ISU students talk with Sally Shaver DuBois about their exercise routine for an assembly at United Community School.
AMES, Iowa – A group of Iowa State University students is using technology to connect with students at United Community School and share lessons on everything from proper hand washing to fire prevention to physical fitness.
Sally Shaver DuBois, a lecturer in kinesiology, developed the partnership with United School, which is just west of Ames, to give her students experience working with children. A majority of the students in her school health class plan to pursue careers in community and public health. Shaver DuBois says it is important that they learn how to work with different demographics.
“These students might one day work at a fitness center, a nonprofit, or a hospital where they’re working with families. It’s important for them to understand the school-age population and how it’s different than delivering health messages to an adult population,” Shaver DuBois said.
Since United has a one-to-one laptop program, it made sense for ISU students to develop a website to deliver those health messages. Throughout the semester, students have designed pages with nutritional information to encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetables, activities to build good character and questions to help students talk about bullying. All the activities and information are intended for specific grade levels.
“Our students at United range in age from 3 years to 12 years old. The ISU students have done an excellent job of keeping all of our students engaged no matter what their age,” said Lori Good, a school nurse at United.
Good says the information on the website reinforces what she teaches students about being healthy and active. In addition to the website, the ISU class has visited United several times to work directly with students.
“Our students love the interaction with ISU students along with the face-to-face time they spend with them. The kids are eager to learn and the ISU students are eager to educate,” Good said.
The Iowa State students have also created exercise videos demonstrating simple activities for teachers to use when students need a break. Shaver DuBois says the research shows that students do better in school when they move more.
“The brain research now reveals that getting children up and out of their seats regularly helps with attention to academic skills by optimizing brain function,” Shaver DuBois said. “We created some brain breaks that the teachers can utilize right in their classrooms.”
Students rehearse their exercise routines in class.
Iowa State and United will wrap up the semester with an all-school assembly on Dec. 9. ISU students will lead a series of exercise routines to remind United students that exercise and fitness can be fun.
“It is always a good thing anytime students see adults modeling these healthy behaviors,” Shaver DuBois said. “Students are not just hearing these messages from their classroom teacher or their parents, it’s from a younger adult and I think that works with the elementary students.”
This is the second year for the partnership. Shaver DuBois also plans to share the online resources with teachers across the state through relicensure courses she teaches in the summer.