Purpose:

The purpose of this synopsis is to provide the framework around which the culturally sensitive topic of Healthy Living would be built and introduce some specific examples of how the delicate issues may be addressed from a Christian viewpoint while meeting Ontario Curriculum (O.C.) expectations.

Framework and Approach: In keeping with the O.C. introduction, P.A.C.E. supports the statement " Studies show that students perform better in school if their parents are involved in their education ". It is also important to recognize that an Ontario Study found that " a key factor in predicting no sexual intercourse in males and females 14 years and younger was well functioning families with both parents in the home ". (Canadian Journal of Public Health, March\April 1998) Acknowledging the significance of these two statements around the important role that parents play, P.A.C.E. would strive to invite and encourage parental involvement from start to finish for this vital subject.

The approach that will be taken is that of promoting good health practices that lead to healthy physical, emotional, interpersonal and spiritual lives in keeping with O.C. expectations. Good health practice will be both the central core of the health classroom and the expected behaviour of the students. When these principles are applied in the classroom and supported in the home by the parents, it is anticipated that maximum results can be achieved.

Specific Examples:

Grade 5

1. O.C. Expectation -Identify strategies to deal positively with stress and pressures that result from relationships with family and friends.

   Approach

   1. Relationships with Family: Students will be taught the importance of the Christian family structure and the Biblical expectation that children honor their mother and father. They will be encouraged to discuss stress and pressure they may feel at times with their parents and siblings in a respectful manner as opposed to demanding their own way in a disrespectful manner. The students could be provided with Biblical reference which clearly illustrates the benefits of honoring their parents. The children could then be required to identify activities to be done at home which would show such honor and then to perform these activities in the home as a homework assignment.

   2. Relationship with Friends: This component could begin by the children working as a class to identify characteristics of a true friend. They then could discuss and identify stresses that may occur within friendships. The class may then discuss some of these stresses and identify the reasons why these issues are sources of stress. (eg, selfishness, differences in standards, miscommunication etc.) Each student would then be required to choose 2 identified sources of stress and work with parents to identify Biblical means of resolving these stresses. ( ie. Resolving differences without slander or gossip)

2. O.C. Expectation -describe the secondary physical changes at puberty (e.g., growth of body hair, changes in body shape).

   This component is easily the most controversial topic of all and will never be handled to every child's need or parents' desire. This is due to varying maturity levels of the children which will affect how the child takes in the information what he does with it. Other factors may be a history of sexual interference, parents' comfort level with the topic and parents' concept of age appropriate information. Bearing these various factors in mind and the possible negative influence of providing too much too early in an environment that does not lend to discreteness, great care must be taken in involving parents and encouraging their participation. Many parents would prefer to have a good reference material and cover the subject at home to a level they are comfortable with. Others would be pleased to be part of the class and sit with their child while the topic is being covered. This would provide them the opportunity to dialogue with their child at home and answer the questions that they felt were age appropriate to their child.

   One of the most vital components to a child's sexual nature is their inherent modesty barrier. It is this modesty barrier that makes children different than animals who show no modesty in the area of sex. It is this modesty barrier that if not tampered with through sexual interference that helps to prevent children from rutting like barnyard animals.

   Bearing all of this mind, great care would be taken to separate the boys and the girls during these sessions (so as to not break down the modesty barriers) and encourage parental participation. Information provided would be gender specific only and would be provided within the context of God designing our bodies with great care and with ability to perform many functions. One of the most amazing functions being the ability to reproduce. At that point the discussion may revolve around what components are needed to reproduce and how their bodies will soon be going through physical changes so that one day when they are married they will be blessed with children thanks to the miracle of new life that God has given us.

1. O.C. Expectation -explain the importance of abstinence as a positive choice for adolescents.

   Approach

   This is the key message and must be the central focus of any curriculum which aims to postpone sexual activity in adolescents. Postponing sexual activity is the statement of purpose for the Hamilton-Wentworth Sexual Health Network and so there is agreement that this must be the goal. P.A.C.E. would strive to further this goal by not merely presenting abstinence as `a positive choice' but rather as `the positive choice'. Sexual abstinence will be defined as `refraining from any activity which involves the sexual organs'. More simply put, refraining from activity which involves a part of the body which is normally covered by a bathing suit.

   In keeping with Section 264 of the Education Act, discussions and assignments could also revolve around the virtue of purity. Pure in mind, body and spirit. There could be discussion around the difficulty of not practicing purity while attempting to remain abstinent and the need to avoid materials and situations which are sexually enticing.

2. O.C. Expectation -apply living skills, and analyze the consequences of engaging in sexual activities.

   The consequences of engaging in sexual activity outside the boundary of marriage of course are tremendous and often bear life long effects not only for those involved in this behaviour, but also for children who are conceived during this activity.

   • STD's: - It would be important for the students to grasp that one-third of more than 50 STD's are viruses and thus once contracted are retained in the body for life. Many of these viruses are cancerous by nature and others are very discomforting. (95% of cervical cancer patients carry the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and apart from abstinence or having one lifelong disease free partner there is no way of preventing transmission. Condoms are ineffective. It is estimated that 55% of sexually active North American women now are carriers of HPV).

     It will be essential for students to understand that should they contract a virus, it would be their responsibility to inform their future marriage partner of their condition prior to marriage. This in most cases would prevent most marriages from happening and so contracting a virus is a serious lifelong hardship to be carried.

     An in-depth study of various STD's and their effects on us physically, spiritually and emotionally including homework assignments with parents would be expected to be part of this segment as well as parents being encouraged to be part of the classroom discussions.

   • Pregnancy Outside of Marriage: - The implications of pregnancy outside of marriage of course will be life altering. The consequences are far too vast to cover in this synopsis, however they will be assessed in great detail through the P.A.C.E. curriculum.

     The implications of sexual activity outside of marriage are far reaching and for this reason the focus of the entire program will agree with the mandate set out by U.S. Congress in 1996. (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, Section 912) The Congress set aside funding to be allocated only to abstinence programs that:
     

     • has as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity;
     • teaches that abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage is the expected standard for all school-age children;
     • teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of- wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems;
     • teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in context of marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity;
     • teaches that sexually activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects;
     • teaches that bearing children out of wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child's parents, and society;
     • teaches young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increase vulnerability to sexual advances; and
     • teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity.

Closing

We trust this synopsis is helpful in describing the framework and approach which would be employed when meeting the Ontario Curriculum expectations for the `Growth and Development Section' of the `Healthy Living Strand'.