Amy Lauren Smith

Health Teacher

Amy teaches Middle School Health at the Hong Kong International School and has a passion for curriculum that is current, relevant, adaptable, and shared. She has presented at conferences in Asia as well as SXSWedu and the SHAPE America National Conventions, and serves as the Education Editor for Choices, Scholastic’s health magazine for teens. You can find her online at thehealthteacher.com and on twitter: @teaching_health.

One of the benefits of a skills-based model is that it gives teachers freedom to adapt content to best suit the unique needs of their student population. This is especially important in an international setting where cultures, values, and laws can vary drastically between countries and schools. In this follow-up to last year’s session, participants will be given tools to add current health concerns- vaping, screen time, body image and social media, etc.- to existing curriculum while maintaining a focus on skills.

Participants will leave with:

  • Tools to gather data on the health concerns impacting their unique student population
  • A bank of adaptable resources to help address current health issues
  • A network of other international teachers passionate about student wellness in the region.

A skills-based health program allows teachers to adapt their content based on the current needs of their student population. In this session, participants will be guided through a ready to go unit plan that will address the influence of peers and social media on student health behaviors, while equipping students with the skills needed to combat these messages with a critical eye. Resources will cover the influence of social media on body image for both boys and girls, fad diets, vaping, and more.

Sexting, social media, and the influence of online porn. These are all topics that were missing from our sexual health units just a few  years ago, and many teachers struggle knowing just how and where to adapt. During this workshop, we’ll explore the latest in resources and strategies that can help bring your lessons up-to-date so you can help students prepare for a healthy future in a rapidly changing world.