How much walking do i need to do?

The ideal amount of walking, according to many health organizations and the U.S. surgeon general, is a total of 30 minutes a day for at least five days a week.
Your goal should be to take advantage of every single walking opportunity you have, and to walk regularly. if you don't have time for the full 30 - minute walk on one particular day, because you have to go to the store, visit a neighbor, then pick the kids from the school, don't worry. This doesn't mean that you have to abandon your walking altogether. Divide the 30 minutes into three 10 minute sessions.
Many people feel they get enough exercise to remain healthy, but in fact, only 30 percent of us actually do. Make a note of the amount of exercise you got last week. How often did you exercise, take a walk, use the stairs, and so on? It may be surprising to discover how little we exercise during an average week. Continue to make notes as you gradually bring walking into your life. This will help you stay motivated.

Source: Reader's Digest association, Inc, 2008

How many calories can I burn and can I really lose weight just by walking?

" Shutdown law " or "Cindrella law"

SEOUL, South Korea pulled the plug on young gamers after midnight by blocking access to game websites, in its effort to curb game addiction among adolescents.
The new system called the "Shutdown law" also referred to as the "Cinderella law" blocks those under the age of 16 from accessing gaming websites after midnight.
A 2010 survey found nearly 14%of 9 - 12 year olds in South Korea are internet addicts.

Can children be addicted to internet games and gaming? Does this impact the education of the child?

Source: http://edition.CNN.com

What is a health promoting school?

The concept of health promoting schools established by WHO is about helping schools to build and use their entire organizational capacity to improve health among the students, staff, families and community members. A health promoting school is a school constantly strengthening its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working.

DISTINGUISHED BY SIX FEATURES, A HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOL:

1. Engages health and education officials, teachers, teacher’s representative organisations, students, parents and community leaders in efforts to promote health, with ;

· families and community groups involved in the school.

· Community services, businesses and organisations linked to the school.

· School/ community projects and outstretch services.

2. Strives to provide a safe, healthy environment, including;

· Sufficient sanitation and water.

· Freedom from abuse and violence.

· A climate of care, trust and respect.

· Social support and mental health promotion.

· Safe school grounds.

· Opportunities for physical education and recreation

3. Provides school health education, with;

· Curricula that improve student’s understanding of factors that influence health and enable them to make healthy choices and adopt healthy behaviour throughout their lives.

· Curricula that include critical health and life skills, a focus on promoting health and well-being as well as preventing important health problems, and access to information and activities appropriate to children’s intellectual and emotional abilities.

· Training and education for teachers and parents.

4. Provides access to health services, with;

· services (screening, diagnosis, monitoring growth and development, vaccination, selected medications or procedures) that may be most efficiently provided in the school setting, depending on school resources and mandates

· partnerships with local health agencies

· nutrition and food safety programmes

5. Implements health promoting policies and practices, such as;

· an overall policy supported by school administration and management as well as teaching practices that help create a healthy psychosocial environment for students and staff

· policies on equal treatment for all students

· policies on drug and alcohol use, tobacco use, first aid, and violence that help prevent or reduce physical, social, and emotional problems

· create health promotion activities, such as physical exercise, mental and spiritual health promotion

6. Strives to improve health of the community, by;

· Focusing on community health concerns affecting the children and adolescents

· Inviting parents and community participation

Source: Health Promoting Schools Handbook
Ministry of Education, Maldives

Harvard EdCast: Make Just One Change

Dan Rothstein and Luz Santana, authors of the book, Make Just One Change, explain why teaching students to ask their own questions just may revolutionize the classroom.

About the Harvard EdCast

The Harvard EdCast is a weekly series of podcasts, available on the Harvard University iTunes U page, that features a 15-20 minute conversation with thought leaders in the field of education from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Matt Weber, the Harvard EdCast is a space for educational discourse and openness, focusing on the myriad issues and current events related to the field.

http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news-impact/2011/11/harvard-edcast-make-just-one-change/

Happy Holidays!!

We have come to the end of our academic year, and what an exciting and eventful year this has been!

None of this would have been possible without our wonderful teachers and staff who work tirelessly to make their schools the vibrant, active and progressive school and learning environment it is today.

School Health Services

An important component of health promoting schools is health services. Facilities to provide first aid, health screening, counselling and access to basic health services are vital for the health and well being of students:

• The school will ensure all students have a health screening on school entry and every 2 years following the initial check up. This can be done by the school health assistants, trained teachers and/or in partnership with local health service providers and NGOs.
• A refferal mechanism to the health service will be established to provide appropriate care for students and staff with serious illness, emotional health problems and those requiring emergency medical care following injury.
• The school will have at least one staff trained in first aid available during school sessions and a health room with facilities providing first aid. Clear procedures in providing care, refferal and recording of behavioural and medical information will be in place to support students' health condition, with a respect for confidentiality ensured.
• The school will actively carry out preventive health care activities such as nutrient supplementation, immunisation and counselling, and provide psycho-social support to those with special requirements in partnership with local social services.
• The schools will have a mechanism in collaboration with the health sector and NGOs to access Information, Education and Communication (IEC), other resource materials and expert assistance in carrying out health programmes.

Source from: Health Promoting Schools Policy/ Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health

Misunderstanding and preconceptions about Africa

Prof. HAN highlighted his experience with Africa emphasizing that it is essential for people to understand Africa before judging on issues concerning the continent. In trying to clarify this point, he disclosed the image or perception of most people in Korea and other countries about Africa that the continent is a jungle where people living with animals and nothing else like socio-economic development is underway. Showing his stand on this, professor HAN insisted that development in Africa is possible if successful participatory initiatives like village movement in Korea could be applied. Korea's development is a result of hard working and commitment among citizens and government as a whole. However, Korea's experience cannot be copied and pasted to Asian, Pacific or African countries but can be conceptualized in each countries context to fit the desired needs.