How SAFE are your healthy eating lessons?
In a world dominated by social media and relentless health propaganda, we have reached a pinnacle of idealistic, well-intentioned, and potentially harmful food messaging in schools. As educators, it’s essential we consider not just the content but the safety of our healthy eating lessons. Is one-size-fits-all messaging fit for purpose? Healthy eating lessons frequently deliver […]
Creating Calm Classroom Mealtimes
How to implement trauma-informed care when returning to school after isolation Trauma can have a long lasting physical and mental impact. Adverse experiences and events affect children in multiple ways. Prior to entering isolation, Australia endured some of the most catastrophic bushfires we’ve ever seen. While we do consider ourselves the lucky country, we’re not […]
Why children need to squirm to learn
A topic of conversation that comes up all the time in school staff rooms is children that squirm – fidget – jiggle – fiddle – twist and turn! Those who cannot sit still: they jump, spin, flop around on the classroom floor, lay down or slump over a table. Children like this aren’t usually misbehaving, it’s their […]
That Sugar Activity
Confession: I’m a teacher, nutritionist and feeding therapist. I refuse to place a bunch of soft drink bottles on a table along with sugar cubes and ask children to guess how much sugar is in each drink. Nor do I use the same concept with chocolate bars, lollies, cereals, condiments and fruit. Why I hear […]
The Australian Health Curriculum – Is it helping or harming our children?
“When you eat junk food, you get fat!” and “Is this food healthy?” When working with children, there’s nothing off limits and thoughts are heard out loud. Children think it and say it. These are the kinds of comments and questions I’ve had from primary students in the last twelve months. This seems to be […]