From: From policy to practice: implementation of physical activity and food policies inschools
DPA themes | FBSS themes |
---|---|
Relative advantage | |
• It’s better than what we were doing | • We needed this |
• We had a better way of doing this before | • It would be better if we didn’t loserevenues |
Compatibility | |
• It fits our philosophy | • It fits my philosophy |
• We like it versus it does not fit in my schedule | • The school community was on board |
• There are favorable social norms | • There are favorable social norms |
• Whose responsibility is it? We believe it is thefamily versus schools need to help those that don’thave | • Whose responsibility is it? We believe it is thefamily versus schools have a social responsibility to notprofit from selling children unhealthy food |
• This takes special skills | |
• We (teachers) resent the top down approach taken forimplementation | • We can’t follow it all the time, we need“one-time” exceptions |
Complexity | |
• We struggled with the lack of guidance | • We found it difficult to understand the scope of theguidelines |
• We’re (elementary teachers) not clear whatcounts toward DPA | • We have to figure out what to do about decreasingprofit margins |
• We’re (elementary teachers) not clear thatactivities should be structured to count toward DPA | • We (teachers and Parent Advisory Council (PAC))struggle to find suitable fundraising alternatives |
• Evaluating implementation of DPA is hard | • We can be perceived as overstepping our boundaries aseducators |
• In higher grades it does not work as easily | • This pits the administrators against the parents |
• We can’t meet all curriculum expectationsversus it helps us meet our expectations | • We struggle with food insecurity |
• We have to navigate cultural relevance | |
• Our regional climate limits us | |
Facilitator | |
• Having ready-made provincial resources helped us(elementary teachers) with implementation | • Having provincial resources helped us withimplementation |
• This requires schools to have the appropriateresources | • Having access to a local nutritionist is helpful |
• It is easier when physical education (PE) was apriority | • Having local suppliers that comply with theguidelines is necessary |
• Having a PE specialist in elementary grades helps alot | • Having mandated guidelines is useful ammunition foradministrators |
Observability | |
• Some of us have noticed positive impacts (increasedmental alertness and focus, improved academic performance,improved classroom behaviors, students enjoy being active,positive attitude shift toward physical activity, andincreased positive student/teacher interactions) | • Some of us have noticed positive impacts(students/teachers are healthier, increased awareness abouthealthy eating, positive attitude shift toward healthyeating, and involved in more “green”initiatives) |
• We lost revenues | |
• It decreased teachers’ autonomy | • We had to reduce curricular and/or extracurricularactivities |
• It’s just more work for us (teachers &schools) | • We have noticed students selling unhealthy food |
• We are encouraging students to falsify their physicalactivity data on their report cards | • More students leave school grounds at lunch –as a result they skip more classes and we are more concernedabout their safety |