UCONNCollegeofAgricultureandNaturalResources

DepartmentofAlliedHealthSciences/CoordinatedPrograminDietetics
Diet3235/Spring15/ReflectionTemplate
Instructions:Choosethetwo(2)richestdaysfromyourweeksofsupervisedpracticeexperiences.
Pleasecopyandpastethetemplateheaderstoanewdocument,respondingtoallsections/questions
incompletesentencesandinthecontextofthedayyouselected.Thanks!
1.Name:JannaBenn
2.Dateofplacement:3/24/15
3.Placementsite/description(urban,suburban,demographics,i.e.gender,age,race/ethnicity,etc):Global
HeathCommunications;Innercity;minority;elementaryschoolchildren
4.Sitementor:MaryAnn

5.Languagebarriers:No

6.Describethesupervisedpraxplacement/activityhere.Pleaseweaveintoyourresponsethefollowing:
A. ConnectionstotheNutritionCareProcess
Assessment:
Someissuestheparticipantshavewhichmadenutritioneducationimportant
wouldbeinabilitytopurchaseownfoods.Thechildrenbecomingeducatedcould
leadthemtosharetheinformationwiththeirparentswhocanactuallymakethe
changes.Also,thefactthatthechildrenarestillyoungmakesthebehavior
changemuchmorelikelythaniftheywereolder.
Learningmodels/stagesofchangemodels
o Socialcognitivetheory
o Healthbeliefmodel
Diagnosis:
Incompleteorinaccurateknowledgeaboutfood,nutrition,ornutritionrelated
informationandguidelinesrelatedtolackofpriornutritionrelatededucationas
evidencebyno prior knowledge of need for food- and nutrition-related
recommendations.
Plan:
Printedoutpicturesoffoodsforchildrentoselecthealthyvsnothealthy
Printedoutothervisualssuchasfoodisfuelandchildrenexercising
Broughtthechildrenoutsidetoexercisethroughafunactivity
Askedquestionstoensurechildrenhadlearned
Implementation:

Wearrivedattheschoolandhadaquickmeetingonwhatweweregoingtosay
tothestudentssinceitwasbothuconnstudentsandnursingstudentsfrom
anotherschool.Onceitwastime,wewenttothefirstclassroom.Wespokefirst
tothestudents,introducingourselvesasUconnstudents.Thisisthescriptwe
followedusinglaminatedpicturestoreinforceourtopic.Thepicturesincludeda
foodasfuelexample,acar,childrenexercising,andaheart.Wealsohadpictures
ofthefoodsmentionedbelowtogivethekidsexamplesofbetterfoodchoicesto
maketofuelthebodyforexercise.
One: food as fuel.
Hi kids! We are so happy to be here! We're from UCONN. Who's heard
of the HUSKIES? We were wondering, "who in here likes to eat
food?" Hands will shoot up of course, right? "Who in here likes to
exercise and run around?
"You've already heard about healthy eating and healthy snacking in your
other classes, right? Did you know that the food you put into your body
is just like the gas your Mom puts into her car? Show picture of car
Ask: "who can tell me what would happen if mom or dad's car ran out of
gas?
Your response will of course be, "that's right! And guess what, our bodies
need good fuel too, and they stay healthy and well when we make good
food choices and do some physical activity every day"
Two: Exercise helps your muscles grow and bones stay strong (show
pic of child flexing muscles or running)
We're going to exercise in just a little bit with the nurses. We
know you've had classes about good healthy food helping you to grow
and exercise and do well in school. It also helps you sleep well at night.
Did you know that?
Ask: "who can name some ways to exercise?"
Take a few responses and praise all; mention a few they may not
(dancing, washing the car, vacuuming for mom, walking the dog, etc etc
etc)
Three: Did you know that your heart is your most important
muscle? Exercise helps that muscle a LOT (show pic of heart)
"Who knows what our hearts do for us?" Take responses. "That's right!
Our heart is our pump, here in the middle of our chests, and it wants to
pump! And it likes when you exercise it and make it pump harder for a
while, and then rest it."
"And the scientists and doctors tell us that if you are active and get used
to it when you're younger, those good habits may stay with you all the
way into adulthood. You might be a biker, or go for a daily jog, or enjoy
yoga!"
Four: healthy snacks are always important. We know you learned
about that already. But healthy snacks AFTER exercising are important
too because your body has just worked for you and sweated, and wants
good vitamins and minerals from food to put back into your body ! These
foods include fruit (banana, apple, orange) whole grains and water/milk
Afterwespoke,thenursingstudentswentovertheirpamphletoverviewingthe
amountofexerciseneededaday,typesofexercise,andhowmuchwatertohave
aday.

Thestudentswerethenbroughtoutsidetodosomeexercises.Thestudentswere
putintoacircleandgivenapaperwithanexerciseonit.Theexercisesincluded
squats,jumpingjacks,runninginplace,touchingtoes,hulahopping,and
skippinginacircle.Adicewasthrownandwhicheverexerciseitlandedonthe
childrenwiththatexercisewenttothemiddleandperformedthatexercisefor20
seconds.Onceeveryexercisewasdone,thestudentswentbackinside.
Onceinside,MaryAnnremindedthekidsaboutpastlessonsonlabelreadingand
thefoodgroups.
Thislessonwascompletedfor3differentclasses.
Evaluation/Modification:
Theonlyevaluationconductedwasaskingthechildrentogiveexamplesof
differentexercisesandaskingthemtochoosethebettersnack.Wewerenotable
toquantifythisinformation.Thiswentasplanned,aswewerenottoldtomake
anevaluationforthechildren.Maryannhandedoutapamphlettothechildrento
havethemrightagoalandthenwentaroundtheroomandaskedthemtheirgoal,
so100%ofstudentsmadeagoal.
Lessonslearned:
IfeltthatthesectionconductedbyEshaandIwentverywell.Wehad
organizationandstructure.Includinginteractionbetweenthestudentswasagood
waytogetthemtolistenandparticipate.Inaddition,wedidnthandanything
outtothestudentstodistractthem.Whenitwasthenursingstudentsturn,they
handedoutsqueezeballsandstickerstothestudentswhichdistractedthem
immensely.Ilearnedfromthattomakesureyouraudienceisoldenoughto
handlehandouts.

B. Competenciesyouaddressed/met.
CRD2.2:Demonstrateprofessionalwritingskillsinpreparingprofessionalcommunications
(Note:Examplesincluderesearchmanuscripts,projectproposals,educationmaterials,policies
andprocedures)
Wehadtocreateeducationmaterialstoteachthestudentswith.Thisincludedwritingup
ascriptofwhattosaytothechildren.
CRD2.3:Design,implementandevaluatepresentationstoatargetaudience(Note:Aquality
presentationconsiderslifeexperiences,culturaldiversityandeducationalbackgroundofthetarget
audience.)
Assaidabove,wehadtodesignalessonandawaytopresentittothechildrenofGlobal
Communications
CRD2.4:Useeffectiveeducationandcounselingskillstofacilitatebehaviorchange
Weeducatedthechildrenonchoicestomakeforfoodtofuelthebodyandexercisesto
dotoachievetheminimumof60minutesofexerciseperday
CRD2.5:Demonstrateactiveparticipation,teamworkandcontributionsingroupsettings
Uconnstudentsandthenursingstudentshadtoworktogethertocreatingalessonforthe
students.Wealsohadtohelpeachothercompleteeachotherslessons
CRD2.9:Participateinprofessionalandcommunityorganizations 1,2
1
2

CompletingthelessonsatGlobalHealthCommunicationswithagroupthatdoes
communityworkthroughouttheyearwasaprofessionalsettingwithacommunityorganization.
CRD3.1:PerformtheNutritionCareProcess(athroughebelow)andusestandardizednutrition
languageforindividuals,groupsandpopulationsofdifferingagesandhealthstatus,inavarietyof
settings
Asshownabove,IhadtocreateanADIMEforthislesson.Althoughthiswasonlydone
inoneschool,itwasdoneinthreedifferentclasseswhichhadalldifferentsettings.Thechildren
wereallthesameagegroup.

C.Connectionstoclasslecturenotes:
InclassIhavelearnedabouttheriseinchildhoodobesityandtheimportanceof
educationtopreventanddecreaseobesityrates.Thiswasdirectlyusedtohelpinthe
lessonplanforthisgroupofchildren.
D. Acceptanceofyourpresenceatthesite
Ifeelwewereextremelywelcomedatthesite.Theteachersandchildrenwereexcitedto
seeusandparticipateintheactivities.Attheendofeachlesson,wewereexcessively
thanked.
E. Yourperceivedvalueandworthoftheactivities/lesson
Thislessonwasveryvaluableinmyopinion.Teachingchildrentheimportanceof
exerciseandhealthyfoodchoicesisoneofthebestwaystoavoidchildhoodobesity.
Educatingandchangingbehaviorsatayoungageisveryimportantforprevention.
F. Sitementorperceivedvalueandworthofthelesson/shareanyoftheircomments
Thecitementorwasthepersonwhosetupalloftheselessons.Shewasveryexcitedto
havehelpfromthestudentsandsaidithelpsherhaveknewcreativeideasthatshe
wouldnthavethoughtof.Shesaidwealldidanexcellentjobandthatthelessonswent
well.Thiswouldleadmetobelieveshevaluedthelessons.
G. Yourcomfortlevelatsite
Initially,Iwasverynervoustohavetospeakandteach,butaftertalkingforjustafew
seconds,Ibecamemorecomfortablebecausethestudentsweresowelcomingand
enjoyable.
7.KEYPOINTTOEND:Whatdidyougainfromtheexperiencethatspeakstoyourgrowthand
developmentasacommunitynutritionist?Inwhatwaysareyoufeelingincreasinglycompetent?
IfeelthatIgainedasenseofcomfortwhenpubliclyspeakingtogroupsaboutnutrition.In
addition,Ifeelcompetentineducatingothersongeneralnutritiontopics.