Minnesota State University Moorhead Health Education Teaching

Mission:

The mission of the health education program is to prepare students for teaching health education in the middle/junior/senior high schools, in addition to provide opportunities to enhance the quality of life for the university community by promoting physical fitness, wellness and lifetime activity skills.

Program Goals:

I. To provide an environment that supports students in becoming self-directed learners, critical thinkers and good communicators.
II. To promote the lifelong involvement of students in their community and professions.
III. To develop faculty/student connections that supports the educational experience.
IV. To maximize placement of students in positions commensurate to experience with their career goals.
V. To promote professional growth and development by encouraging students to become members of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) /American Association for Health Education (AAHE) at the state and/or national level. And to encourage students to become members of the American School Health Association (ASHA).
  1. To have students attend conferences at the state, regional and/or national level.
  2. To join the MSUM Health and Physical Education Majors Club (Nemzek Club).
VI. To provide students with the opportunity to attain and maintain physical fitness and wellness.
VII. To become familiar with the Conceptual Framework at MSUM as it relates to teaching and learning.

Program Objectives:

I. The student will be able to implement, through the teaching/learning process, the seven National Health Education Standards.
   1. Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention
   2. Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services.
   3. Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks.
   4. Students will analyze the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors on health.
   5. Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health.
   6. Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting and decision-making skills to enhance health.
   7. Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

II. The courses taught in the health education major will reflect the standards set by the Minnesota Board of Teaching. Upon completing all requirements, students will be eligible for licensure in the State of Minnesota.

Subpart 1. Scope of practice. A teacher of health is authorized to provide to students in grades 5 through 12 instruction that is designed to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to practice healthy behaviors.

Subpart 2. Licensure requirements. A candidate for licensure to teach health to students in grades 5 through 12 shall:

A. hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university that is regionally accredited by the association for the accreditation of colleges and secondary schools;
B. demonstrate the standards for effective practice for licensing of beginning teachers in part 8710.2000; and
C. show verification of completing a Board of Teaching preparation  program approved under part 8700.7600 leading to the licensure of  teachers of health in subpart 3.

Subpart 3. Subject matter standard. A candidate for licensure as a teacher of health must complete a preparation program under subpart 2, item c, that must
include the candidate's demonstration of the knowledge and skills in items A to H.

A. A teacher of health understands behaviors and factors that:
(1) prevent or reduce the risk of accidents, sudden illness, and violent injuries;
(2) prevent or reduce the risk of tobacco use or alcohol and other drug abuse;
(3) prevent or reduce the risk of HIV infection and AIDS, sexually
      transmitted diseases, and unintentional pregnancy; and
(4) contribute to sufficient physical activity and promote health enhancing dietary practices.

B. A teacher of health understands concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention including:
(1) the need for and role of a philosophy of health, health education, and health promotion;
(2) primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention;
(3) components of comprehensive school health programs and interrelationships among components;
(4.) contribute to sufficient physical activity and promote health enhancing dietary practices.

B. A teacher of health understands concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention including:
(1) the need for and role of a philosophy of health, health education, and health promotion;
(2) primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention;
(3) components of comprehensive school health programs and interrelationships among components;
(4) behaviors that foster and those that hinder well-being; and
(5) physical, social, emotional, and intellectual factors that influence health.

C. A teacher of health understands how to access valid health information and health-promoting products and services including:
(1) selecting and evaluating the validity of sources of health education
      information;
(2) identifying and accessing appropriate and cost-effective school
     and community health services;
(3) identifying and evaluating appropriate lifestyle assessments and
     health-risk appraisals;
(4) using or developing appropriate data gathering instruments to
      include national, state or district level morbidity, morality,
      behavioral risk, and needs assessment data; and
(5) articulating research and public policy regarding issues.

D. A teacher of health understands health-enhancing behaviors that
     reduce health risks including:
(1) the short-term and long-term consequences of positive and
      negative health choices;
(2) the relationship between and among the major health determinants
      of genetics, environments, health care, and personal behavior;
(3) the importance of individual responsibility for health; and
(4) strategies to reduce and prevent stress-related health problems.

E. A teacher of health understands the effects of advertising, media,
     technology, and social norms on health behaviors.

F. A teacher of health understands how to use interpersonal
    communication skills to enhance health including:
(1) models and strategies for teaching communication skills for
      expressing needs, wants, and feelings; communicating, care,
      consideration, and respect of self and others; conflict resolution;
      refusal skills; and
(2) strategies for facilitating dialogue related to controversial health
      issues.

G. A teacher of health understands how to use goal-setting and decision
     making skills to enhance health including:
(1) age appropriate decision-making and goal-setting models;
(2) applying decision-making and goal-setting processes to personal
      health choices;
(3) the components of and processes for the development and
      implementation of personal health plans; and
(4) predicting the immediate and long-range impact of health
     decisions on the individual, family, and the community.

H. A teacher of health demonstrates an understanding of the teaching of
     health that integrates understanding of health with the understanding
     of pedagogy, students, learning, classroom management, and
     professional development. The teacher of health to preadolescent and
     adolescent students must:
(1) understand and apply educational principle relevant to the
      physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive development of
      preadolescents and adolescents;
(2) understand and apply the research base for and the best practices
      of middle and high school education;
(3) develop curriculum goals and purposes based on the central
      concepts of health and know how to apply instructional strategies
      and materials for achieving student understanding of this discipline;
(4) understand the role and alignment of district, school, and
      department mission and goals in program planning;
(5) understand the need for and how to connect students' schooling
      experiences with everyday life, the workplace, and further
      educational opportunities;
(6) know how to involve representatives of business, industry, and
      community organizations as active partners in creating educational
       opportunities;
(7) Understand the role and purpose of co-curricular and
      extracurricular activities in the teaching and learning process;
(8) understand the impact of reading ability on student achievement in
      health studies, recognize the varying reading comprehension and
      fluency levels represented by students, and possess the strategies to
      assist students to read health materials effectively; and
(9) apply the standards of effective practice in teaching students
      through a variety of early and ongoing clinical experiences with
      middle level and high school students within a range of educational
      programming models.

Subpart 4. Continuing license. A continuing license shall be issued and renewed
according to the rules of the Board of Teaching governing continuing licensure.
III. If desired, the student will have the knowledge and skills to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist exam and meet the requirements to earn the CHES National Credential. The seven responsibilities and competencies are as follows:

1. Responsibility I: Assessing individual and community needs for health education.
2. Responsibility II: Planning effective health education programs.
3. Responsibility III: Implementing health education programs.
4. Responsibility IV: Evaluating effectiveness of health education programs.
5. Responsibility V: Coordinating provision of health education services.
6. Responsibility VI: Acting as a resource person in health education.
7. Responsibility VII: Communicating health and health education needs, concerns,     and resources.

Jan Adair
Office NZ 106E
218-236-2308
adairja@mnstate.edu

An Equal Opportunity Educator and Employer

Last Updated 02/07/06 by huotch@mnstate.edu