Welcome!
Welcome to the website
that's all about
teaching sexual health!
The purpose of this website is to enhance excellence in teaching, by providing effective sexual health education background and delivery methods, current lesson
plans and activities, and comprehensive resources.
Our philosophy reflects the approach to
sexual health education embodied in Health
Canada’s (2008) Canadian Guidelines for
Sexual Health Education. The Guidelines
are based on the principle that sexual
health education should be accessible to all
people and that it should be provided in an
age appropriate, culturally sensitive manner
that is respectful of an individual’s right
to make informed choices about sexual and
reproductive health.1
The foundation
of teachingsexualhealth.ca is based
on a theoretical framework which integrates
three well-known models: Comprehensive
School Health, Resilience Theory, and Social
Learning Theory.
Teachingsexualhealth.ca is an authorized teaching resource by Alberta Education.
Alexander
McKay, Sexual Health Education in the Schools:
Questions and Answers.
The Sex Information and Education Council of
Canada , Toronto, Ontario./The Canadian
Journal of Human Sexuality, Vol. 13 (3-4)
Fall/Winter 2004.
site areas
This site has a
wealth of information on:
How to teach: Information, tools and strategies to help
teachers prepare for sexual health education.
Lesson plans: Ready-to-use lesson plans and reproducible
materials based on the Alberta Education Program
of Studies.
Teacher's lounge: Updates. lesson swaps, and responding to student
questions.
Resources: Fact sheets, statistics, resources and related
websites.
On-line
Teacher Consultation: Have a question
about curriculum? Does your student have a
question?
Parent
and Student Sites: Supplemental sites
for both the parent and the student.
Lesson plans correspond with the curriculum outcomes for Alberta
Education’s Program of Studies. Throughout, there are notations that help
teachers address the various spiritual, cultural and gender issues of
students. In addition, the website offers lesson plans for students of
differing abilities (special needs).
As a user of this website, you have
permission to use (display or print) the information for your own
professional, non-commercial use, provided the information is not
modified. If you reproduce any material for classroom use, please ensure
that the author is noted on the handout.
To access the handouts and other learning
materials mentioned in the lesson plan, you can do so by clicking on the relevant title in the material list at the beginning of each lesson plan. This will link you to each handout separately.
Our Mission
Our mission is to help teachers and
educators achieve excellence in teaching sexual health.
About the Website
teachingsexualhealth.ca is an innovative website developed by Alberta
educators and health professionals. The website offers up-to-date,
evidence-based information and strategies for teachers and educators in
four main areas: How To Teach, Lesson Plans, Teacher's Lounge and Resources. It is based on a theoretical framework that incorporates the Resilience,
Social Learning and Comprehensive School Health models.
Lesson plans correspond with the curriculum outcomes for Alberta
Education’s Program of Studies. Throughout, there are notations that help
teachers address the various spiritual, cultural and gender issues of
students. In addition, the website offers lesson plans for students of
differing abilities (special needs).
Teachers have access to online educators in sexual health who will
assist them with curriculum and student classroom questions.
The “How To Teach” section provides information, tools and strategies to
help teachers prepare for sexual health education. The website includes
provincial community agency resources, audiovisual material
recommendations, illustrations, statistics, powerpoints, updates and links to other
relevant websites.
While the website is devoted largely to teachers and educators, parents
and students are provided with resources, information and links that
supplement their understanding and knowledge of healthy sexuality.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy reflects the approach to sexual health education embodied
in Health Canada’s (2008) Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health
Education. The Guidelines are based on the principle that sexual
health education should be accessible to all people and that it should be
provided in an age appropriate, culturally sensitive manner that is
respectful of an individual’s right to make informed choices about sexual
and reproductive health.
We believe that sexual health education honours the self-worth and dignity
of the individual and does not discriminate against race, gender, sexual
orientation, religion, ethno-cultural background or disability. Education
in sexual health needs to be structured so that attitudinal and
behavioural changes arise out of informed choice. Effective sexual health
education encompasses a lifespan approach, providing information,
motivational support and skill-building opportunities that are relevant to
people at different ages and stages in their lives. It instils awareness
of the impact of one's own behaviour on others, stressing that sexual
health is an interactive process that requires respect for the self and
others.
Our History
In 1998, the Sexual and Reproductive Health branch of Calgary Health Region
(now part of Alberta Health Services) conducted a survey with teachers from the Calgary Board of Education. The
survey showed clearly that teachers were eager to access resources that
would help them increase their knowledge and confidence in teaching sexual
health. They asked for:
- Background information, tools and strategies for teaching human
sexuality
- Ready to use lesson plans and reproducible materials
- Resources such as illustrations, audiovisual aids, and facts/statistics,
- information and community resources to help them respond to the needs
and concerns of the students
- The capacity to share best practices with each other
- The ability to ask for advice from a professional in the field of sexual
health education.
In the spring of 2001, seed funding was obtained from Alberta's Health
Innovation Fund to develop an interactive, sexual health education website
for teachers. Serving as an exemplar of community and inter-Ministerial
collaboration, teachingsexualhealth.ca was initially made up of a
partnership involving the assistance of several organizations related to sexual and
reproductive health and education within Alberta. Over the next 2 years, more than 100 dedicated teachers, health
educators, parents and students worked together to develop this
innovative, evidence-based website.
In January 2005, a new provincial steering committee was formed to develop
and market the website to a provincial level.
In April 2010, the
website was realigned with Alberta Health Services provincial Health
Promotion, Disease, and Injury Prevention (HPDIP) department. The
website is maintained by the provincial Sexual & Reproductive Health
team.
Membership and
Acknowledgements
Funding for the project
is provided
by Alberta Health & Wellness and Alberta Health Services.
Provincial Coordinating Committee
Members/Partners
Individuals and agencies on the Coordinating
Committee have given dedication, professional direction and support to the
project. They are our backbone:
-
Alberta Health Services- Provincial Sexual & Reproductive Health, Health Promotion, Disease, and Injury Prevention, Population & Public Health
-
Alberta Health Services- Calgary Zone–
Sexual and Reproductive Health
-
Alberta Health & Wellness
-
Alberta Education
-
Alberta Society for the Promotion of Sexual Health (ASPSH)
-
Calgary Board of Education (CBE)
-
Edmonton Public Schools
-
Edmonton Zone
-
Central Zone
-
Foothills School Division (FSD)
-
South Zone
-
North Zone
Acknowledgements
The original Steering Committee (2001 – 2004) consisted of:
- Calgary Health Region (CHR)– Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Calgary Board of Education (CBE)
- Headwaters Health Authority (HHA)
- Foothills School Division (FSD)
- Calgary Birth Control Association (CBCA)
- Parent Representative
- Ad Hoc members: Alberta Education and a Website Evaluator
We would like to thank the following people and agencies that helped to create this website. Their presence allowed for a truly collaborative approach, and one that has significantly enriched the website.
-
Public health nurses, sexual health educators and support staff from around Alberta provided an amazing amount of valuable content, insight, writing and editing skills.
-
11 teachers from Calgary Board of Education and Foothills School Divisions participated in 2 focus groups in the fall of 2001 to help us define the website's structure and resource needs. It was from them that our vision was solidified and made useful for teachers.
-
Working groups made up of 12 teachers and health educators met during the fall, winter, spring and summer of 2001/02 to share lesson plan ideas and to develop resources.
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Over 50 teachers, sexual health educators and public health nurses from Calgary Board of Education, Foothills School Division, Calgary Health Region, and Headwaters Health Authority piloted the teacher portion of the website in the spring of 2002. Their critique of the website helped us to fine-tune our product.
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23 parents and students piloted their portions of the website in the fall of 2002, giving us great feedback about the site.
-
Andy Anderson from the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto visited Calgary in the fall of 2001, and consulted with us about the framework and goals for the project.
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AIDS Calgary, the Canadian Red Cross Society and the Calgary Health Region Communicable Disease Division assisted with content and lesson plans specific to their area of expertise.
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KRYOS Systems and Kanga Communications for their technical and website support.
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And the many project coordinators and provincial committee members that provided their expertise and time over the years!
You can contact us by emailing contact@teachingsexualhealth.ca or by calling 403-943-6724.
Our mailing address:
teachingsexualhealth.ca
Sexual & Reproductive Health
Health Promotion, Disease and Injury
Prevention
10101
Southport Rd. S.W.
Calgary,
Alberta T2W 3N2


The foundation of teachingsexualhealth.ca is based on a theoretical framework which
integrates three well-known models: Comprehensive School Health,
Resilience Theory, and Social Learning Theory.
To view this framework, you have 4
choices for presentation format. Please choose a method of viewing from
the following:
TERMS OF USE
To the best of our ability, teachingsexualhealth.ca has referenced any material that has been used or adapted from other sources.
As a user of this website, you have permission to use (display or print) the information contained in this website (the "Resources") for your own professional, non-commercial use, provided no part of the Resources are not modified. If you reproduce any part of the Resources for classroom use, please ensure that the following caption is included in the reproduction: "This written material is reproduced here with permission of Alberta Health Services" No part of the Resources may be reproduced, modified or redistributed in any form without the prior written permission of Alberta Health Services, other than for classroom use as outlined above.
The Resources contain recommendations and activities to promote excellence in teaching sexual health based on the latest research and theory in the area of sexual health education and consultation with teachers, educators, and administrators. Nevertheless, users of this website are encouraged to review all material before presenting it to students to ensure that the resources and approaches complement your school/agency policies/philosophy, and your students unique learning needs. Although reasonable efforts were made to confirm the accuracy of the information contained in the Resources, Alberta Health Services does not make any representation or warranty, express, implied or statutory, as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness or applicability of such information. In no event will Alberta Health Services be responsible or liable for any error or consequence arising from the use of the information contained in the Resources.
By using teachingsexualhealth.ca (the "Service") you acknowledge that you understand and agree that the information contained in or provided through this Service is intended for general understanding and education only and that this Service is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in the Service is intended to be or is to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
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