Introduction
This presentation aims to highlight some of the more common communicable diseases that are likely to appear in schools, and which pose a threat to your students and yourself. Prevention of disease is the number one strategy that we need to be adopting (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2012). Illness causes loss of productivity in the workplace, loss of time for children to learn as well as other exposing other students and staff to infections and conditions. This is particular concerning for staff who might be pregnant or staff or students with health issues such as asthma (State Government of Victoria, 2012; Asthma Australia, n.d.).
In schools some of the more common diseases and conditions that you are likely to encounter are:
Influenza and the common cold
Hand, foot and mouth disease
School sores
Slap cheek
Gastro
Ringworm
Conjuctivitis
Chicken pox
Head lice
Task
Initially with a partner you will brainstorm all that you know about a disease or condition. You will have 20 minutes to research your topic. Then you will work with a partner to create a short improvisation of a common disease, indicating the causes, symptoms and treatments. You will perform your presentation for your colleagues.
Process
Working with a partner, take one of the cards and on a big sheet of paper brainstorm all the symptoms and causes of the disease that you have been given. Include any myths, old wives tales or folk remedies that you might have heard of. Factual information is not important at this stage.
If you have time, take the Aches and Pains quiz to test your knowledge
Now you are to look at websites for the topic you have been given. Hyperlinks are provided to get you started. Using a Tic-Tac-Toe graphic organiser find answers to:
What are the symptoms?
What causes the disease/condition?
How is the disease/condition spread?
How can it be prevented?
How long does it usually last for?
How serious is it? Is it worse for some people?
What is the Department of Education's policy on it?
Department of Education Infectious Diseases Procedures
Now think about how you can take the information in your Tic-Tac-Toe and create an improvisation to educate your colleagues.
Did you include vaccinations in your lists of ways of preventing diseases? Watch this short clip from Behind the News and have a discussion with your partner about whether you are vaccinated against the flu and chicken pox and how you made the decision whether to do this or not.
Evaluation
Your colleagues will assess whether you have provided them with the necessary information. Will they know:
The symptoms
The causes
The spread
How to prevent
The severity
The treatment
The DoE Tasmania's policy on the disease/condition?
They will give you feedback on your improvisation:
Was it effective, informative and entertaining?
Conclusion
It is important that teachers know and understand what common infectious diseases and conditions affect school children. Teachers need to be alert to symptoms and know how to protect themselves. Some diseases such as chicken pox can have serious implications for unborn babies, so teachers who are pregnant need to be espeically vigilant (Queensland Government, 2014). Teachers need to know what diseases they can be vaccinated against and make an informed decision whether they choose to be vaccinated. This is done not only to protect themselves, but other people.
Credits
References
Asthma Australia. (n.d.). Flu vaccination. Retrieved from http://www.asthmaaustralia.org.au/dynamic.aspx?id=19327354712&terms=flu
National Health and Medical Research Council. (2012). Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood and care services (5th ed.). Canberra: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/ch55_stay…
Queensland Government. (2014). Health conditions directory: Chicken pox. Retrieved from http://pan.search.qld.gov.au/search/search.cgi?query=chicken+pox&x=26&y…
State Government of Victoria, Department of Health. (2015). Better health channel: Whooping cough. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Whooping…