BACK TO SCHOOL
The benefi ts of a healthy diet are clear and well
documented. In addition to providing the nutrients
a growing body needs, consuming a balanced
diet helps children maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity continues to be a growing problem among
school-aged children and can contribute to the onset
of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol,
and many other adverse medical conditions.
Children attending school will eat at least one
meal away from home each day. A healthy lunch provides
sound nutrition to give students energy to do
well in school and for the rest of the day. Children
who do not eat well at lunch may have diffi culty concentrating,
while others may feel sluggish or tired.
As part of the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids
Act, the United States National School Lunch Program
was revised to guarantee healthy, nutritionally
sound choices, as established by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, for lunch. America’s
school menus were altered to be healthier than ever,
including more fruits and vegetables while limiting
calories. Despite some controversy through the
years, including some students saying the smaller
portions and food choices aren’t always satisfying,
COURIER L 62 IFE, AUG. 23-29, 2019
states suffering from high child obesity rates have
seen marked improvements.
Whether students purchase lunch from school or
bring lunch from home, there are ways to guarantee
a more diverse offering and better nutrition. Here
are some guidelines to follow:
Offer nutrient-dense foods. Foods should contribute
to the daily recommended amounts of protein,
iron, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Provide
a selection of foods, such as lean protein, whole
grains, fruits, and vegetables, that will give children
the nutrients they need. Nutrient-dense foods also
help kids feel fuller, longer.
Limit fat intake. Avoid foods that do not get
their fat from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
fats. The American Heart Association recommends
kids get no more than 25 to 35 percent of their
calories from fat. Fish, nuts, and olives are healthy
fat sources.
Let kids choose some of their food. Giving
kids a say in their diets will make them more likely
to enjoy their lunches and cut back on snack foods.
Eating meals regularly will keep energy levels up
during school and make kids less likely to reach for
unhealthy snacks to fi ll hunger gaps.
Make small changes that add up. Switching
from white bread to whole-grain breads, and opting
for low-fat dairy products instead of full-fat dairy
products can make a world of difference. Kids may
not notice a change in texture or fl avor, and many
of kids’ favorite foods — such as chicken nuggets,
pizza, and macaroni and cheese — can be made with
healthier ingredients.
Remember, beverages count, too. Giving children
a healthy lunch and then packing a sugarfi
lled, high-calorie drink negates your efforts. Water
is always the best option for a healthy drink. Low-fat
milk consumed in moderation also makes a healthy
alternatives to sugary beverages.
Offering healthy school lunches is an important
step to raising healthy kids. New guidelines and offerings
make it easier for kids to get the nutrition
they need for their growing bodies.
How to make school
lunches healthier
This school lunch can be made more healthy by swapping
the white bread with whole-grain bread and choosing water
instead of a sugary juice pouch.
Mobile phones are ubiquitous. Most people
would admit that they’d rather leave home
without their wallets than without their
phones. According to statistics provider Smart Insights,
80 percent of internet users own a smartphone,
while more than 50 percent of cellphone users
admit to reaching for their phones fi rst thing
when they wake up.
Since more than 90 percent of today’s teenagers
own a phone, schools are forced to fi nd ways to include
cellphones in the classroom without having
them overshadow lessons or distract students.
A 2013 University of Nebraska-Lincoln study of
777 students at six American universities found that
the average respondent used a digital device for nonclass
purposes 10.93 times during a typical school
day. Students’ activities included texting, social networking,
and e-mailing. Many respondents cited
boredom and staying connected to the outside world
as motivating factors.
Until recently, many schools implemented strict
policies regarding phones in school. Some forbade
students from carrying them on campus or mandated
that students left them in lockers. Many
schools are now realizing the ways students can harness
the technology of cellphones in creative and innovative
methods. Plus, as smartphone capabilities
continue to evolve, educators are increasingly recognizing
the potential of educational apps and how
they can be used in the classroom.
Using mobile phones in the classroom for educational
purposes also may cut down on how much
the phones are used for nonschool purposes, such as
texting or checking social media. According to data
published in the journal Computers & Education, 80
percent of students admit that mobile phones can
hinder their ability to pay attention in school when
phones are not being used in conjunction with their
lessons.
Schools vary in their rules regarding mobile
phone usage in the classroom. Some schools let
teachers decide, while others have more liberal policies.
The following are some ideas for broaching the
subject:
Research educational apps. A number of apps
and websites are educational. Whether students are
connecting via a phone, laptop, or tablet, these applications
can encourage class participation. Some
apps can report students’ progress to teachers in
real time. Remind101 is an app that can text reminders
for assignments and tests to students.
Teachers can monitor diligently. The image
of teachers standing in the front of the classroom
lecturing is becoming more and more obsolete. It’s
easier to guide students to stay on task while on cellphones
when the teacher roams the classroom to
keep an eye on phone activity. It’s more diffi cult for
students to engage in negative behaviors when their
phones are out in the open.
Cut down on tech expenses. Not every school
can afford to give each student a laptop or have 20 to
30 tablets in the classroom. When students embrace
bring their own technology, teachers can maximize
resources.
Cellphones are not going anywhere soon, and
schools are trying to fi nd ways to make them more
useful and less distracting in the classroom.
Mobile phones and their
place in the classroom
Teachers can look at ways to harness the power of mobile
phone technology in the classroom.