I have been teaching for 33 years and the well-being of the children and that of my colleagues in our care has always been a priority. That includes a healthy lifestyle, including diet, exercise, learning how to cope with adversity and challenges that can arise in life.
It is overly simplistic to claim that problems arise because there isn’t a subject labelled “healthy living” in the daily curriculum as the concepts contained within such a brushstroke term are interwoven in everything we do on a daily basis, both within learning and daily routines.
It is a lazy, unthinking, inaccurate and often politically motivated habit to blame teachers for peoples lifestyle choices outside of our care, because we do everything we can to prepare children for the outside world.
Furthermore it is ludicrous to blame teaching because of the societal and cultural pressures that lead many to make choices are harmful to themselves and those around them.
“Wellbeing is about the combination of our love for what we do each day, the quality of our relationships, the security of our finances, the vibrancy of our physical health, and the pride we take in what we have contributed to our communities. Most importantly, it’s about how these five elements interact.”
Tom Rath,
Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements