A Healthy Start in the New Year
December 16, 2015 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign
Here’s one New Year’s resolution we hope teachers across Chicago can try in 2016: making healthy habits part of how kids learn.
That can be as easy as offering non-food rewards or adding in movement breaks throughout the day, or it can be much more involved, like starting a worm composting bin in the classroom.
Through our free professional development program, Fit to Learn, we are offering several great events in early 2016 to help make that resolution a reality.
On Jan. 12, we’re hosting an online webinar about staff health and wellness. This booster will help you create a healthy work environment for you and your colleagues by providing free and cost-effective resources including health screenings, gym memberships and motivational strategies. Guest speakers from the CPS Office of Student Health and Wellness will share tips on reading nutrition labels, healthy role modeling and more. A healthy school starts with a healthy staff! Learn more and register.
On Jan. 21, we’re hosting a booster on worm composting. In this booster, you will learn how to start, maintain and utilize a classroom worm bin, which teaches students about the important natural systems, turning food waste into fresh compact and exposes them to the wonderful world of life inside soil. This session features Drew Thomas, the School Garden Coordinator at Chicago Public Schools. Plus, you will leave with starter worms, a classroom compost bin and a variety of lessons and activities to engage students! Learn more and register.
On Feb. 17, we’re offering a booster on nutrition education. Using the Organwise Guys method for creative introduction to health, this session will present strategies for making nutrition education fun and active. Plus, Common Threads will lead participants in a taste test of fresh fruits and veggies! Learn more and register.
On Mar. 9, we’re hosting a beginner school garden webinar for those interested in starting a school garden or need help gathering excitement for an existing one. This short introductory webinar will teach attendees how garden-based learning positively impacts student learning; how to get started and explore ways school gardens offer hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in a wide array of disciplines and promote student health; and about Chicago-based examples of school garden success. Learn more and register.
The new year is a great time to shake up the classroom routine and incorporate some healthy lessons.
