HELP! Teaching Sex Ed

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Specializes in Corrections, Rehab, School Health.

Hello!

I have been a RN for 3 years, and started my first School Nursing position in February. (I absolutely LOVE it by the way!:loveya:)

I have been asked to teach a few lessons of the "Human Growth and Development" (aka:sex ed) curriculum to the 4th grade students.

My teaching experience is limited... and I have only taught teens/adults. I'm embarrased to admit that I'm a little intimidated :imbar. Not only that, but my supervisor is going to be there observing the classes as well! :eek:

Any advice/resources would be greatly appreciated!!!

~K~

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

1- See if you can shadow someone else teaching in their school first.

2- Know and understand your state and school systems sex ed. requirements and limitations.

3- Consult other groups. Our health dept. or council on adolescents does ours.

4- Check out Always (the pads). They have videos for that age group that dicuss puberty and (briefly) sexuality. It also comes with huge boxes for boys and girls with supplies for each (deo, pads). They even have a spanish version. Must start with something like this so they understand what their body is doing before they start learning about sex, STD's and pregnancy.

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Specializes in Corrections, Rehab, School Health.

The teachers are going to have the kids watch the "Always" video before I teach the classes... I'm teaching the end of next week already so I don't have time to shadow or anything like that :eek:

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Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..

I don't have any advice for you, just wanted to tell you that I'm in the same boat. (and about to go over the waterfall on Thrusday). I'm not ashamed to admit that I am SCARED of 4th grade girls. :sofahider

Good luck!

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Specializes in Corrections, Rehab, School Health.

Thanks =) That is actually encouraging... I'm not the only one!:icon_hug:

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

Have you watched the videos? If not, do so! Write down some questions you anticipate them asking. A lot of what we got was "Why do I have to get a period?" "Does it hurt"

THe kids were painfully shy until one girl got the nerve to ask a question, and then all heck broke loose. We explained they got periods so one day they could have a baby (once they were married :) ) but that didn't mean they were ready to have a baby now. Luckily, most of them gave us the "EW BOYS" look when we said that. LOL

Do they have any knowledge basis so far? I think we start sex ed. here in 5th grade, so it's all new then.

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Specializes in Corrections, Rehab, School Health.

I have seen the videos. Funny because I remember in 5th grade watching one where the mom was making pancakes... and made a pancake uterus/ovaries to help explain puberty to her daughter. :confused: Anyone else see that one? My bro's girlfriend and I have had a good laugh about this... she didn't eat pancakes for a LONG TIME because of that video! I still have the image of that... just gross!

This is the kids' first "puberty" class. I have curriculum from the district's website... but it is very basic. The first lesson talks about how mammals begin life and the basic A+B=C without really explaining what intercourse is. I remember being very confused in 5th grade wondering how all of that actually worked and fit together. Sadly I think kids these days know almost too much about sex at such a young age. The second lesson is about changes in puberty... menstruation/ejaculations, acne and body odor etc.

I don't know why I'm so intimidated... It would be better if my supervisor weren't going to be there. I know once it's over with I'll probably look back at my nervousness and laugh.

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Specializes in LTC.

Funny joke. A teacher who usually teaches first grade went to a baseball came with the 4th grade team. The boys kept throwing the baseballs. She yells at them and says " put your balls back in you pants" ( meaning to put them in your pocket), and all the kids start snickering. Then she later realized that she wasn't with 1st graders anymore she was with 4th grade !

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Specializes in LDRP/Nursery/Peds/Gyn, school nursing.

Hope this works-- I attached a little blurb on some good resources I've found.

The Learn to be Healthy site is really cool-- sign up is free and the resources are interactive-- you could do the activities online on a projection screen/ SmartBoard.

We had a 4th grade Mom/Daughter night last week. Be Prepared for those 4th graders' questions: "What if I get my period and I have a male teacher?" "What if I get my period and I'm at the top of a ferris wheel and it is stopped?" (real question-- I can't make that stuff up!!) "What's inside boobs?" Hygiene is a HOT topic-- I got really nice samples of Always pads and Secret deodorant from the Proctor/Gamble site (though a little late for this year.)

Have fun with it!!:loveya:

sex resources.doc

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Specializes in tele, oncology.

My son is in fourth grade and it gives me the heebie-jeebies to hear you talking about sex ed at that age! I realize that it needs to happen earlier now than when I was growing up, but he's still my baby!

They're at the point in science class now where they're starting to explain about sex cells without going into the mechanics...maybe talking to one of the teachers about what they've covered in the science curriculum could help you out.

Funny story about my ten year old....

We were in the car in traffic talking about all kinds of crazy stuff, so my mind was not entirely on the conversation. He asked me if cockroaches had memberes, and I said "Well, maybe, I don't know how they'd fertilize the eggs if they didn't, we'll have to look it up." His horrified response: "Cockroach pee fertilizes eggs?!?!" My flustered response: "Um, stuff other than pee comes out of memberes...within a few years, it'll start happening to you at night, if we haven't talked about it again by then, come to me when it happens and I'll explain more about it."

I'm not particularly squeemish about explaining the anatomy thing...he was eight when his baby brother was born, and when he was having a hard time grasping the fact that girls have multiple openings "down there", I took him to a OB appointment with me and she was gracious enough to spend a few minutes showing him the flipbook with anatomy drawings in it and about how the eggs come out of the ovaries, all the way to the birth process...and we had already covered that cells from the dad meet up with the egg in the woman to create the baby...we're just not to the mechanics of it yet.

Lordy, I'm getting old....it's all right around the corner and I'm nowhere near ready for it yet!

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I'm two weeks away from wrapping up my school nurse gig to return to my true nursing love, obstetrics, but since I'm a school nurse for 2 more weeks...

I work at a high school and haven't had to address this issue with younger students, but one thing I would suggest would be evaluating their knowledge. "What can you tell me about periods?" I think it might help open up the communication gate, and it would give you an opportunity to clear up any misconceptions!

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Dont know if this may help - but when my daughter had this talk in 5th grade, boys/girls were split up. A male teacher volunteered to assist with the boys. Video was shown and the kids had a chance to write down any question they had put it in a box, the nurse then just pulled each question and answered it.

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