[Health education through the teacher: recent development in the canton of Berne]

In the Canton of Berne, two working groups are currently developing a concept of school health education, in which the individual teacher assumes the principal role. In terms of documentation and availability of teaching aids, he is assisted by three addiction information centers, as well as other health institutions. Teaching goals are being formulated, socio-cultural conditions are being considered, and based on these, age specific lesson plans and exercises are being developed. On the other hand, the opportunity of a general reform of teacher training is being taken advantage of, in order to define main ideas, teaching goals and instructional contents for teacher training in human biology and health. The aim of teacher training in health education is twofold: on the one hand, it is to prepare the future teacher to include health education in his teaching skills; on the other hand, it is to enable the teacher to act appropriately, when faced with diseased or disabled pupils. The latter point becomes particularly important, as disabled children are being integrated into normal classes.