Alright, so I have been debating whether or not to analyze Ontario's sexual health education curriculum along with British Columbia's. I now know it MUST be done.
Ontario recently revised the Elementary Health and Phys Ed curriculum in 2010. Well done my home sweet home!
According to the overall and specific outcomes of the Healthy Living portion of Health education, By the end of Grade 7 students will:
• identify the methods of transmission and the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and ways to prevent them;
Sarah's commentary: Alright. Necessary. I approve.
• use effective communication skills (e.g., refusal skills, active listening) to deal with various relationships and situations;
Sarah's commentary: Okay... such as "Don't touch my vagina right now" and "I hear what you are saying, but I must abstain as the curriculum tells me to..." Right? Nevertheless, I still agree with effective communication. Okay.
• explain the term abstinence as it applies to healthy sexuality;
Sarah's commentary: .... AND?!?!?!?! What ELSE? Birth control? These children are 12. Some of them have developed breasts! Some of them are on their period RIGHT now... Explain abstinence? That's IT?!
• identify sources of support with regard to issues related to healthy sexuality (e.g., parents/guardians, doctors).
Sarah's commentary: Because teachers are scared to say so? Or because policy states teachers shouldn't say so? Should we get nurses in the class telling kids what a penis is and how it works? Why is it this all has to be left up to doctors... it's SO clinical. Parents, YES! But some won't... so what then?
These are not the only outcomes, but the ones which I thought were important and/or curious.
Under grade 8 (alright... we are 13 years old now... or approaching this age. TEENS! Has anything changed?), it states
By the end of Grade 8, students will:
• explain the importance of abstinence as a positive choice for adolescents;
Sarah's commentary: Among others? This is limiting! *hiss*
• identify symptoms, methods of transmission, prevention, and high-risk behaviours related to common STDs, HIV, and AIDS;
• identify methods used to prevent pregnancy;
Sarah's commentary: Such as?
• apply living skills (e.g., decision-making, assertiveness, and refusal skills) in making informed decisions, and analyse the consequences of engaging in sexual activities and using drugs;
Sarah's commentary: LOL! Living skills. HOLD THE PHONE!!! Here is my issue: Ladies and gentlemen and people who create policy and curriculum, PLEASE do not lump sex and drugs into the same bullet. Drugs are horrid things. No one should do cocaine ever. Sex is not a horrid bad thing... so don't you DARE put them under the same thing. Yes, they both have consequences, but so does swimming after you eat, and you sure as hell wouldn't say swimming and drugs are related, WOULD YOU?!?!?! Drugs. WHOLE other story. Give it a new bullet, a new topic/subject area, hell... even a new lesson, please!!
• identify sources of support (e.g., parents/guardians, doctors) related to healthy sexuality issues.
Dear Ontario,
Don't be vague and give sex some positivity. Students are afraid of negative things... More commentary to come.
Dear Ontario again,
I am not scowling at you because you are doing something wrong. I commend anyone who writes curriculum; however, there are a couple of things that are too vague and will be left up to teacher discretion, causing misinformation, misguidance, and an overall inconsistent teaching and learning. Love you. <3
Yours capable,
the newest policy analyst to your team? I'll let you know when I publish my Master's thesis, then we'll talk?
