According to the current working definition, sexual health is:
“…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.” ~ World Health Organization ~
Sexual Health Education (SHE) in the Graduation Years
By the time our students reach Grade 10, the hope is that they will have already been exposed to the teachings in the curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 9. The following includes content they should already know: ✓ proper names for body parts ✓ practices that promote health and well-being, including those relating to communicable and non-communicable diseases, media messaging and body image ✓ appropriate and inappropriate ways of being touched ✓ caring behaviours in groups and families ✓ strategies for accessing health information and support services ✓ strategies and skills to use in potentially hazardous, unsafe or abusive situations, including identifying common lures and tricks used by potential abusers ✓ nature and consequences of bullying, and strategies for responding to bullying, discrimination, stereotyping and violence ✓ factors that influence self-identity, including body image and social media ✓ physical, emotional, and social changes that occur during puberty and adolescence, including those involving sexuality and sexual identity, and changes to relationships ✓ strategies to protect themselves and others from potential abuse, exploitation, and harm in a variety of settings ✓ factors influencing use of psychoactive substances, and potential harms ✓ practices that reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections and life-threatening communicable diseases ✓ basic principles for responding to emergencies ✓ influences on individual identity, including sexual identity, gender, values and beliefs ✓ influences of physical, emotional, and social changes on identities and relationships ✓ healthy sexual decision making ✓ potential short and long term consequences of health decisions, including those involving nutrition, protection from STI's, and sleep routines
The Ministry of Education and Child Care developed a great resource guide which aims to "provide teachers with a useful starting point for teaching a variety of health education topics", focusing on supporting student sexual health and mental health. Topics include Consent, Internet Safety, Healthy Relationships, Healthy Sexual Decision Making, Safer Sex, Body Image, Stress, Stigma and Coping Strategies. The guide provides considerations for each topic, instructional strategies, and some tips on how to respond to the unexpected in your classroom. Near the end of the guide is an incredibly useful tool in the form of a timeline to be used for suggested topics (Grade 10 example below). This breaks down the curriculum into sizeable chunks and helps us focus on what to deliver, when.