Learning and Serving in Health Education

Team:Claire Daniels, Justin Bucci, Diana Lee,

Jaclyn Congress, Erin Gettler, Serena Hitchen, Katelin Kramer,

and Stephen Wanta

Instructor: Mary Beth Levin

Community Partners:Principal Fardwell and the staff of Appletree

Early Learning Public Charter School

Project Overview

• Teaching Healthy Behavior– Hygiene– Nutrition– Exercise– Mental Health

• Learning Early Childhood Education Techniques– Designing lessons– Keeping kid’s

attention– Resource planning

Community Audience

• 15-20 4-year-old preschool students• Public Charter School– Application process and lottery system– Free tuition

• Location: SW DC; Ward 6– Lower income area, but developing

quickly– Near Nationals stadium

• Exclusively African-American in after-school program

Activities

• Mental Health– “Big Green Monsters of Our Imagination”

• Exercise– “Listen to your heart”

• Nutrition– “Two Bite Club” and Caterpillar Recipe

• Hygiene– “Watch your germs spread”

Caterpillar Recipe

Community Response

Students• Improved participation and cooperation• Increased knowledge base• Recognition of “sometimes” and

“always” foods• Recognition of emotions– Identification of feelings related to bullying

• Improved collaboration with staff• Better attainment of educational goals

Our Experience

• Learned communication techniques, patience with students

• Feeling of accomplished goals– Lesson plans were effective

• Social aspects of medicine/value of prevention

• Working with colleagues to implement lessons

• Adaptation to unexpected circumstances

Challenges• Maintaining attention– Lessons were after a full day of school

• Gaining trust with staff and students• Creating new lesson plans– Not always necessary

• Appropriate discipline– Sit and watch– Reinforcing good behavior

• High energy of kids

Recommendations• Majority of our lessons worked well– Could be easily implemented and

improved

• Food activities enhance excitement and cooperation

• Reinforce lessons from week to week• Collaborate with staff from beginning– Incorporate their lesson plans and

disciplinary approach

More Recommendations• Maintain small group approach– 3:2 student to medical student worked

best, but no more than 4:2 ratio

• Get resources early in order to distribute without

• Limit distractions in room

Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it. - Marian Wright Edelman (1939-) American activist for the rights

of children.