Mike B
- 2004-06-25
I often think that some teachers deliberately set out to demonstrate the evils of alcohol, cigarettes, "American" food, etc.
A teacher that comes to school in ripped pink jeans, flip flops, and reaking of alcohol at 09:00 (NOT ME) is probably the most effective warning against decadent western habbits, LOL.
I sometimes say to my kids when we see a drunk stumbling or sleeping in the road, "Look what happened to that man, because he wouldn't do his homework when he was a kid!"
Probably not the truth, but it makes them think.
boots43
- 2004-06-25
> An interesting post Daniel, and one with, in general I agree with. I
> think that you can educate the students on a general level about free
> range chickens, and junk food, but there is a thin line between
> education and preaching.
> On my schools discussion forums there was recently some debate about
> religion and politics in class. The general consensus was that it was
> alright to teach the religions, the general beliefs of each (should
> you know them) and things like the name of the buildings they use
> (churches, mosques, temples etc) but to cross the line and start to
> say that people should be Christian or Buddhist or whatever was
> generally a bad idea. (actually, our contract states we shouldnt
> talk about religion or politics unless the students bring the subject
> up, but I am not that strict).
> I think that most (decently educated) people in China know that
> stuffing burgers down your neck every day isnt good for you. I dont
> think many of them do it, certainly it isnt as prevalent as in the
> west. A general: Junk food is bad for you if you eat a lot of it,
> what do you think? sort of approach is needed in these areas.
> After discussions you can state something along the lines of Many
> years of research have shown that blah blah blah. Keep the message
> short and snappy.
> If you start lecturing them on how not to eat KFC you will just
> alienate them. They arent going to stop eating chicken just because
> it was brought up in a small box. This *is* China, and the concern
> for the poor little duckies found so much in the west just isnt
> around.
> What was my point in all this? I have forgotten. Just in a rambling
> sort of mood today. Hehe.
> BTW. I have a tendency to gorge on the occasional Big Mac so I cant
> lecture on avoiding this sort of food with being called a hypocrite!
> One last thought... A lot of Chinese food could hardly be called
> 'good for your health'! Very fatty and very deep fried some of it is!
In general, the Westerner could learn a lot more about eating healthy from the Easterner then vice-versa. Please note I said in general. The first thing I notice coming back to America is how many obesely overweight Americans there are! (I am Chinese fat, but American thin I always tell my students. :)
DoS
- 2004-06-25
An interesting post Daniel, and one with, in general I agree with. I think that you can educate the students on a general level about free range chickens, and junk food, but there is a thin line between education and preaching.
On my schools discussion forums there was recently some debate about religion and politics in class. The general consensus was that it was alright to teach the religions, the general beliefs of each (should you know them) and things like the name of the buildings they use (churches, mosques, temples etc) but to cross the line and start to say that people should be Christian or Buddhist or whatever was generally a bad idea. (actually, our contract states we shouldnt talk about religion or politics unless the students bring the subject up, but I am not that strict).
I think that most (decently educated) people in China know that stuffing burgers down your neck every day isnt good for you. I dont think many of them do it, certainly it isnt as prevalent as in the west. A general: Junk food is bad for you if you eat a lot of it, what do you think? sort of approach is needed in these areas.
After discussions you can state something along the lines of Many years of research have shown that blah blah blah. Keep the message short and snappy.
If you start lecturing them on how not to eat KFC you will just alienate them. They arent going to stop eating chicken just because it was brought up in a small box. This *is* China, and the concern for the poor little duckies found so much in the west just isnt around.
What was my point in all this? I have forgotten. Just in a rambling sort of mood today. Hehe.
BTW. I have a tendency to gorge on the occasional Big Mac so I cant lecture on avoiding this sort of food with being called a hypocrite!
One last thought... A lot of Chinese food could hardly be called 'good for your health'! Very fatty and very deep fried some of it is!
> Fellow teachers and educators,
> I really appreciated the posts on smoking and drinking, and on the
> lack of training in first aid. These are extremely important issues
> that, in my humble opinion, every serious teacher should address.
> Angela, Tim, and DoS have so accurately and passionately expressed
> that as teachers we are the students role models, no matter his or
> her age, and that they look up to us, admire us, and will seriously
> consider what we share with them.
> As a Nutritionist and Natural Health Practitioner studying advanced
> Chinese herbal medicine here in China and Taiwan for the past 4
> years, I would like to add another one of those areas where we can do
> so much to prevent what we have failed to do in many of our own
> countries: Lets tell our students about the dangers of fast food
> (and drinks) such as KFC, McDonalds, etc. offer, lets make them
> aware of the lack of nutrients and the presence of very dangerous
> fats in these foods, and lets tell them about the long-term,
> frequent use of these - soon to be labeled harmful to your health
> products of our modern, developed nations.
> And lets do it the smart way: We dont need to tell them about
> trans-fats, carcinogenic substances, E.coli, or Salmonella, but we
> can discuss the concepts of a happy chicken on a small farm eating
> grass, grains, and bugs vs. a miserable chicken in a tiny cage
> eating ground up, hormone-laced animal parts. To answer a very common
> question asked by students of all ages, yes, potatoes, and therefore
> French Fries, are vegetables, but what absorbable nutrients are there
> left after freezing, storing, and then frying in hot, bad quality
> oil?
> Concerning the method of how to share this with our students, we must
> remember that very few people like to hear dont eat this, dont eat
> that!, yet most people have no problem if we say if you eat it, eat
> it once in a while (IMHO, twice a month or so), look at it as a
> treat, and enjoy it!
> In an ideal world, we could get this message out to the parents in
> the form of a school newsletter, on parent-orientation events, or
> through personal contact with students and their parents. I was even
> able to put it in several local newspapers via an interview, even
> though the purpose of the interview was to highlight my studies in
> Chinese medicine. ;-)
> Finally, we also must lead, teach, and guide by example: If you must
> have a smoke, do it where none of your students can see you, if you
> must drink Coke, put it in a neutral cup, if you eat KFC, dont
> bring it to school, and if you drink alcohol, dont brag about it!
> Thanks for a great forum, and thanks to all of you for having the
> courage and patience to teach abroad.
> Daniel, N.E., C.D.C.
> Nutrition Educator, Teacher, Student
Fellow teachers and educators,
I really appreciated the posts on smoking and drinking, and on the lack of training in first aid. These are extremely important issues that, in my humble opinion, every serious teacher should address. Angela, Tim, and DoS have so accurately and passionately expressed that as teachers we are the students role models, no matter his or her age, and that they look up to us, admire us, and will seriously consider what we share with them.
As a Nutritionist and Natural Health Practitioner studying advanced Chinese herbal medicine here in China and Taiwan for the past 4 years, I would like to add another one of those areas where we can do so much to prevent what we have failed to do in many of our own countries: Lets tell our students about the dangers of fast food (and drinks) such as KFC, McDonalds, etc. offer, lets make them aware of the lack of nutrients and the presence of very dangerous fats in these foods, and lets tell them about the long-term, frequent use of these - soon to be labeled harmful to your health products of our modern, developed nations.
And lets do it the smart way: We dont need to tell them about trans-fats, carcinogenic substances, E.coli, or Salmonella, but we can discuss the concepts of a happy chicken on a small farm eating grass, grains, and bugs vs. a miserable chicken in a tiny cage eating ground up, hormone-laced animal parts. To answer a very common question asked by students of all ages, yes, potatoes, and therefore French Fries, are vegetables, but what absorbable nutrients are there left after freezing, storing, and then frying in hot, bad quality oil?
Concerning the method of how to share this with our students, we must remember that very few people like to hear dont eat this, dont eat that!, yet most people have no problem if we say if you eat it, eat it once in a while (IMHO, twice a month or so), look at it as a treat, and enjoy it!
In an ideal world, we could get this message out to the parents in the form of a school newsletter, on parent-orientation events, or through personal contact with students and their parents. I was even able to put it in several local newspapers via an interview, even though the purpose of the interview was to highlight my studies in Chinese medicine. ;-)
Finally, we also must lead, teach, and guide by example: If you must have a smoke, do it where none of your students can see you, if you must drink Coke, put it in a neutral cup, if you eat KFC, dont bring it to school, and if you drink alcohol, dont brag about it!
Thanks for a great forum, and thanks to all of you for having the courage and patience to teach abroad.
Daniel, N.E., C.D.C.
Nutrition Educator, Teacher, Student