Sex Education in Secondary Schools

Book excerpt: * What are effective teaching and learning styles for sex education? * How can the Health Promoting School create a context for sex education? * How do we interpret the legislation for sex education? This book will be important reading for secondary teachers of all disciplines. It provides a timely consolidation of educational thinking on sex education in schools today, including a consideration of the role of the Health Promoting School. It draws together recent research evidence to consider important aspects such as equal opportunities, school policy and practice, as well as identifying a moral and social framework for sex education. The practical guidelines are particularly helpful for trainee and newly qualified teachers and provide strategies for introducing, developing and re-visiting key areas of sex education. Some aspects, such as abortion and AIDS education, are highly sensitive areas for teachers to take on, demanding a particular awareness of the surrounding issues and of what might and can be taught in their own school. Crucially they demand a level of self awareness and self confidence for teachers to embark on a variety of appropriate teaching and learning strategies. A range of individual and group activities are provided which are aimed at both beginning and more experienced teachers to stimulate independent learning.