Diet Culture in Schools with Gwen Kostal

Help! My kid has been sent home with a serve of diet culture! If you recognise this, either as a parent, or as a health professional, you'll love this episode with Gwen Kostal from Dietitians 4 Teachers. Educators, we love you! And we would love to work with you to make our schools and education settings a safer place for more kids.   In this episode, Gwen shares her career trajectory, the intention behind D4T; Dietitians 4 Teachers, how no educator intends to cause harm, what we can offer teachers as we begin to work shoulder-to-shoulder, questions dietitians can reflect on when wanting to work in schools, questions we can ask teachers to learn more about their needs and concerns, an introduction to a helpful change management framework, ‘Best Practice’ for giving school talks and presentations and how we as dietitians can best support our student clients when they are in the classroom/school setting. Here Fi and Gwen chat about; Gwen’s trajectory from primary care dietetics into problem solving and the intention behind @Dietitians4Teachers. The importance of working beside teachers and educators and why Gwen’s work is grounded in support and validation.  How no educator intends to cause harm, acknowledging the impacts of diet culture on educators and the trouble with ‘health’ and ‘healthy eating’ being assumed knowledge in the classroom. The permission giving statement we can offer teachers and educators in the first instance to reduce shame and defensiveness and the ways in which we can begin to partner and work shoulder-to-shoulder. Important reflective questions we can ask ourselves as dietitians when we have a desire/interest to work in schools. How change work must start with humans and what we must offer teachers to empower change within the classroom/school. The vital questions we can ask teachers when it comes to resources and offerings and how we can encourage resistance and rejection when using existing curriculum and lessons. Change Management Framework’s and an introduction to an effective method; ‘What? So What? Now What? Gwen gently guides us through ‘Best Practice’ for initiating and providing school presentations/talks. How dietitians can best support their school student clients when they notice concerns within the school/classroom settings.    Connect with Gwen: Instagram Website Linktree Email