Education is more than book smarts, getting high scores on tests, and college acceptance letters. Educating young people is a holistic exerience. International schools not only teach STEAM courses, but also life skills like nutrition, mental health, drug and alcohol education, and sexual education. These important aspects are the day-to-day things that make up life. Therefore it is crucial that students are set up with models of healthy lifestyles, learn good decision-making, and practice safety. Let’s see how international schools are teaching their students how to lead healthy and fulfilling lives through robust health education programs.
Lisa Karsten, High School Physical Education and Health Teacher
What topics are covered in the health curriculum and at what grade levels? Are there any modern new additions?
Health education at Concordia covers a wide range of topics to empower students with knowledge for healthy decision-making. The health curriculum is designed to be developmentally appropriate based on age and grade. The curriculum, specifically for grades 9-12, includes components of health such as physical, mental, and social well-being. Modern additions to health education address current challenges, including digital citizenship, online safety, and responsible technology use. These additions recognize the evolving needs of today’s youth, ensuring they can navigate the complexities of health and well-being in an ever-changing world. By covering these topics, health education equips students with essential skills and knowledge to make informed choices and maintain their wellness in both physical and digital environments.
How do you approach the more sensitive topics like sex and reproductive education? What role does your school play in this education compared with parents?
At Concordia, a faith-based school, we approach sensitive topics like sex and reproductive education by emphasizing the importance of making informed and responsible decisions. During adolescence, a period of significant change, we create a safe and supportive environment for our students. We value and encourage parent participation and engagement in their child’s education, especially when it comes to these sensitive topics. While the school plays a significant role in providing comprehensive and age-appropriate education, we recognize parents as essential partners in their child’s learning journey. We foster open lines of communication to ensure parents are actively involved. By working together, we provide a well-rounded approach to these topics, in alignment with our faith-based values, promoting responsible decision-making and guiding students toward thoughtful actions.
What resources are available to students and parents outside the classroom?
Outside the classroom, we offer various resources to support students and parents in our school community. Our school library provides a wide range of books, articles, and multimedia materials covering different health topics. These resources include materials on mental health, nutrition, and substance abuse prevention, among others. Additionally, our school counselors are available to offer guidance and support, addressing individual student needs and providing referrals to external resources as needed. We also prioritize open communication between parents and teachers, facilitating regular parent-teacher meetings and providing access to newsletters and handouts. Our aim is to ensure that students and parents have the necessary information and support to enhance their understanding of health education and make informed decisions related to their well-being.
Natasha Dennis, Director of Student Services
What topics are covered in the health curriculum and at what grade levels? Are there any modern new additions?
At Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi, health education is covered across all ages, in an age appropriate way. In Toddler classes, dentists visit to show children how to brush their teeth. In Key Stage 1, health and well-being is part of the PSHE curriculum, and topics such as “What it means to be healthy”, “How physical activity helps keep us healthy” and “Why sleep is important and how we can rest and relax” are covered. Junior School focus on the elements of a healthy lifestyle, what constitutes a healthy diet and strategies that support good mental health. In the Senior School, the Wellbeing curriculum covers a variety of topics across each year group, that are in line with students’ needs, ability and curiosities. Lessons include “Balancing Media and Wellbeing” and “Coping with Stress.” The Senior School also has three Drop Down Days, where students come off timetable to focus on key wellbeing lessons about healthy lifestyles, puberty, and practical sessions such as making simple, healthy meals.
How do you approach the more sensitive topics like sex and reproductive education? What role does your school play in this education compared with parents?
At our College, we utilise our relationships with specialised providers in Shanghai to get experienced practitioners to give informative workshops to both our students and parents. Shanghai United Family Hospital have visited the College throughout the year to give talks to students and families on Sex and Relationships, and Reproductive Education. Feedback from these workshops has been glowing from the parent community, and parents have felt supported in having discussions with their children at home about this. They are also provided with materials that can support both the students and parents outside of the classroom. Highly effective education is always dependent on quality relationships between the school and parents. Therefore, education on topics such as sex and relationships are done in collaboration with each other, and students feel empowered to inquire about these topics with adults at home and school. This increases their confidence and allows them to adopt and maintain healthy behaviours and attitudes from a young age.
Robbie Davies, Head of Safeguarding & Mental Health
What topics are covered in the health curriculum and at what grade levels? Are there any modern new additions?
We take a truly holistic view of health and ensure it is a consistent theme across a broad range of disciplines. We believe this approach ensures relevancy for the pupils, as well as allowing them to hear from experts in the relative areas. From nutrition in sports science lessons, physiology in science lessons and healthy routines and diet in our Wellbeing curriculum, pupils are encouraged to explore health across the school. One of our key focuses throughout the school this year has been on sleep. Just last week I was in a Year 4 wellbeing session where the pupils had kept a 7-day sleep diary and were discussing why sleep is so important to all aspects of health. Running parallel to this was a Year 10 wellbeing lesson where some of the science of sleep was being explored in depth and linked back to their development as teens.
How do you approach the more sensitive topics like sex and reproductive education? What role does your school play in this education compared with parents?
Topics like sex and reproductive education are undoubtedly sensitive, so our approach is fundamentally one of transparency and most importantly, partnership with families. Educational research is clear in the impact of well taught lessons on such topics, but we don’t seek to replace the role of parents. We look to work with them, ensuring we support them in having conversations which they may find awkward, whilst being open and transparent with the content we will cover. Our curriculum is carefully designed, in collaboration with experts, to be age and stage appropriate, equipping pupils with the knowledge they need to make informed choices as they mature.
What resources are available to students and parents outside the classroom?
The most impactful resource on offer in any school is the staff. I always encourage parents to ask questions or seek advice from colleagues. We are fortunate to have an array of expertise amongst our staff and we are here to help parents and families, not just pupils. Beyond our staff, if I had to recommend a couple of resources which have had the greatest impact on our community this year it would be two books. Firstly, Matthew Walker’s ‘Why We Sleep,’ which has revolutionised our understanding of sleep and health. Secondly, Dan Siegel’s ‘Whole Brain Child,’ which has equipped many of our families with a confidence in well-being and difficult conversations with their children.
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