Diverse student teachers making sense of difference through engaging in Boalian theater approaches

In many countries, educational and health policies currently highlight the need to develop schools towards health promotion settings for pupils and school staff. The aim of this three‐year follow‐up study was to investigate teachers’ assessments of goal attainment and possible changes in health promotion practices in the Finnish schools that participated in the Programme of European Network of Health Promoting Schools. The data were collected by questionnaires from teachers who also worked as ENHPS coordinators at the school level. The data analysis was statistical. The results showed that, overall, the infrastructure for health promotion was good at the participating Finnish schools. Based on the results of this Finnish ENHPS study, it can be concluded that the progress towards health‐promoting schools is demanding and requires action at the administrative level, such as appropriate planning of responsibilities, resources and training. Additionally, it requires modification of everyday practices for a school to become a health‐promoting setting.