Essentials of Teaching Health

The Essentials of Teaching Health Education presents a skills-based approach to teaching K-12 health education that prepares students for success in the 21st century. This practical text is endorsed by SHAPE America and written by seasoned and highly credentialed authors with experience in both university and K-12 settings. It provides all you need in order to build, teach, and assess a health education program that will help your students become health-literate individuals, develop the 21st-century skills that they need for success in college and in their careers beyond, and maintain or improve health outcomes.

What Sets This Book Apart

This text meets the unique needs of schools, teachers, and students. It emphasizes an individualized approach to enhancing student learning and developing skills based on current research and national health education standards.

The Essentials of Teaching Health Education features the following:

• Practical strategies for curriculum design and program development with a skills-based approach-one that makes it easy to put the contents into action and make a meaningful impact on students

• Real-world examples to help readers understand and apply the content, along with summaries, key points, and review questions that aid in retaining the information

• Vocabulary words and definitions to help students keep up with the ever-changing terminology in health education

Ancillaries to Facilitate Teaching and Enhance Course Content

The text is accompanied by a test bank, a presentation package, a web resource, and an instructor guide, all designed to facilitate your preparation, teaching, and assessment of students’ knowledge. These ancillaries come with tools:

• Teaching slides and tests for each chapter

• Supplemental learning activities and web links

9 Chapter review questions and answers, teaching tips, suggested readings, and chapter objectives and summaries

Book Organization

The book is arranged in five parts. Part I delves into the skills-based approach to health education, explaining the importance of the approach and how to understand student motivation. Part II focuses on how to teach skills that are based on the National Health Education Standards: accessing valid and reliable information, products, and services; analyzing influences; interpersonal communication; decision making and goal setting; self-management; and advocacy.

Part III explores how to use data to inform your curriculum planning, outlines the eight steps for curriculum development, and shows you how to design meaningful assessments. In part IV, you learn how to create a positive learning environment, implement a skills-based approach, and meet the unique needs of elementary health education. Finally, in part V, you examine pertinent topics beyond the classroom, including professional development, advocacy, and cross-curricular connections.

A Framework for Successful Acquisition of Skills

The Essentials of Teaching Health Education offers evidence-informed strategies as it guides you through the critical process of supplying students with the tools they need for success in school and in life. The authors use the Partnership for 21st Century Skills framework to set the foundation for teaching the skills students need.

The text is comprehensive and flexible to meet all of your students’ needs. With all the ancillaries and tools it provides, you are set to deliver a complete, well-rounded curriculum that will prepare future teachers for success.

Human Kinetics is proud to publish this book in association with SHAPE America, the national organization that defines excellence for school-based health and physical education professionals across the United States.

Sarah Sparrow Benes, EdD, CHES, is a senior lecturer and program director in physical education and health education at Boston University. Sarah teaches a variety of undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in health and physical education, does service projects in local communities, and conducts research on health education and physical activity in schools. She has numerous publications in refereed journals and chapters examining health education; she has also made more than a dozen presentations on skill-based health education and related topics at state and regional conferences. Sarah serves on a variety of health education committees, including as a member of the health education steering committee for SHAPE America―the Society of Health and Physical Educators―and as the vice president of health education for the Massachusetts Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Benes consults with school districts on health and wellness issues with a focus on skills-based curriculum development and implementation and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association and SHAPE America. She is a certified and licensed athletic trainer and health education specialist. Sarah received a bachelor's degree in athletic training from the University of Connecticut, a master's degree in education, and a doctorate in curriculum and teaching from Boston University and is currently working on an MPH. She lives in Natick with her husband, two daughters, and yellow Labrador. She enjoys spending time with her family on nature walks and enjoying the sights and sounds of the Northeast.

Holly Alperin, EdM, MCHES, has worked to improve the health and academic outcomes of young people by leveraging partnerships in order to strengthen school-level policies and practices both in the health education classroom and throughout the school. She provides training and technical assistance to preK-12 educators, administrators, and staff; teaches preservice and graduate students working toward degrees in health education; and develops and implements trainings to advance the capacity of state and national stakeholders to improve the outcomes of children. Holly is a sought-after presenter, having been invited to numerous local, state, and national events. She is an advocate for ensuring that health educators receive high-quality professional development and takes this responsibility to heart through her personal development and participation in professional organizations including SHAPE America. Holly received her bachelor's degree in health education and health promotion from Central Michigan University and her master of education in policy, planning, and administration from Boston University. Holly currently lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two daughters. Together they enjoy the best of New England―ocean, mountains, cities, and countless adventures.