tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post4903698142075434642..comments2024-01-09T02:22:34.756-08:00Comments on Hey, Sex Ed!: Teaching about abortionSex Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07018241248967518685noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-40044590028319680162010-05-05T21:43:43.186-07:002010-05-05T21:43:43.186-07:00One of the most important things I can add to this...One of the most important things I can add to this conversation is to realize that, if you teach college students, most likely there are students in your classrooms who have had abortions (or have had partners have them). Being mindful of this can help you to be much more sensitive to how you present information. <br /><br />Thanks for this thoughtful post and great comments!Ryan McKeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-78088566313791787432010-04-27T19:19:32.778-07:002010-04-27T19:19:32.778-07:00No matter how much knowledge you have about the to...No matter how much knowledge you have about the topic or how prepared you are, this topic is always a difficult one to teach about. It is always to difficult to put your own views aside. <br /><br />Teaching at a religiously affiliated university I sometimes assume what the views of the students will be and they always surprise me. Since this is a difficult topic to talk about and some students feel as if it is really personal I integrate clickers into the classroom. They are a great teaching tool http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/ClickersintheClassroomAnActive/157458Daniellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12122096096715223379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-66034833185395462142010-04-27T17:04:46.923-07:002010-04-27T17:04:46.923-07:00Sandra,
Thanks so much for your book suggestion. Y...Sandra,<br />Thanks so much for your book suggestion. You are absolutely right that many people, even sexuality educators, need help or some sort of framework to help them define their own values on this issue. I will admit that my values on this issue have changed several times during my life on this issue and have even changed my values and beliefs since working since working at Planned Parenthood.<br /><br />Chris,<br />I can understand you frustration to a degree about teaching the medical facts of abortion while omitting the religious aspect of it. My suggestion to you is to give your students some outlet for them to express their views on abortion before you even began teaching your lesson. Since you're not supposed to include religion in classroom discussion I would suggest letting the students write down their beliefs and opinions on a piece of paper and handing it in to you (throw them away or shred them after class). This way they can get out their feelings without actually having to talk aloud about it. I would also let them know that just because you're going over the medical facts that it does not disregard anything that they just wrote down.<br /> <br />Last thing- You mentioned that they shut down because they can't talk about the religion part of it. I highly doubt that they shut down completely. This is a controversial topic - kinda like masturbation. No one talks about it but really everyone wants to talk about it. Even if they aren't participating, they are likely listening.erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07922957769413044616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-30233675505781335832010-04-26T20:27:06.335-07:002010-04-26T20:27:06.335-07:00These are three great pieces of advice for teachin...These are three great pieces of advice for teaching about abortion: know your own values/beliefs, get the facts, and consider bringing in an expert! <br /><br />I thought I knew the facts until I took Sex and Law last summer. Before moving here, I was a member of the Board of Directors of NARAL Pro-Choice in New Hampshire. We spent a great deal of resources educating the public and countering the misinformation by the pro-life groups. The medical misinformation was sometimes hard to stay on top of and countering with the scientific facts did little to dissuade the public that what they heard or thought they knew was indeed inaccurate. <br /><br />As I learned from Dr. Hall, it is all in the framing. <br /><br />In class we read the book “How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Freedom, Politics and The War on Sex” written by Cristina Page. I highly recommend reading this book before teaching your next lesson on abortion. I recommend it not only for its wealth of statistics on a variety of sexuality experiences, but for education on the exact nature of the public debate. <br /><br />It may also help you with that first piece of advice – getting clear on your own values and beliefs. <br /><br />You may find students asking questions about the public debate as they sort out their own values. So when presenting facts and describing the public debate, evidence points to a very different issue. It is not about abortions. It is not even about birth control. It is about sex. <br /><br />“Pro-life groups are not merely anti-abortion and anti-birth control. They are against sex and the sex lives the vast majority of Americans enjoy.” (Page, 2006)<br /><br />You may not actually say this as an educator! Or if you did you would need a great deal of time presenting the evidence that leads up to this declaration. <br /><br />I offer this as incentive to read this book and to identify for your students the complexities of this public debate. I believe many of us are grounded in the idea that healthy sexuality starts with being informed/educated. Pointing out the framing involved in the debate may empower them to become more informed as sexual beings and as citizens. <br /><br />References:<br /><br />Page, C. (2006) How the pro-choice movement saved America: freedom, politics and the war on sex. Basic Books. New York: New York.Sandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04345675231129820613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-20735919226587840202010-04-25T14:58:30.314-07:002010-04-25T14:58:30.314-07:00My experiences with educators explaining abortions...My experiences with educators explaining abortions have been nothing but positive. Each time the subject has been addressed, it has been a medically-sound discussion of an option given to women as an alternative to adoption, or carrying a pregnancy to term. It has always been explained as a procedure that individuals have to make a conscious decision about and is not for everyone. For me, the discussion of abortion has always begun with a introduction noting that this is a controversial topic with many reasons for and against the idea. I think that addressing these thoughts at the beginning brings students together knowing that it is appropriate to have different, or mixed feelings on the subject of abortion based on each person's cultural views and beliefs.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04530577310852873954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-64049325675306706202010-04-25T07:07:13.080-07:002010-04-25T07:07:13.080-07:00I agree with Sarah in that this program really hel...I agree with Sarah in that this program really helped me clarify my own thoughts, ideas, and values on a whole host of subjects, including abortion. <br />It is extremely challenging to teach abortion in a high school setting, even more so when you're doing it in a round-about way. I teach in a rather conservative and religious community and it is really difficult to teach it without attempting to dodge a large scale conversation on religion and values stemming from it. We aren't supposed to talk religion in school, but it's challenging because they bring it up constantly when it's tied to this. <br />No matter how many times we discuss this not being a religious conversation, I feel it's really hard for it not to be. Especially with this population, where many of them are devout to their religion and have made their life choices on it. <br />Any suggestions on how to keep it as medical as possible without brushing off their opinions, ultimately causing them to shut down?Chris N.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12802777629213184538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-10769973522740684332010-04-24T19:49:41.713-07:002010-04-24T19:49:41.713-07:00Yes, to piggyback on what Allison said in response...Yes, to piggyback on what Allison said in response to this lovely post...<br /><br />I do think that being a fully prepared and competent sexuality educator means being aware not only of your own values, but your feelings towards the values of others. I think one of the greatest tools I've obtained from this education is the ability to appreciate how other's values can be maintained with respect to controversial topics, not disregarded or buried in order to appear "progessive" or "liberal." I think there is amazing potential for the sexuality educator that can be respectful to both their own values and others. It's certainly no easy task, but it's a very powerful endeavor.Sarah P.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3201209298014133940.post-59474899087952895992010-04-24T16:26:45.149-07:002010-04-24T16:26:45.149-07:00Thank you for this blog. I really appreciated poin...Thank you for this blog. I really appreciated pointing out that sometimes, even we as sexuality educators, might need some help with this topic and to seek out our collegues who may be able to help us. Abortion is so emotionally charged for so many people, and we need to be aware, not only of our own values, but a basic understanding of our audience as well. You never know what you may face with your audience when it comes to this topic. It's such a touchy subject, but it really is an important one to discuss and educate on. There is so much misinformation, it's important for us, as sexuality educators, to be up to date on the current factual information and to share this with our audiences.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04453762464019260121noreply@blogger.com