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HEALTH EDUCATION IN SENIOR SCHOOLS
Report from Miss Elliott:-
The one term course of lessons called "Community Health"
or "Your Life in Your Hands" continued in two Secondary Modern
Boys Schools, one Secondary Modern Mixed School and one Grammar
School. It was given to A, B, C and D streams of boys and girls
and tric-fl as part of Science, Civics and English courses. We
found that it fitted in best as part of the Civics Syllabus,
although it vas almost as satisfactory when included with English.
At first we tried giving simple accurate notes for the children
to copy from the blackboard. It took some children so long
to copy these and they were so often inaccurate and incomplete
that the teaching staff advised that they would learn more if
they were set a question each week and were given five-minute
tests at intervals during the term. After this many children
produced quite good written and pictorial work and certainly
showed much interest in the subject. In the Grammar school the
course formed part of a pre-nursing year and our department is
giving the girls home nursing during the second term and mothercraft
in the third term. The school staff covers invalid cookery,
anatomy and physiology and other subjects.
The work is still experimental but we are most anxious to
maintain and expand it. Teaching kits of notes, references and
some visual aids have been prepared and we continue to advertise
that we are willing to arrange short coaching sessions for any
interested teachers. The schools at present are quite happy for
Public health staff to conduct the lessons - but although the
content is considered useful and satisfactory and has survived a
full scale inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectors, the subject on
the whole is still looked upon as an extra - a frill. However,
in spite of the shortage of teachers, the crowded curriculum and
examinations we hope this simple and practical preparation for
the future will find its way into all secondary schools before
long.
Illustrated talks to Secondary school children about the
risks of sacking continued. There was much give and take during
the talks between the children and myself and excellent questions
were asked afterwards. We still believe that education on this
subject is a long-term policy and that the facts should be presented
and discussed with children in Secondary schools at least
once a year.