Introduction
This portal is to assist teachers and facilitators in teaching adolescents' sexual and reproductive health topics. You are provided with teaching tools including activities' sheet, PowerPoint slides, videos and online resources to aid your teaching. Before you start, it is important to understand your role as a teacher and facilitator.
Your role as a teacher or facilitator
You are teaching your students about their reproductive and sexual health, not sex education. You teach about the broader concept of sexuality, not just biology.
An individual’s sexual health includes their physical, mental, emotional and social well-being in relation to their sexuality. Teachers are role models and credible sources of information for students and their families. Be prepared, be comfortable and understand the curriculum. Always open for discussion and avoid imposing your own values and beliefs on the students. The students will be more willing to communicate and discuss any issues with you.
An individual’s sexual health includes their physical, mental, emotional and social well-being in relation to their sexuality. Teachers are role models and credible sources of information for students and their families. Be prepared, be comfortable and understand the curriculum. Always open for discussion and avoid imposing your own values and beliefs on the students. The students will be more willing to communicate and discuss any issues with you.
Ground rules
Sexual and reproductive health education works best in classrooms if there are mutual feelings of trust, safety and comfort. Ground rules help to create these feelings from the start. Ground rules work better when students are involved in creating the list. The list does not have to be long. You can use 5 to 10 bullet points that are broad enough to cover the key messages you want students remember. Some examples you can use as a guide are:
- respect each other
- respect personal boundaries
- do not put down others
- any questions are welcome
- no personal questions
- it is okay if you are not comfortable to answer
- listen when others are speaking
- all discussions in the classroom are confidential
- speak for yourself
- it is okay to have fun
- be careful about making careless remarks and personal attack
