You’ve seen us talk about this topic before, and it’s becoming increasingly relevant in the educational sphere. Yes, we are talking about the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs, adopted in 2015 at the United Nations Summit.
The educational field is crucial for raising awareness in society about the importance of the 17 SDGs, and that’s why we bring you content on our blog about how to address the SDGs in the classroom. Previously, we have covered SDG 1: No Poverty, and SDG 2: Zero Hunger. Today, it’s the turn of SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. Let’s explore in this post what it entails and the keys to raising awareness about this goal in class.
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What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what are they?
The SDGs, or Sustainable Development Goals, are 17 goals adopted globally by the United Nations in 2015. These goals aim to address global challenges such as poverty, hunger, gender equality, pollution, and more.
These 17 SDGs are part of the 2030 Agenda, meaning that the goal is to achieve these objectives by 2030. The 17 SDGs are as follows:
- End of Poverty
- Zero Hunger
- Good Health and Well-being
- Quality Education
- Gender Equality
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Reduced Inequalities
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Climate Action
- Life Below Water
- Life on Land
- Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- Partnerships for the Goals
Companies, governments, citizens, and institutions are all working towards achieving the milestones proposed in the 17 SDGs by 2030. Although the milestones are ambitious, working on these SDGs in the classroom can significantly contribute to fostering a society deeply aware of poverty reduction, reducing inequalities, and building a more responsible world.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, what does it entail?
The third of the Sustainable Development Goals is SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. As its name suggests, this SDG aims to improve people’s health and ensure their well-being.
In relation to this goal, significant progress has been made, indicating the possibility of achieving SDG 3 by 2030. Some of these advancements include the reduction of under-5 mortality rates in 146 countries and the halving of AIDS-related deaths since 2010. However, there are still crucial areas that need addressing. For instance, there has been a significant drop in childhood vaccination rates, and deaths from tuberculosis and malaria have increased. Additionally, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a substantial obstacle to achieving this SDG.
To tackle these issues, greater investment in healthcare systems is needed globally, along with providing universal access to medicines and vaccines.
However, it is crucial to start with the basics, ensuring access to essential health services in areas where these are not yet guaranteed. Therefore, it is not only necessary to work on this SDG, but also to address related SDGs, such as those concerning poverty and hunger, since they all contribute to the reduced access to a dignified and vital healthcare system.
Keys to teaching and raising awareness about SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being in the classroom
Here are some tips for teaching and raising awareness about SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being in the classroom. These ideas are suitable for all types of subjects and educational levels, as the goal is to approach it in a comprehensive and cross-curricular manner.
- With younger students: Gamification for greater awareness. If you want your students to learn about the SDGs in a dynamic and engaging way, consider using the Go-goals game, a printable board game for children. This game allows kids to answer questions about the different SDGs (not just SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being) while moving across a game board.
- Integrate SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being into your subject curriculums. The theme of this SDG can be easily incorporated into various subjects, whether it’s Science (studying diseases or how vaccines work), Physical Education (promoting a healthy lifestyle based on sports), or any other subject. Whatever your subject, remember to link this SDG to your lesson plans with tools like Additio App.
3. Promote healthy habits in your students. The first step towards achieving significant societal outcomes in health and well-being is to promote healthy habits in each individual. Education plays a crucial role here, as we can instil in students the importance of taking care of their health and incorporating daily habits that promote their well-being.
How can you promote healthy habits among your students? Here are some ideas:
- Organise sports days at the school.
- Create a healthy breakfast and lunch program.
- Offer nutritious and healthy recipes.
- Teach the importance of good personal hygiene and disease prevention (for younger students, teach proper hand-washing techniques; for older students, offer workshops on sexual health and hygiene).
- Raise awareness about mental health. The World Health Organization states, “There is no health without mental health.” Therefore, it’s also important to raise awareness about mental health among your students and provide them with tools for mental well-being (this can include offering psychological support within the school, implementing meditation programs, and increasing meetings and tutoring sessions with families to address potential mental health issues).
- Encourage talks and workshops. If your school has the necessary resources, invite professionals to conduct workshops or give talks on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the importance of good nutrition, disease prevention, the importance of sexual education, mental health care, and more.
Remember, with the communication features of Additio App, you can easily inform students about these talks and workshops happening at the school.
How do you raise awareness about SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being in your educational centre?
We would love to hear how you are working on this in your educational centre. Share your experiences with us on our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.
Additio App, the school management, assessment, and communication platform that helps put students at the centre of learning
With Additio App, you can carry out competency-based assessments that place students at the centre of learning, keep them informed about their progress, and help them identify areas for improvement and strengths.
More than 150 features are available to enhance your teaching and the learning experience of your students. You can try the tool for free with the Additio Starter plan, which gives you access to most of the features, allowing you to see how well the platform fits your needs.
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