Child health is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive approach to address the many factors that influence it and are influenced by it. In light of the complexity of children's health, the Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) was developed as a framework for a systems approach to planning and implementing school-based…

Would You Rather (WYR), with a Sexual Health Twist! teaching technique uses two youth games, "Would you rather…" and Twister®, to actively engage students in developing decision-making skills regarding human sexuality. Utilizing the "Would you rather" choices, the teacher provides a short scenario with two difficult choices.…

This strategy is to provide health education teacher candidates with critical and creative thinking tools to explore gardening as a vehicle to integrate health education content with other subjects. According to the Competency-Based Framework for the Health Education Specialist (2010a), entry-level health educators should have skills and…

The purpose of this article to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Preconception Peer Educators program at a small private historically black college and university (HBCU). Peer educators were college students who completed a two-day training that…

Teaching philosophy (TP) statements are increasingly required within academia for hiring and promotion purposes. For health educators, a TP can be a valuable resource for academicians as well as practitioners, linking educational theory with teaching techniques, philosophy with practice. The process of formulating a TP statement provides the…

"The Wheels of Stress Go Round and Round" teaching idea uses three activity wheels to reinforce stress-related content and concepts. After presenting a definition of stress, the instructor assists students in identifying stressors, and aids in formulating a list of negative, reactive behaviors and a list of positive coping mechanisms. Using…

Too many racial/ethnic minorities do not reach their full potential for a healthy and rewarding life. This paper addresses the social determinants that impact, either directly or indirectly, child and adolescent health disparities. Understanding the role social determinants play in the life course of health status can help guide educational…

The only advanced credential exam for health educators, The Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), involved a seven-year process. The process began in December 2004, with the information from the Competency Update Project (CUP) report that health educators practice at entry- and advanced-levels of practice. In October 2011, the date…

This activity is designed to provide students with an overview of environmental health and to encourage them to think critically about how they can minimize their potential negative health impacts from environmental exposures. Objectives: Students will (a) define environmental health, (b) analyze media wherein environmental health issues are…

The exchange of information regarding research and programming is vital to the profession and practice of health education. Sessions at national, regional, and state professional meetings provide opportunities for conference attendees to share and acquire information related to health and health education. Students and novice professionals,…

Regression analyses are frequently employed by health educators who conduct empirical research examining a variety of health behaviors. Within regression, there are a variety of coefficients produced, which are not always easily understood and/or articulated by health education researchers. It is important to not only understand what these…

The ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health represents an essential skill for a health literate individual. By providing opportunities to successfully engage in health advocacy and service learning activities, students may be motivated to become life-long advocates for health and continue to actively advocate and participate…

Through the 6-year National Health Educator Competencies Update Project (CUP), in 2004, the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC), American Association for Health Education (AAHE), and Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) completed verification of advanced-level competencies and subcompetencies for health…

There is no one definition for a leader or for leadership, but most people can identify a leader and can provide qualities of a good leader or good leadership. The founders of Eta Gamma Gamma--William Bock, Warren Schaller, and Robert Synovitz--all displayed a critical characteristic of leadership by having and acting on a vision. Leadership has…

This article describes three studies that were designed to provide undergraduate students with opportunities for hands-on experience in research. Students were involved in all aspects of the studies--from the development of the research questions to the reporting of the results. The studies examined the effectiveness of signs and posters in…