DESIGNING A HEALTH-PRESERVING ENVIRONMENT IN GENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: THEORY AND PRACTICE

Abstract

The article examines the pedagogical foundations for developing a health-preserving strategy in general secondary education institutions, addressing contemporary challenges associated with the unique characteristics of the educational process in Ukraine. The study aims to substantiate the theoretical and practical aspects of designing a health-preserving environment in modern general education schools.The research employs theoretical methods, including an analysis of regulatory acts, a logical-systemic analysis of health-preserving methods, synthesis, and the generalization of psychophysiological states of students in the context of learning and stressful conditions. The article outlines a set of organizational and pedagogical techniques and methods grounded in health-preserving technologies, specifically: 1) methods for assessing, self-monitoring, and restoring mental performance during lessons; 2) methods for restoring mental performance during free time; 3) methods for correcting the functional states of visual and auditory analyzers; 4) methods for improving mental health and reducing nervous tension, particularly relevant during the period of martial law in the country; 5) general strengthening methods for increasing resistance to distress (stress with negative health consequences for students). The successful implementation of the theoretical and applied principles for designing a health-preserving environment in general secondary education institutions (GSEI) is contingent upon a comprehensive set of health-preserving techniques and technologies under the following conditions: 1) motivational support for students’ health-preserving activities, emphasizing their practical significance and free choice; 2) integration of educational goals from the New Ukrainian School, particularly those focused on forming, preserving, and strengthening students' health and developing their health-preserving competencies; 3) application of the principle of selecting health-preserving technologies in GSEI that prioritises the student’s role as an individual with unique experiences and a specific lifestyle; 4) emphasis on humanistic values and prioritizing the recognition of the value of one’s own and others’ lives in the educational process; 5) ensuring the integrity and continuity of the process of fostering students’ health within the educational environment of GSEI. The study concludes by highlighting prospects for further research, including substantiating the feasibility of implementing adaptive learning in general secondary education institutions as a foundation for establishing a health-preserving educational environment in schools.