Support for Teachers - Teacher Readiness

8.2.18 Support for Teachers - Teacher Readiness

Teachers were asked five questions about various aspects of teaching HIV/sexuality education. They were asked to respond on a nine point scale. (one is high rating, nine is low rating).

How important to you is it that this topic be part of an AIDS/sexuality program?

How thoroughly do you cover this topic in class?

How competent do you feel teaching this topic?

How comfortable do you feel teaching this topic?

How supportive is the school principal of the teaching of this topic?

The teachers’ responses are given in the following table. The teachers’ perceptions of the adequacy of resources are repeated here for easy reference. (T-III-1)

Figure 168

Teacher Readiness

Topics

Import- ance

Thorough-
ness

Competence

Comfort
Level

Principal Support

Adequacy of Resources
Sexuality/

Anatomy/
Physiology

2.0

3.2

2.6

2.0

1.8

3.4
Gender,

Identity

and Role

3.0

4.2

2.9

2.2

2.2

4.1
Sexual Orientation

4.0

5.0

3.7

3.1

2.7

5.1
Love, Attraction, Passion, etc.

1.9

3.1

2.5

2.1

2.1

4.1
Relationships & Communica-
tions

1.4

2.4

2.1

1.6

1.9

3.5
Sex Behaviours, Vaginal, Oral & Anal Sex

3.4

4.9

3.6

3.8

2.8

5.0
Abstinence from sexual intercourse

1.4

2.3

1.9

1.7

3.2

1.8
Safer sexual behaviours

1.4

2.8

2.1

1.4

2.2

3.2
Coping with
peer pressure

1.2

2.2

1.8

1.4

1.7

2.8
Communi-
cating with
parents and
other adults
about sex

 

2.3

 

4.2

 

1.8

 

2.6

 

2.0

 

4.4
Conception/
pregnancy &
birth

1.5

2.7

2.1

1.8

2.0

2.9
HIV/AIDS/
STD

1.1

2.6

2.4

1.9

2.0

3.0
Coercive sex, harassment &
assault

1.4

3.3

2.6

2.0

2.0

4.0
Commercial sex, prostitution pornography

3.8

6.0

4.7

3.2

2.8

5.5
Sex and
Criminal Code

3.4

6.3

5.8

3.9

2.8

5.8
Sex for pleasure and fulfillment

4.2

5.9

4.0

3.6

3.5

5.7

The results indicate that teachers are not covering some topics as thoroughly. They also feel less competent to deal with these topics and find that the materials are less adequate. These topics include sexual orientation, oral and anal sex, commercial sex/pornography, the Criminal Code and pleasure/fulfillment.

Teacher Attitudes or Beliefs about HIV

Teachers were also asked (Section ll ) a number of questions about their beliefs about HIV. The questions were phrased in a way to probe their personal values rather than their public attitudes. The teachers were asked if they agreed with selected statements on a nine point scale, with one being "definitely not" and nine being "definitely". Other questions asked if they would be comfortable in certain situations, with one being "very distressed" and nine being "very comfortable". The only item of concern may be the agreement with the statement that they should know the names of students with HIV. This contradicts most AIDS policies that stipulate that personnel should not necessarily be informed about disclosures.

Teacher Attitudes/Beliefs about HIV/AIDS

1 9

Disagree Agree

Very Distressed Very Comfortable

Statement/Situation Average of Teachers Responses

HIV positive children should be

allowed to attendpublic schools.                                               8.4 (Strong Agreement)

If I had a HIV positive child in my

classroom I would be                                                          7.9 (Very Comfortable)

HIV positive teachers should be permitted to

teach children.                                                                         8.1 (Strong Agreement)

Homosexuals should be allowed to

teach young people.                                                                 7.8 (Strong Agreement)

For protection of others, teachers should

be told which students in their school are HIV positive.         6.5 (Agreement)

For my protection, I need to know the names

of HIV/positive students in my school.                                 6.1 (Agreement)

Teachers should be allowed to refuse emergency

services to students who are HIV positive.                         3.3 (Disagreement)

If I had to provide emergency services to an

HIV/positive student I would be                                         5.7 (Comfortable)

 

With the exception of the agreement with the statement that teachers should be told which students in their school are HIV positive, all of the attitudes or beliefs would be appropriate for sexuality education teachers. As well, the teachers’ desire to know which students are HIV positive may be motivated by their willingness to provide additional support services to accommodate sick children.

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