Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/2864
Riverside City Teachers Association member Joanne Howard worked as a personal trainer before becoming a teacher. model for our students,” says Howard, who teaches adult basic education, high school di- ploma and GED courses. She’s not going it alone. Fellow teachers, clas- sified employees and even district administra- tors are joining her for the RCTA Million Step Challenge that kicked off in late January. How- ard received a CTA grant to organize the event — a pedometer step program designed to get school employees moving and more active. “Each day, first thing in the morning, the pedometer goes on,” she explains. “The last thing before bed, the pedometer comes off. The object is to take 10,000 steps on most days. If we move more and eat less we’ll be less stressed, have more energy, lose weight, sleep better and feel great.” Participants also receive a booklet Howard wrote containing walking and dietary recom- mendations and a walking log. The gym where Howard once worked is offering free guest pass- es, personal training consultations, free aerobics classes and monthly weigh-ins the first week of every month for participants. Those who sign up donate $10 to a “fitness fund” that will go to- ward the purchase of jump ropes for students in grades 1-3 in the Riverside Unified School Dis- Did you know? > There is a rising incidence of illness among teachers. This may be due partly to an aging workforce. As people age, disease becomes more commonplace. > When asked what the biggest health hazard of the profession is, teachers usually answer with one word: STRESS. > Nearly a fourth of U.S. teachers say they are so sleep deprived that their teaching skills are signifi cantly impacted, according to a new survey from Ball University. > Teachers have a higher rate of certain types of cancer and a higher percentage of autoimmune disease than other professionals. Visit the doctor regularly and have a mammogram every year. > Teachers are susceptible to foot pain from standing all day on hard fl oors. Wear comfortable shoes, stand on a small piece of carpet and soak your feet at night. If that doesn’t help, see a podiatrist. > Overusing your vocal chords can be a hazard of the job. If you’re straining your voice, try a microphone. Find another way to get the attention of the class and consider asking a doctor or speech therapist for advice if you lose your voice. > Bladder infections also come with the territory, thanks to block scheduling and extra-long intervention classes. It may be tempting to avoid fl uids to cut back on bathroom breaks, but this can lead to chronic dehydration — resulting in bladder and kidney infections or kidney stones. Stay hydrated and reduce caffeine. > Toxic environments in old, deteriorating classrooms and even brand-new schools can impact the health of school employees and students. Chemicals, pesticides and molds can cause respiratory and other problems. The Environmental Protection Agency provides a kit free of charge to teachers who wish to assess and improve the indoor air quality of their facilities. For more information about the IAQ Tools for Schools program, visit www.epa.gov/iaq/schools. 16 California Educator | february 2009 trict. Participants are on the honor system and are asked to chart their steps on a daily basis. The culmination of the event will be in May on Day of the Teacher. “The average teacher or school employee maybe only walks approximately two miles a day around the campus,” says Howard. “That’s an average of about 4,000 steps a day. That’s not good. For optimum fitness, you want at least 10,000 steps per day most days of the week and to become more active.” Her booklet offers tips such as arriving early and walking a few blocks to your destination, carrying in grocery bags from your car one at a time and doing laps around the campus during lunchtime. During the initial planning stages, Howard envisioned that only fellow RCTA members would participate. But as word spread and re- quests to join poured in, the board voted to open up the Million Step Challenge to a limited number of administrators and classified em- ployees. “In addition to getting healthy, we are build- ing camaraderie and recruiting new members,” says Howard. “We never expected hundreds of participants.” Gemma Burns, an RCTA member who teaches English as a Second Language (ESL) at the Riverside Adult School, signed up so she can be “consistent” when it comes to exercising. She admits that she has the tendency to be “la- zy” and is worried about her level of inactivity because she had quadruple bypass surgery five years ago. “I guess you could say I’m doing this for me,” says Burns. John Romero, plant supervisor at the adult school, enjoys the daily walks around the cam- pus during lunchtime with co-workers. “Two laps around the school is the equivalent of one mile. It’s boosting morale to do this. And it’s bet- ter to walk around during your break time, rather than just sitting down and eating.” “I’m glad to see this happening,” says RCTA member and ESL adult school teacher Lois An- derson-Stevens. “Taking this on is definitely the first step toward becoming healthier.” For more information on starting your own Million Step Challenge, visit the RCTA website at www.myrcta.org.