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A presentation by Ms. Patricia Brandon of the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO/WHO) office in Barbados sparked a passionate
discussion among the faculty about the current health risks to young
people--such as HIV and domestic violence--and the critical role
teachers must play to keep young people healthy and maximize their
learning potential.
Core Training Team members Ms. Annette Wiltshire (second from left)
and Mr. Carol Keller, UWI, Trinidad (far right) discuss ideas with
Gloria Gomez and Sabrina Skinner from the Bahamas.
The event builds on a long history of developing Health and Family
Life Education (HFLE) in member countries. Opening ceremonies honored
Dr. Phyllis McPherson-Russell from the University of the West Indies
in Jamaica with a UNICEF award for her pioneering and longstanding
commitment to this field. UNICEF, PAHO, and the University of the
West Indies organized and conducted this training event with technical
cooperation from EDC's Health and Human Development Programs (HHD).
Other partners who have been part of the HFLE initiative during
the past decade include UNDCP, UNFPA, UNESCO, UNDP and UNIFEM, some
of whom also participated in the opening ceremonies.
In addition to providing a forum for countries to share their experiences--their
successes and challenges in incorporating HFLE into the pre-service
program--workshop activities focused on developing a variety of
skills. First, participants used the latest research on the link
between health and learning to practice making persuasive arguments
to their principals and chief education officers. The arguments
were designed to make HFLE compulsory, and to obtain adequate resources
to do it-because the health of young people in the region is at
stake. Teachers can be instrumental in convincing policy makers
and administrators of the importance of dedicating time and resources
to address health in the school setting.
Several days of the training were dedicated to classroom pedagogy
and designing interactive activities for students, which has been
proven to be the most effective approach to health education. Tutors
spent several days designing and practicing highly interactive activities
to develop young people's skills in such areas as decision making,
conflict resolution, and communication with respect to specific
health risks, such as HIV infection or violence prevention. The
workshop went beyond preparing teachers for effective classroom
instruction. Participants embraced the concept of the Health Promoting
School, where classroom instruction is reinforced by health-related
school policies, health services and a healthy physical and psycho-social
environment for learning.
Ms. Cheryl Vince Whitman, EDC senior vice president, and HHD/EDC
colleagues Ms. Deborah Haber and Ms. Connie Constantine, worked
with the core Caribbean facilitation and training team to design
the workshop, drawing on materials and resources developed by the
HFLE program over the years and by the Global School Health Initiative
of the World Health Organization in Geneva and the US Centers for
Disease Control. Coordinated by Ms. Annette Wiltshire from Tobago,
other members of the Caribbean team included Ms. Elaine King, UNICEF;
Mr. Carol Keller, School of Education, UWI, Trinidad; Mr. Anthony
Griffith, UWI, Barbados; Ms. Joan Meade and Dr. McPherson-Russell,
UWI, Jamaica; and Ms. Brandon, PAHO/WHO.
These highly experienced facilitators led participants through
activities that engaged them in reflecting on biases in their own
teaching practice, including gender bias and its relationship to
healthy development. A culminating exercise engaged teams in developing
actions plans to strengthen and deepen the incorporation of HFLE
and the broader concept of the Health Promoting School when they
return to their teacher education colleges.
"There has been a tremendous need for resource materials in
this part of the world," Ms. Wiltshire commented. "Tutors
have been at their wits end in terms of how to effectively prepare
teachers and to gain the materials and support to do so. This workshop,
building on the foundation in place, will help us continue to move
forward with amazing support."
In their evaluations of the training, participants spoke of their
new view of health education. "HFLE is not only beneficial
for my students, but also for me as a teacher," wrote one tutor.
Another commented, "I have changed my mind about not focusing
exclusively on academic performance for my youth but also the need
to help them to be healthy, productive citizens." Several participants
spoke of the messages they would bring home from the training, and
the actions they would take: "I am going to convince all educators
of the importance of HFLE. I have found most valuable the research
data to inform and strengthen our case when we present to the college
administrators and chief education officers about why we all need
to be doing this."
Dr. Phyllis McPherson-Russell, who has spent her career advancing
HFLE, commended participants on the process in which they were engaged.
She noted, "It is exactly this type of shared strategy development
and advocacy directed to education and other leaders of the Caricom
countries that is necessary for time and resources to be devoted
to the prevention of HIV and other health threats to young people
in the countries represented at the meeting."
2001
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