In the monitoring of schools across the cluster Narbal, Budgam. It has been almost a year now I am performing the duties of an academic monitor apart from teaching at High School Narbal, the most neglected part I came across is the physical and mental health of educators. In the schools of Kashmir valley almost eighty percent of the teachers both at primary levels and secondary level can be seen with enlarged tummy and body deformity looking young above chest and old below chest. Teachers with fatty abdomen can be seen early in the morning at around 10:30 am enjoying lipton tea concentrated with sugar. It appears as if they don't care about their body at all. During Lunch time majority can be seen eating rice . The vegetables or meat prepared with excess oil preferring taste over fitness.
The manifestations are apparent and everybody can observe. Some of the manifestations of neglected physical and mental health are:
Fats around the stomach, deformed body, swollen tummy, lack of concentration, preference for isolation.
There are many causes for this physical and mental chaos among educators in Kashmir. Some of them are :
The teaching profession invites stress of its own due to larger class size, workload, multiple task management including both offline and online assignments. This leads to the secretion of cortisol at higher levels. The excess cortisol secreted by the adrenal gland is a stress hormone. It leads to a higher appetite, lower metabolism and instructs the body to store more fats around the stomach creating tummy problems.
During the months of October, Nov. and December the teachers in Kashmir valley have a little bit of work to do in schools due to exams. This results in prolonged sitting, less calorie burn out and less physical activity all leading to accumulation of fats.
A teacher in a school lives a sedentary life. He is either standing on foots or sitting. Both ways contribute to stress due to lesser physical activity leading to body deformity.
A study in Ankara, Turkey found that most of the teachers worldwide skip their meals during day time. This leads to overeating during evening and night which is very dangerous.
Over eating during night increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome leading to fat accumulation, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. This also leads to cardiovascular risk and sleep disturbance.
Winter is almost on now, the teachers will have winter vacation. All most 90 percent will have almost negligible physical activities back at home. This results in fat accumulation and other complications which will be carried to the school in the coming March. Bad food habits, skipping day time meals, lesser physical activities and cycle goes on. This vicious cycle needs to be broken by the educators. What is the way out?
A teacher while in a class should continuously walk in steps during teaching. He should avoid standing still at one place. Walk to students, walk between lines and enjoy teaching as much as possible. The scientific study indicates that walking while teaching in a class room improves cardiovascular health, better mood, weight management and reduces risk of type 2 diabetes. It helps in doing away with mood swings and helps in maintaining healthy weight.
In some schools I saw the teachers buying the oil of low cost for preparing food for themselves during lunch. They buy oil bottles costing Rs 100. The oil bought off by the labourers forgetting the labour does excess work to burn out the extra calories.
Teachers in school can buy simple gym tools . No government funds required. They can contribute to this life saving cause . The gym instruments like simple ropes, gym cycle etc. Nothing is more important than health. The gym equipment like tummy trimer costs just Rs 300.
A physically fit teacher serves as a vital role model for students . Demonstration of these physical activities will stimulate the students thereby helping them to take physical activities seriously. This will ensure the physical and mental well being of the students. The academic performance of the students will improve. The stress level of teachers as well as students will decrease and apparent results are guaranteed. Apart from the educators the school education department will help a lot in the inception of these thoughts in the schools. The educators neglecting the physical well being of themselves will have negative repercussions on the overall set up of education.
Email:--------------------muntashirkifayat@gmail.com
