Notes to the Instructor
Many of your students are likely in the midst of or well beyond puberty and have been introduced to this material before. You may use this section as a review or skip ahead. In this brief section, specific issues of sexuality are introduced. Due to the variance in age groups using this curriculum, and because the support materials may contain sexually explicit pictures, be sure to preview them first and gain any necessary approvals or permissions.
Younger students might have greater comfort in same-gender educational groups, but all students need to learn all of the information. The different aspects you emphasize will vary. Some students may bring up same-sex attraction; others, a variety of gender issues and questions. Normalize this. Be inclusive and welcoming and make your classroom a safe place for all students.
Interpretation
- Purple Private Circle/Space
- Puberty is a time of important physical, social, and emotional changes that all people go through to make them ready for adult responsibilities.
- Emotional uncertainty is typical of this time.
- During puberty, people gain a more adult body and more adult responsibility is expected.
- Sexual thoughts and feelings are emerging.
- Changes that take place in your new adult body make personal hygiene care different than it was when you were a child. It is more important!
- Blue Big Hug Circle (Sweetheart)
- You may be very curious about others and start feeling attracted to them.
- You may think about dating and having a sweetheart.
- During puberty, adult sexual feelings begin to occur.
- Puberty is only the beginning of adult sexual development.
- Green Far Away Hug Circle
- Since people go through puberty at about the same age, you will notice physical, emotional, and social changes in your friends.
- You will probably want to engage in different kinds of activities such as dating and spending time with others you feel attracted to.
- Yellow Handshake Circle
- When your body changes and people perceive you as an adult, you maybe expected to shake hands when you are introduced to other adults, even if they are much older than you.
- Orange Wave Circle
- You will be expected to behave toward children as other adults behave.
- Remember when you are with children it is best not to touch them.
- Red Stranger Circle (Community Helpers/Health Workers)
- You may have more opportunities to interact independently with community helpers.
- Red Total Stranger Space (Total Strangers)
- Strangers will expect adult behavior from you because you are becoming an adult.
- You have more responsibility, need to make more important choices, have greater independence, and participate in activities where there are many strangers.
Consider This
Before initiating the activities below and teaching about puberty, be mindful that some individuals’ sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with the sex they were assigned at birth (cisgender) while for others, this is not the case (transgender or gender fluid). Puberty may be the time when students become aware that their biological sex and gender don’t align. Will this be a confusing or affirming concept for your classroom to explore? Presumably, you know your students well as using the CIRCLES curriculum creates a level of intimacy and familiarity among students. It is beyond the scope of this curriculum to explore this topic further however you may want to familiarize yourself with these ideas to promote inclusiveness and safety for your students.
Activities
- There will be many new vocabulary words as you discuss this topic: puberty, male, female, sex, gender, menstruation, nocturnal emissions, vagina, vulva, penis, etc. Whenever possible, present new vocabulary with visual aids. Stanfield’s LifeFacts: Sexuality® will be useful with this section.
- Use photographs or LifeFacts: Sexuality® to show how a (cisgender) girl changes to a woman and a (cisgender) boy changes to a man. Discuss specific changes that occur externally and internally, as appropriate.
- Use a handout of a body outline depicting a girl/woman and boy/man. You might adapt the laminated illustrations from LifeFacts: Sexuality® for this purpose or visit the internet for examples. Have students fill in the missing details.
- Discuss the adult functions of the parts of the body that are involved in pubertal changes.
- Show students the various materials used for menstrual care. Demonstrate how to dispose of used materials properly.
- A discussion of hygiene after “wet dreams” (nocturnal emission) may be introduced here, if appropriate. Similarly, discuss disposal of condoms if appropriate.
- Point out the different ways that men and women use the toilet.