Teaching Our Teachers to Teach

Teaching Our Teachers to Teach

Methodology; Results; Key Concepts; Discussion and Conclusion; Recommendations; References

A SIECUS Study on Training and Preparation for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sexuality Education

(Published in the SIECUS Report, Volume 28, Number 2 - December 1995/January 1996)

The teaching of comprehensive sexuality education from kindergarten through 12th grade begins with the proper training of the teachers. Too often, they do not have the skills, knowledge, or inclination to teach such courses. Few have received training in sexuality education, and even fewer have received certification as sexuality educators.

Colleges and universities need to provide training in HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality education for pre-service teachers, and must ensure that this training is comprehensive. To assess such efforts, SIECUS developed this study of undergraduate teacher preparation programs and their ability to provide sexuality education based on the six key concepts outlines in its Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Kindergarten - 12th Grade. These concepts are human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture.¹

Specifically, this report reviews the amount and type of sexuality education at a sample of 169 institutions offering undergraduate preparation of teachers. It is based on a review of course catalogs to allow for a systematic comparison of a sample of programs using the same criteria. (This method of studying catalogs rather than professionals was previously used by Bensley and Pope in 1994.²)

The study addresses three questions:

Do teacher certificate programs offer courses designed to prepare pre-service teachers to teach health education, sexuality education, and HIV/AIDS prevention education?
Are courses required or elective?
Are sexuality education programs comprehensive?

Just a few short years ago, there was little consensus about which topics and messages constitute comprehensive sexuality education. In 1990, SIECUS convened the National Guidelines Task Force to develop the Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Kindergarten - 12th Grade to provide an organizational framework. These Guidelines reflect a comprehensive approach to sexuality education, and are used to create new programs and improve existing ones at both the state and local levels. They are also used by teachers in providing a theoretical basis for classes and by others working in the areas of teacher preparation and in-service education.

SIECUS believes comprehensive sexuality education is an important component of every grade in all schools and that specially trained teachers can complement the education provided by families as well as by religious and community groups. SIECUS recommends careful development of school-based education programs to respect the diversity of values and beliefs represented in the community.

SIECUS also believes that curricula and resources should be appropriate to the age and developmental level of students. Teachers responsible for sexuality education must receive specialized training in human sexuality, including the philosophy and methodology of teaching sexuality education. Because sexuality issues touch on so many developmental issues related to children and youth, SIECUS has, since 1985, urged that all prekindergarten through 12th grade pre-service teachers receive at least one course in human sexuality.

Key Findings of New SIECUS Study

Teaching Our Teachers to Teach: A SIECUS Study on Training and Preparation for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sexuality Education reveals that the nation's elementary and secondary school teachers are not adequately prepared at the pre-service level to provide HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality education to students.

Key findings of this sample survey of 169 colleges and universities which provide undergraduate training of teachers include:

94 percent of schools offer at least one sexuality education course, and 87 percent offer at least one health education course.
Only 14 percent of the colleges and universities require a health education course for all pre-service teachers.
No schools require a sexuality education course for all pre-service teachers.
Almost no elementary (2 percent), secondary (1 percent), or physical education (6 percent) certification programs require any courses on sexuality.
Only 61 percent of the institutions require students in health education certification programs to take sexuality courses.
No schools require students in health education certification programs to take a course covering HIV/AIDS.
Only 9 percent of health education certification programs required a sexuality education methodology course.
Only 3 percent of physical education certification programs - and no elementary or secondary education certification programs - require sexuality education methodology courses.
Only 12 percent of schools offered any courses that mentioned HIV/AIDS in the course descriptions.
Not one school required a course that mentioned HIV/AIDS in their course descriptions for all pre-service teachers.

Background

Concern about teacher training for sexuality education dates back to the beginning of the century. As early as 1912, the national Education Association called for programs to prepare teachers for sexuality education. In 1955, the National Association of Secondary School Principals reported that there seemed to be a trend toward increased number of courses for the preparation of sexuality educators. In 1968, the permanent Joint Committee of the National School Boards Association and the American Association of School Administrators said that the implementation of sexuality education programs in the schools "places a responsibility on local school boards and state departments of education and teacher training institutions to provide qualified teachers."³ Organizations such as SIECUS have long called for improved teacher training in sexuality education.

The vast majority of those who teach sexuality education are not sexuality educators. In fact, physical education teachers account for the largest number of those providing sexuality education in middle and high schools -- followed by health educators, biology teachers, home economics teacher, and school nurses.⁴ Classroom teachers are most likely those who provide health-related instruction in elementary school.⁵

Although over three-quarters of those teaching sexuality education classes report some undergraduate training in this area, there had been no study of the content of their training. ⁶ A survey of 156 inner-city elementary teachers showed that only 19 percent report any pre-service training in health education. Only one had received training within five years.⁷

In most studies, teachers report they do not feel adequately trained to teach HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality education. They report concern about their ability to teach personal skills, ⁸ about their knowledge of HIV/AIDS (particularly as it related to having a child with AIDS in the classroom),⁹ or their knowledge of STDs. ¹⁰ They also feel they need help in teaching such subjects as sexual orientation and risk behaviors that include drug use and safer sex practices.¹¹ Most of those teaching HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality education have received their training in short workshops or seminars.¹²

Few states have either training or certification requirements for teachers who offer sexuality or HIV/AIDS prevention lessons. Although the vast majority require or recommend teaching about sexuality or HIV/AIDS, only 12 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico require any certification for teaches of HIV/AIDS prevention education. Only six states and the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico require training for teachers of HIV/AIDS prevention education.¹³

If HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality education programs are to prove effective, teachers must receive professional training in how to teach these subjects. The best way to train teachers initially in this area is through pre-service training. Given the large numbers of teachers with undergraduate training who teach sexuality and health education, undergraduate teacher training programs need to be evaluated for their existing curricula on comprehensive sexuality education. This pre-service professional training will become the foundation upon which to base effective HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality curricula in schools.

Monica Rodriguez, SIECUS School Health Coordinator
Rebecca Young, M.A., Division of Sociomedical Sciences,
Columbia University, New York City
Stacie Renfro, SIECUS Program Assistant, School Health Project
Marysol Asencio, Dr. Ph.D., Assistant Professor,
Division of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University, New York City
Debra W. Haffner, M.P.H., SIECUS President