The Challenge of Teaching Food and Health in the First Four Years of Primary School in Norway

International Society for Teacher Education. Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Niels Juelsgade 84, 8210 Aarhus N. Denmark; e-mail: isftecontact@gmail.com; Web site: http://isfte.org

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11

Food; Health Education; Eating Habits; Nutrition Instruction; Cooking Instruction; Decision Making; Elementary School Students; Health Promotion; Foreign Countries; Faculty Development

1029-5968

The subject food and health will potentially help students gain insight into critically choosing and reflecting on food and meals and also help students acquire skills in food preparation. Good food choices and food behavior are established in childhood and adolescence and may have significant impact on food choices in adulthood. Less than half of teachers teaching food and health have formal education in the subject. The Knowledge Promotion Reform lists competence aims in all subjects. Unfortunately, food and health is often given low priority in grades 1-4. This study was conducted in 2018 to gain insight into how the subject was taught in grades 1-4. The aim was to reveal whether food and health is taught and by whom as well as what challenges the teachers have in teaching the subject. A proposal for the development of an in-service training course is also considered. A total of 24 interviews were conducted at 12 randomly selected schools in Norway. The study showed the random nature of who teaches the subject and how the teaching in food and health is carried out.

As Provided

2021

EJ1304616