Navigating the Journey Sexuality Education

Positive Classroom Community

● Expectation that everyone will be positive and sensible
● Acknowledge possible embarrassment
● Create a group safety agreement with students: co-construct with students. Revisit at the start of
every lesson.
● Set boundaries for behaviour
● Let children know there will be people in the class with different values

What is Sexuality?
● Includes values, attitudes and behaviours
● It’s about self-worth, relationships (not just romantic), orientation, feelings & emotions,
communication(passive/assertive/aggressive), intimacy, body image, sensuality, gender, and ability
to reproduce
● Our number one relationship is with ourselves, including how we think about and “talk to” ourselves.
● It is a legal requirement to teach sexuality education from Years 1-10. Parents can withdraw their
child from a specific session, but this has to be done in writing to the principal where they state the
specific date and time. They cannot withdraw them from the whole programme, as it is a legal
requirement that sexuality is taught. This is a good time to educate them about exactly what will be
taught.
● You are legally able to answer any question that a child asks you, even if they were withdrawn from
the class for the lesson that covered that question. If a parent challenges you on this, explain that
you were asked and can legally answer.
● ERO state that homophobic and transphobic language should be confronted, and that staff should
model inclusive language (“Myth Busting” pages in support documents). Important to confront any
kind of sexist/gendered/homophobic comments. Do this in a respectful way - be assertive.

Sexuality Education Covers

● Physical development
● Gender identity
● Relationships and friendships
● Whānau and social issues
Uses the Whare Tapa Wha model.

The programme develops:

1. Knowledge - they know what will happen to their bodies
2. Skills - dealing with body changes/thoughts when they arise
3. Attitudes and values
Focus is on developing knowledge and skills before the need arises.
Whole aim is to let children know that they are not naughty or dirty, they are just going through something
completely normal that every human goes through. Removing stigma and shame.

Programme should be given 12-15 hours per year. Some of this is done as part of your regular classroom
programme, e.g. positive relationships in the classroom and who we are (start of the year).

Navigating the Journey

Imagery in te reo that can be cut out and stuck on the whiteboard on as a classroom display:
1. Whenua is the land, represents the foundations of who we are
2. Maunga represent our resources, physical, whanau and friends
3. Whetū is our ancestors who guide us (and the 5 principles of the course)
4. Awa represents life’s journey, it’s twists and turns
5. Waka represents the physical journey through life - slow and easy, fast, can get beached along the
way
6. Forest of Tāne
7. Whare Tapa Wha - the four well-beings

Opportunity for Whānau and Community Involvement:

● Show them what will be taught and how it links to the curriculum
● Show them the activities

The Year 1-4 resource does ​not​ cover:

● Sexual relationships, behaviours, activities
● Pubertal development and change
Keeping Ourselves Safe is a great complementary resource to use alongside sexuality education, but it
does not replace it at all.

Question Boxes
Create a safe space: everyone gets the same kind of piece of paper, they all write a question. If they
genuinely don’t have a question, they can just put a smiley face or write a compliment. Maybe give them
more than one piece of paper, so more than one question can be asked. This is a great time for the teacher
to slip in a question that they think ​should​ be asked, but no one has asked it!
● Try to answer all questions in a session.
● Be aware of your body language, what you say, and how you say it.
● Make it clear you won’t answer personal questions, just as you won’t ask children personal
questions
● If you decide not to answer a question, explain why and do so positively
● Questions can be used to help plan future lessons
● If there are children with literacy problems, they could get a closely trusted friend to write it for them,
or they could potentially use speech to text.
If a very young child asks about something like sex, tell them something like “It is something that adults do
together if they both want to do it.” Answers should be ​honest not explicit!

Rainbow Youth​ make great YouTube resources that are age and stage appropriate, right the way through
the curriculum.