School Year 2012-2013

My fifth year of teaching middle school health education has started, and I'm busier than ever! Between teaching, coaching, finishing up grad school, and having a personal life things get pretty busy! Regardless, I'm hoping to publish two blog posts a month during the school year. I am excited to do this for a variety of reasons, and there are many exciting things I'd like to share with the network of health teachers I've discovered through my online professional learning network. I'm also now the Vice President Elect for Health on the MAHPERD (Massachusetts Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance) Executive Board and would like to put myself out there more to for collaboration among educators.

I'll start by finishing the third post on melanoma resources and then go from there. I hope you and I can both learn something from my posts!

Long Time No Post!

It's been a while since I've updated this blog, and I'm going to get back into the routine over the summer. People have been asking me if I would get back into the blogging routine, so here I am! The end of the school year was very busy (no surprise there!) and as the summer begins, there's a lot of housekeeping items I want to work on in relation to my classroom for next year. Despite my lapse in posting, I'm still getting hits everyday from search engines, so I know people out there are looking for answers! I'm committing myself to frequent posting, during the summer and during the school year.

In no particular order, here is a list of what I hope to contribute over the next few weeks:

1. Repost an updated version of the HIV Transmission Simulation. A friend of mine was looking for this one day and reminded me I need to re-post! I didn't create the lesson, but I have modified it based on my own experiences.
2. Tobacco UDL Packet. A series of take-home assignments that try to incorporate as many UDL (Universal Design for Learning) principles as possible. I didn't get to use these this year, but they were created so the students could so some exploring on their own, as homework.
3. Sexuality Resources: I have nine resources in nine separate posts; all in varying states of drafting. I'm going to combine them into a post (or two...or three!).
4. A bullying resource with video clips, lesson plans, information for parents, etc. that I've used
5. Classroom management: some things I've picked up in my first three years.
6. A series of activators, to be used at the start of units
7. "Music and Health Education"
8. Resources for skills based health education
9. New music video by Rise Against that focuses on the issues of LGBT bullying
10. Brain based learning. I'm taking an online course in brain based learning this summer, and if I learn anything I'd like to share, I will!

One of my good friends from undergrad was just hired to teach middle school health, too. She asked for some help and she and I will be e-mailing back and forth all summer. I am sure that those e-mails will give me a lot of material to post with. This will tie in with what I presented about at MAHPERD last November, too; the topic was "Survival Skills for The First Year Health Education Teacher."

The fall will be busy as I've picked up a head coaching job and will also be taking a graduate course. Despite this, I hope to add some VIDEO to the blog. Yes, video! Nothing too crazy, but something to spice things up a little. I may start to add actual research data/articles to some of my posts to back myself up...but we'll see about that. :) I'm hoping to work on a classroom website, which is something I started last year but never got off the ground. With our district shifting to Google apps (which I already love) this could be easier. And yes, I will be relaxing this summer. :) Between my summer job and other things, I still have plenty of time to relax!

I enjoy putting information out there for others to use, and when someone contacts me with questions or to say they've learned something from my blog, then I know there's a reason to keep rolling with this. Ultimately, it's also a tool for myself to grow professionally. I enjoy doing this, and hope you enjoy it, too!

No Sugar Added: 30 Day Challenge

For the month of March, my good friend Matt Germain and I will be attempting to eliminate processed sugar from our diets. Back this summer, Matt went thirty days without buying food from a grocery store, making purchases at farmer's markets, local bakeries, etc. Matt wanted to do something similar again. This was the idea he came up with, and due to my deadly sweet tooth, I figured I would join him! Out of both of us, Matt arguably has a head start based on his superb diet, but we are both expecting this to be difficult! We both know that any healthy eating pattern allows foods in moderation. Sugar in small amounts isn't entirely bad. We don't want to come off as presenting opinions or unproven facts as scientific evidence, so we want to be clear that we don't have an agenda. We're not trying to stick it to the man by taking on the sugar industry. We're simply trying to become more aware of what exactly we're putting into our bodies, for food is fuel and clean fuel is the best fuel. This is about self awareness, and about being proactive with what we are putting into our bodies. Adding more nutrient dense foods to our diet is never a bad thing.

As of right now, we are still ironing out a few details of how exactly we are going to implement this, but we are going to strive for daily updates as time allows. We will have a blog solely for this, although Matt will also be posting on his own blog, Positive Eating. I may post some posts relating to our 30 Day Challenge here if it has to do with teaching about nutrition, but I don't want to get away from why I started Middle School Health Esteem in the first place.

With work/grad classes/coaching going on for me, and work/running/coaching going on for Matt, it will be tough, but doable, to attempt this 30 Day Challenge. We are hoping to add some video posts, too. Analyzing various snack food items from my middle school cafeteria and maybe even my own cabinets might take place, too. I can't make any promises or speak for Matt, but hopefully we can enrich our own updates with some extra things, too. I am taking a lot of inspiration from Mrs. Q, who blogs at Fed Up With Lunch. Basically, the sky is the limit and I'm sure that this will be more of an undertaking than we thought! There are already some excellent resources out there, and we don't want to rip anyone else off. By no means are we medical or science experts, so we're hoping to showcase these resources to our readers. Ultimately, we'll have to wait to see exactly how much time we want to devote to blogging in addition to everything else going on in our lives.

Matt is more of the nutrition authority, and I'm more of the rambling type. We hope to find a balance between our strengths to bring you some serious information regarding sugar and your health. It is also our hope to document how our bodies initially handle this change, and the challenges of accommodating our eating habits to eliminate processed sugar. Heck, even ketchup has sugar in it!

We'll still load up on fruits and vegetables, of course. Honey and agave nectar are also allowed. Any plant or animal products are allowed. But, any processed white sugar is out. So cookies, cupcakes, white breads, etc.

Posts will most likely be taking place on a unique blog. We do have our own separate blogs, and this new blog is how we hope to link our interests together. The idea to co-write a blog with both of us goes back a while, and we have thought of both serious and goofy ideas.

We're going to try to promote this through a variety of means: Facebook, Twitter, word of mouth, maybe guest blogging on other sites, etc. It is our hope that we can motivate other people to undertake a similar change to what they put in their bodies, whatever that me be for them. Maybe someone stops drinking soda, or adds fruit to every meal. We are all capable of such changes, and if people see some normal twenty-something year old guys do it, well then maybe they will be motivated to change, too. We do want to get our message out there; Matt with his nutrition information and myself with information about health education.

I'm working on a teaching activity about sugar right now that I am hoping to eventually have published in the AAHE Teaching Techniques Journal. I'm not sure if time will allow myself to finish this before the end of the month, but we shall see!

Stay tuned for updated information on our 30 Day Challenge!

Jack LaLanne Videos

A few days ago, I was saddened to hear about the passing of a true American legend, Jack LaLanne. Jack LaLanne was a man far head of his time, teaching Americans about the importance of exercise and good nutrition long before it was medically accepted that both were vital for good health. I am a proud owner of his PowerJuicer, although unfortunately I haven't used it recently.

Last year, I found some videos on YouTube of Jack's television show from the 1950s-1960s. I threw some on a CD and kept it in my classroom, in case I had a class that was ahead of another or found some extra time at the end of a lesson. I showed some clips to a few classes and explained what Jack was all about. Today I showed a clip from Jack's TV show to some seventh graders, and three of them started doing the chair exercises Jack was doing, in the middle of health class!! I told one of them that he could be the next Jack LaLanne if he wanted to be.

I've embedded a few Jack LaLanne videos from YouTube below. I may make a webquest for my students as well. Please pass on Jack's wisdom, knowledge, and dedication to your students. The next Jack LaLanne is out there, and that student may be in your classroom!!

Back At It!

It's been over a month since my last post, which is my fault entirely. Since my last post, I've had five posts in draft mode. With grades closing for middle school and graduate class ending, a new indoor track season starting and the bustle of the holidays, I've fallen behind!

I'm getting back on the blogging train and hope to post once a week (definitely twice a month) for 2011. I think I'll be focusing on sexuality education for the calendar year 2011, or at least the first part. It's a topic that needs to be discussed and there are so many incredible resources out there to share with other health educators. I may also target another "focus area" or two to hone in on in my blog. I might tend to be a little more opinionated in my posts this year!

I still plan on blogging about teaching ideas, lessons, and classroom items, too! Check back for more as 2011 arrives!

Back to School!

Today is the first day of middle school for the 2010-2011 school year! A new schedule, some slight modifications to our curriculum, and a new batch of sixth graders will all be entering HRMS this year. I'm excited to try out some new ideas in my classroom and will continue to share my journey with all of you.

Today, I'm rockin' the French cuffs and cuff links, and I'll probably be standing on a few desks throughout the day. All in a day's work, I say!

One Week Left...

One week from today, middle school officially starts up again. Today and tomorrow I'm participating in professional development with some colleagues, and every teacher reports for duty on Tuesday. I've started to set up my classroom again and I'm eager for the year to start!

As the beginning of a new year approaches, I wanted to post a scene from one of my favorite movies. I'm sure some of you will recognize it. A "School Year in Review" post will come before the end of the summer.

Enjoy!

Summer

There hasn't been a lot of activity on here since school got out for the summer, but my weekly views have remained pretty consistent. I've been working for the recreation department of the town I teach in, and spend my days playing dodgeball/mat-ball/etc, going to the beach, and taking field trips with ~30 middle school kids...it's a blast! Reading, going to the Y, and watching Le Tour have also consumed my free time.

I've also been working on my own classroom website, and it's coming along quite nicely! I'm hoping this will serve multiple purposes during the school year, and I'm excited to have this resource ready for September.

I'm hoping to post one or two "recommended reads" during the rest of the summer. Expect many more updates during the school year as I try out new lesson plans, interact with colleagues, and begin graduate work.

Wordle

I entered my blog URL into Wordle just to see what happened. The result isn't too surprising, considering that recently I've posted a lot with student activities. Click on the image for a bigger version. Image courtesy of Wordle.

Impromptu Teacher Demonstrations

When I use the alcohol simulation stations activity, I make sure I demonstrate, in part, each activity. For some stations, I don't show students the whole thing because that ruins the point, but I make sure they get the general idea.

Inevitably during the course of the activity, the students say, "Well, can YOU do this, Mr. B?!" as I check in with the different stations. This is especially true when you have a video camera in order to record the activity for absent students or for parent days, and they want to take a turn behind the camera.

The two stations shown are the "Dollar Bill Station" and "Walk The Line." "Dollar Bill" requires you to tape a dollar bill to the ground (I use paper towels or index cards the same size as a dollar bill...they usually rip). You then place your fingers on your toes and attempt to jump over the dollar bill without having your fingers leave your shoes. Give it a shot! "Walk the Line" requires the participant to put their hands above their head, clasp them, look up, and spin around five or six times. Then, they try to "walk the line" of masking tape without stumbling.

Here's the video! I uploaded it as a lower quality, so my apologies if it's a little grainy. For some reason, it will not play if your browser is Google Chrome.