Turning Points 2000 Chapter 8 Synthesis and Abstract

Abstract:
The main point from chapter eight is that having a safe and healthy environment for students is essential to learning. Students need to feel comfortable, both physically and emotionally, in order to be effective students. With nationwide budget cuts in schools, districts are cutting programs like physical education and health, when it would be in each student’s best interest to have these classes, and increase the number of programs. This chapter discussed the results of living a safe and healthy lifestyle on student’s grades and test scores. The concept of safety in the school community is harder to create. According to the book, this idea has to be created through the students, teachers, and administration. In order to create a positive learning environment, students, teachers and administrators need to feel safe and comfortable In the school and classroom environment. For some students, school may be the safest, most secure place that they will be at all day, so we owe it to those students to provide what safety and security we can. Good physical, mental, and emotional health are all parts of creating a healthy environment In a school. Unhealthy children are not going to learn as well as healthy children. An important part of good health is eating nutritious food. Students need to be well-nourished, and just as the school may be the safest environment a student is at all day, it may be the only place that they have the opportunity to eat a good meal. It is the job of schools to ensure a nutritious lunch menu for students. The author discussed peer support groups as a great example for the students to use to connect to one another with, as sometimes talking with one’s peers is easier than speaking with adults. School faculty and administration need to do their part to promote healthy behaviors for a healthy school environment. To do this, they need to be aware of what risky behaviors are happening and know how to prevent them by having an effective health and physical education program. It is also important to have a health services program for extra student support.
Synthesis:
After reading through the blog responses to this chapter, the majority of us have similar comments about the reading. A comfortable school and classroom environment is integral to student achievement. Teachers can do things in the classroom to influence a positive classroom environment. A point that was made in the book, that should have been embellished on was the idea of nutritious school lunches. If a school is going to be where students have the only option of eating lunch, then they need to offer healthy options for students to choose from. Physical health is just as important to academic achievement and good behavior as emotional health. It is refreshing to see that many of us have the same feelings towards how a class and school should “feel” for students, and that its not just about academics in school. We need to do what we can as educators to foster an engaging learning environment, and part of that is having a safe and healthy environment.