-2013 Fit to Learn program! For more information and to register, click here.

To learn more about Fit to Learn or if you have questions regarding registration, please contact Kristi Cox by email or at 312-419-1810.

A Jaw-Dropper: Day Campers Asked To Bring Four Liters of Soda, Two Dozen Cookies Per Week

By Kristi Cox, HSC training + program manager

As I turned on my computer this morning, I noticed a headline from one of my favorite blogs, The Lunch Tray: "Day Campers Required To Bring Four Liters of Soda, Two Dozen Cookies Per Week". 

I thought, what? That can’t be right. Then I started to read the post and my jaw literally dropped open as I continued to read. A parent had sent The Lunch Tray a copy of literature from the day camp, stating that it required parents to send with their children four liters of soda per week (preferably Coke, Dr. Pepper, Orange, or other “standard flavors” in regular or diet) as well as two dozen cookies or brownies ... per week!

As I continued to scan the blog, I noticed the camp’s lunch menu was included. Here are the offerings:

Monday-Domino’s Pizza

Tuesday-James Coney Island (hot dogs)

Wednesday- Chick fil-A (fried chicken sandwich)

Thursday- James Coney Island (hot dogs, again)

Friday-Domino’s Pizza (again)

Yikes! Where’s the fruit? How about a few vegetables?

At a time when childhood obesity rates are reaching epidemic proportions, this is clearly sending the wrong message.  Trying to get kids to embrace healthier food choices is hard enough. As a parent with two “tweenage” kids, I know they’ll eat whatever is in front of them, healthy or not. Even though we eat healthy at home, making these types of foods readily available at camp or school only undermines the healthy habits I’ve worked so hard to establish.

At Healthy Schools Campaign, I help run a program called Fit to Learn. This teacher professional development program is designed to help teachers create classroom environments that support health and wellness, from their lessons to their management strategies to the way they approach celebrations and much more. One idea we offer our teachers is to eliminate junk food in the classroom -- as rewards, for fundraising or in celebrations -- and to offer other incentives or healthy food instead.

Teachers who participate in this program understand the importance of health and wellness and how this affects students’ ability to learn. They’re working hard with their administration, co-workers and parents to make these changes in their schools. Making health and wellness part of their daily dialog is what is going to make a difference. They realize that it’s up to the entire community to help these kids develop healthy habits. All of us who care about kids’ health and learning – teachers, parents, coaches and even the community leaders who organize day camps in the summer – have a chance to support children’s wellness not just through what we say but also with the snacks we serve and the examples we model.

The Lunch Tray post asks, "will we ever get to the point when nutritious, wholesome food is the baseline fare for kids?" I hope we will, and am so impressed with the Fit to Learn teachers who are making this the norm in their classes. To read more about their efforts, check out some of the stories here. 

Milestones and New Initiatives in the Weeks Ahead!

This week, HSC is kicking off one of our busiest and most exciting months yet! The weeks ahead are filled with dynamic events and new opportunities built on work for healthy food and fitness in schools. We are excited to share these milestones and new initiatives!

Health in Mind: Improving Education through Wellness · May 9
We believe that healthy students are better prepared to learn and that schools must address health and wellness in order for all kids to achieve. On May 9, we will bring this message to national leaders as we present policy recommendations to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at a special event in Washington, D.C. Our nation is facing a dual crisis: a growing achievement gap and children who for the first time in history may live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.These recommendations focus on simple, common-sense steps initiated at the federal level that can help schools leverage the power of health and wellness to boost student achievement. Learn more about Health in Mind here.
* If you are interested in learning more about the event, please contact Alex Schaible by email or at 312-419-1810.

Congressional Briefing on Serving Food Raised without Antibiotics in School Lunch · May 10
The high school culinary students who placed first in HSC’s Cooking up Change Chicago healthy cooking contest wowed judges with a lunch featuring freshly-baked chicken drumsticks. That chicken was raised without antibiotics on Amish farms in nearby Indiana, like much of the chicken now on the menu in Chicago Public Schools. On May 10, the students will take part in a Congressional briefing on serving food raised without antibiotics in school lunch. That day, the lunch they created will be served for lunch in the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria! Learn more here.
* Send a letter inviting your senators and representative to attend the briefing and try the students’  award-winning school lunch!

Parents United for Healthy Schools Annual Summit · May 17
The parent leaders of HSC’s Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables will have much to celebrate and much work ahead as they gather for the sixth annual Parent Summit for Healthy Schools. This coalition, which brings together parents from Chicago’s Latino and African-American communities to speak up for school wellness as a way to address health disparities, has achieved new victories for children’s health. Parent-led wellness teams have initiated school-level changes across the city and successfully advocated for important district policies, including bringing recess and Breakfast in the Classroom to the city’s elementary schools. Parents are now looking ahead to supporting schools in making wellness a priority as the city transitions to a longer school day. Learn more about Parents United here.
* For live updates from the parent summit, follow HSC on Twitter and keep an eye out for #ParentsUnited on May 17.

Fit to Learn Graduation · May 18
Teachers who have completed HSC’s year-long Fit to Learn professional development program will celebrate their graduation at a special event bringing together principals and district leaders to share ideas and strategies for boosting wellness in schools. Fit to Learn focuses on practical approaches to making health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience. Teachers gain the skills to fit healthy habits into daily learning—integrating nutrition education and fitness into classroom lessons that meet learning standards in math, reading, science, social studies, art and music. Learn more here.
* Bring healthy new ideas to your classroom! Check out activities and stories from Fit to Learn teachers on HSC’s blog.

Cooking up Change National Finals · May 21
Across the country, student chefs are cooking up change! These teams of high school culinary students have impressed judges and guests at local competitions and are now getting ready to compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C. Teams are challenged to create a healthy school meal that meets high nutrition standards on a tight budget and with limited ingredients. Teams from Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, Santa Ana, St. Louis and Winston-Salem have secured their spots in the national finals. Which team will take home the trophy? Learn more here.
* Send your compliments to the chefs! Cheer on the teams with a tweet using #CookingupChange or a message on HSC’s Facebook page.

Cooking up Change Congressional Briefing · May 22
The day after the cooking contest, the student chefs will bring their healthy school meals to Congress! A student-designed lunch will be served in the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria and at a Congressional briefing on the future of school food. At this briefing, the student chefs will share their experience and speak about why healthy school food matters. Learn more here.
* Send a letter inviting your senators and representative to attend the briefing and try the students’  award-winning school lunches!

Go for the Gold in Food and Fitness Celebration · May 30
At this celebration, we’ll recognize the second cadre of schools to meet the rigorous standards of the HealthierUS School Challenge through Go for the Gold, HSC’s partnership with Chicago Public Schools to support schools in meeting the high challenge’s high standards for healthy school food, physical activity and nutrition education. Through Go for the Gold, Chicago is answering First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to action! To date, 45 CPS schools have been recognized as HealthierUS Schools, an additional 30+ schools have submitted their applications, and dozens more are making changes. Learn more here.
* Check out the practical resources and tip sheets focused on physical activity, nutrition education and more from Go for the Gold!

We’re thrilled to share these exciting events! For updates throughout the month, check out HSC’s blog, Twitter and Facebook page!

Physical Activity Break: Wellness and Fun with the Metamorphosis Game!

Physical activity breaks boost student wellness and can provide a fun break during a sedentary day. The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPHERD) notes that a 10-minute physical activity session results in improved fitness and health for students!

At a recent Fit to Learn session, teachers learned about different types of physical activity breaks -- including the fun, active metamorphosis game that we’ll spotlight today. This game offers a good way to teach students about life cycles. The game includes four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis (cocoon), and butterfly. 

In this game, students act out each transformation: 

1. Everyone starts off as an egg and crouches down
2. Each student plays rock-paper-scissors with another student who is in the same stage. The winner progresses to the next stage! The student who does not win goes back a stage. Both students find another person in their stage to continue moving through the series
3. In the caterpillar stage, each student inches along the floor in a modified bear crawl
4. In the chrysalis stage, each student spins around with arms crossed across their chest 
5. In the butterfly stage, each student flies (slowly) with their "wings" outstretched 
6. After reaching the butterfly stage, each student becomes an egg again so the game can keep going 

 

Fit to Learn teachers learn how to play the metamorphosis game

The metamorphosis game is a great way for students to socialize with each other and get active. Additionally, the game incorporates matching and allows students to creatively interpret each stage of a butterfly’s life. Fit to Learn facilitator Amy Christiansen notes that the game allows you to use your imagination as some teachers have substituted dinosaurs and superheroes instead of butterflies!

Studies continue to show that activity increases recall and focus. Try this fun activity break to boost learning in your classroom! 

Stack Up Education and Health With In-Class Physical Activity: Speed Cup Stacking

By Brittany Wright, HSC media and outreach specialist

GET READY! GET SET! GET MOVING (IN THE CLASSROOM)!

Educators continue to find that students benefit from in-class opportunities to move. Physical activity improves cognitive, emotional and physical health. They are also a key part of a classroom culture that promotes wellness. A fun and easy way to incorporate movement is sport stacking!

Last year, I got a chance to learn about this sport at a Fit to Learn booster session. The session focused on the importance of physical activity and introduced sports stacking as one of many exercises to do with students.

In addition to connecting education and health, sport stacking or speed cup stacking is a fun way to improve hand-eye coordination and motor skills. This sport challenges participants to stack cups in pyramid sequences in the shortest amount of time. Speed cup stacking started in the early 1980s and has experienced continued popularity growth. Co-founder Bob Fox describes the activity as “a track meet for your hands!”

During the booster session, facilitator Amy Christiansen discussed how popular and easy this activity was in her classroom. Teachers even got a chance to play the sport and learn techniques to take back to their classrooms.

I have to admit, I started sweating at the sight of the group cup stacking! I was blow way by how much  fun I had and how energizing it is when I got a chance to try it myself.

Amy Christiansen (center) practices sports stacking with Fit to Learn teachers 

One reason speed stacking is a great activity for the classroom is because all you need is a flat surface and cups! Check out this introductory video by the World Sports Stacking Association. For more information about sports stacking, click here.

Fun Fact: The sport gained national prominence when it was featured on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” in 1990!

Plus, check out more fun activity ideas from Go for the Gold, a partnership of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and Healthy Schools Campaign to support schools in meeting high standards for food, fitness and nutrition education. Check out the new free online resource center for more ideas to incorporate physical activity in the classroom. 

Teachers, have you tried speed cup stacking with your classroom? How was your experience?

Spotlight on Physical Education Leader Julie Weidner Carter

By Kandice Howard, HSC intern  

When thinking about leaders who have made an impact in our lives, families, and communities, does a physical education teacher come to mind? I recently had the opportunity to speak with one PE teacher who is making a profound impact within Chicago Public Schools and communities. Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD) Chicago District president Julie Carter shared her commitment to promote health and wellness among Chicago's youth. 

As an avid member of IAHPERD for twenty years, Carter’s leadership spreads awareness about the positive connection between students' health and learning. 

“Students’ brains are positively affected by exercise so one of the best things teachers can do is start the day with a few minutes of movement,” she said. 

The P.E. educator recognizes the importance of providing movement opportunities within lessons as well. For teachers looking to incorporate more movement within their school day, Carter makes some helpful suggestions. 

“One way would be to read a story and have students stand up every time they hear a noun,” she said. “The next time they hear a noun they have to sit down.  Teachers could also play some music and lead student exercises at their seat.  Kids can walk in place, do high-knees, stretch, or do yoga or other movement.” 

Educators across the city note the benefits of in-class physical activity through programs like HSC’s Fit to Learn. Carter also references Brain Gym and Playworks as “excellent resources for teachers to incorporate activity in the classroom.” 

Last year, Julie served on the committee that developed Champions for Wellness, a professional development training for CPS teachers. This training kicked off the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award challenge in CPS. As part of the challenge, Cornell McClellan, personal trainer to the First Family, encouraged families to take the PALA pledge to live an active lifestyle. 

Carter's efforts show her passion for the health and the academic success of Chicago's youth. As IAPHERD Chicago District president, she is working to expand membership, build upon professional development opportunities, and create awareness of resources and grants. 

At the close of our conversation, Carter expressed a very important wish — to increase awareness about the connection between physical education and cognition. Simply put, she said, fit kids are better learners. Thanks to Julie Carter for her great work to promote physical activity and learning!

Love Your Heart! Physical Activity Boosters for Kids and Adults

Although Valentine’s Day is over, keep your heart in mind! February is American Heart Awareness Month. This month’s observance draws attention to heart disease and encourages everyone -- adults and kids alike -- to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle and prevention year-round. 

A way to get your heart in shape is cardiovascular (cardio) exercise or aerobics! Aerobic exercises strengthen the heart muscle and improve blood circulation. Some great activities include:

• jumping rope,
• dancing,
• gymnastics,
• swimming,
• yoga,
• and much more!

There are so many fun ways to incorporate cardio in the classroom. Try a jumping jacks spelling bee contest by asking students to do jumping jacks for each letter in the word they are challenged to spell.This activity is sure to get their brains working and hearts racing!

Another academic aerobic exercise incorporates movement into math lessons. During a recent Fit to Learn session, teachers played Jenga with math problems and different physical activities written on each of the blocks. As players pulled the blocks, they had to solve the math problem do the activity that many times. For example, "2 x 2 = 4 lunges."

Physical activity breaks enhance classroom culture by connecting activity and learning. Research shows that activity boosts recall and focus in the classroom!

For more physical activity tips, we also encourage you to check out the Go for the Gold campaign’s physical activity tip sheet [pdf].

Healthy Ideas for Your Cupid Classroom Celebration

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity for a healthy classroom celebration. Students can be social and share how much they care about their peers, teachers, and family. These celebrations can be extra sweet when teachers provide healthy ways to celebrate!

Classroom celebrations focused on candy and cake can counter school wellness efforts to promote healthy eating. Help Cupid aim for children’s health this year by focusing on fun activities instead of unhealthy snacks for Valentine celebrations.

Did you know that chocolate candies can range from 170 to 230 calories? Fit Sugar shares calorie content for some popular holiday sweets. (A serving of chocolate “kisses” has 230 calories!)

One fun option is to encourage students to try heart-healthy foods at a festive tasting party. Nutrient-rich -- and naturally red! -- fruits such as pomegranate, strawberries, and cherries which are full of vitamins and good for your heart. You can also use the opportunity to discuss healthy eating habits.

In-classroom celebrations don’t have to be centered on food. Try some of these other fun and festive ideas!

Get Crafty: Encouraging students to make Valentine’s Day cards. As a bonus, you can share the cards with families or with seniors in your community!

Get Moving: Turn on some tunes and encourage students to show off their best moves!

Get Gifts: Instead of snacks, share small treats such as school supplies and toys.

 

Teachers, how are you celebrating Valentine’s Day with you students in a healthy way?

Fit to Learn Teachers Discuss Impact of Physical Activity in the Classroom

HSC recently hosted a session of Fit to Learn, our professional development program that prepares educators to incorporate health and wellness into their everyday classroom routine. This booster session was focused on in-class physical activity.

We spoke with highly engaged teachers from different schools who shared ways they have implemented Fit to Learn as part of their instruction and the noticeable impact physical activity has had on their students.

Jill Guzman, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Irma Ruiz School, observed: “I’ve seen the kids get more energy. We usually start the day with exercise -- it wakes them up. The kids in the afternoon, when they come, they’ve been up for a while so it re-energizes them.” She added, “instead of just sitting around and complaining that they’re tired, they get up and move. They get their second wind, so to speak.”

The group of educators found that incorporating physical activity into their lesson plans can assist in classroom management.  

Yoga helps Irma Ruiz School special education teacher Valerie Kmiecik effectively manage her class. She points out that around lunch, her students are really energized, yet they are tired and don’t want to do much work. “We’ve found it to be a behavior management tool and a way to energize them. If they’re hyper, it calms them down. If they’re too sluggish, especially with all the breaks like Thanksgiving and the time away from school, this peps them up.”

Ruiz School first grade teacher Kristel Negrete uses physical activity to transition to the next lesson throughout the day. Her 29 students have to use their bodies to show that they are paying attention. “It gets their attention right away. I’ll say ‘If you’re listening to me, you’re jogging in place’ just to get them moving from one thing to the next.”

Students have also been very receptive to in-class activity from Fit to Learn. Earle Elementary physical education teacher Mark Franklin said, “I’ve used it with my Kindergarten to third graders and they love it! I can start with the basic yoga movements, but it’s really nice because it really helps them calm down and focus, especially when I need their attention or need them to line up.”

Physical activity contributes to cognitive, emotional, and physical health. Research shows that children who are physically active are better prepared to learn and succeed.

We are happy to see teachers encouraging physical activity as part of the learning process.

Want to Learn More? Exercise! Connecting Physical Activity, Learning, and Focus in School

By Kandice Howard, HSC intern 

Last month, we reported on a study showing that most U.S. schools don’t require physical education or recess. But research continues to show just how well physical activity supports students’ learning.

Recently, The New York Times reported on the positive connection between exercise and learning. The article highlights a study from the University of Rome which examined the effects of physical activities on schoolchildren. 

The findings show that after having time to be active, students’ concentration increased in the classroom. With these findings, the study showed that exercise contributes to students’ ability to focus and perform better in school. According to the article: 

The children’s test scores rose after each of the [gym] classes. But by a wide margin, their scores increased the most after a 50-minute gym class that concentrated on endurance exercise. In that session, the young students ran, walked, skipped and otherwise kept moving for the duration of the class. Afterward, according to their test scores, they were much better able to focus. 

Much can be learned from this study in regards to students’ learning and focus. The article shows that providing students with opportunities to engage in stress-free, continuous movement leads to real gains in the classroom. As a result, students are more prepared and focused, classroom time can be used effectively for teaching, and students can perform better on tests and other schoolwork.

Healthy Schools Campaign encourages teachers and school leaders to make physical activity part of how kids learn. We’ve developed Fit to Learn, a professional development program that works with educators to incorporate health and wellness into everyday classroom routines. We also work with parents to affect change in school and district level policy around recess and physical education. To learn more, check out Fit to Learn and Parents United for Healthy Schools on our blog.

Check out the exercise & school recess section of HSC's blog for more stories on the benefits of physical activity at school.