Jane O’Byrne
Project Worker for Sex and Relationships Education in Primary Schools,
Amber Valley PCT
Tel: 01773 525096
Email: jane.o'byrne@ambervalley-pct.nhs.uk
Summary:
The aim of the project was to work in schools with 9-11 year old children using drama to explore issues surrounding body image and relationships, and to help them towards a healthier self-image. Through 2 drama workshops and a series of follow up lessons children explored how they felt about their bodies, developed techniques to challenge stereotypical ideas about body shape and developed confidence to celebrate their positive personal qualities. Barnardo's worked with the parents/carers to help them develop their child’s self-esteem. Teachers have reported a positive change in how the children value both themselves and others.
Abstract:
The project was aimed at schools serving areas of high teenage pregnancy. The Social Exclusion Unit’s report on teenage pregnancy recognises the role of the media in influencing young peoples sexual and social behaviour. The project aimed to explore some of the messages about body image that young children are exposed to, help them to critically analyse them and develop more positive attitudes and values. Developing children’s emotional well being in this way impacts on their behaviour and supports them in making healthy choices about their bodies, in their relationships and future sexual behaviour. This is reflected in the National Service Framework for Children and Young People, particularly with reference to the importance of assessing the needs of children and young people and intervening early.
Schools have incorporated many of the issues and techniques into the ongoing curriculum, and developed policies on sex and relationship education that are more accurately related to the children’s needs. Parents/ carers have been supported developing their children’s self esteem. The local National Healthy Schools Team continue to support schools in addressing the emotional well being of pupils and are committed to running the project annually.
Baseline evidence of children’s views was gathered through a questionnaire using the following questions- - ‘What makes a cool person?’ and ‘How do you feel about yourself?’ These attitudes informed the pace and content of the drama sessions. As drama and active learning start from’ where the children are at’ this varied from school to school and resulted in a variety of issues being addressed. Parents/carers all received a questionnaire asking about their child’s concerns and what they would like included in the sessions. As a result the sessions are being extended to include a broader range of health topics.
The teachers worked with school nurses on the training day developing their understanding of partnership working with the school health team .By taking part in the drama exercises themselves, teachers developed and practised new skills for teaching personal social and health education, The local Barnardo's team made contact with families who may not have accessed their services, and have taken on some cases as a result of the project.The children completed a questionnaire at the end of the project, to see if their views had changed. The questions were deliberately ‘open’ questions so as not to limit or guide the children’s responses. Pupils generally demonstrated an increase in self-acceptance and willingness to recognize their own personal positive qualities. We plan to evaluate the impact of the project 6 months on with the next cohort of children. We understand that work on this topic with this age group has not been recorded before.
Children reported that they learnt: 'Just be yourself.’ ’To like who you are.’ ‘It doesn't matter what you are like on the outside its the inside that matters.’ ’That if you don't like anything about yourself you don't have to be disappointed because some other people are the same as you.’ ’It made me think about the way everyone is unique.’ ’Made me feel more confident in myself and happy because I got all sorts of things off my chest. 'Teachers reported: ’The children gained an increased awareness of their own talents.’ ‘They are now a more cohesive group.’ ‘They learnt more about how to value and respect each other and recognise and celebrate differences.’ Parents felt the information and the discussion with others was useful: ‘It made me realise how we as parents may be affecting our how our children see themselves, and that we have to be more positive in our comments.'
Ground rules were established at the start of each session to ensure a safe environment for all children to participate, including those who felt ‘different’, and were reinforced when necessary. The central message of the work was that being different is ok! The very nature of drama meant that all pupils could access the learning at their level of need. The children brought their range of cultural experiences to the work. The issues relevant to each particular group of children were explored rather than a ‘one way fits all’ approach, for example, one school looked at issues of bullying, whereas another worked on gender issues where the teacher felt it would benefit relationships in the class. School nurses were aware of vulnerable children and were available to support them where necessary. Follow up lessons were adapted to the needs of each class and included variety of active learning styles.
Teachers came in to the project with differing levels of expertise in teaching personal, social and health education and the training was able to cater for this, supporting their professional development.
All schools have been informed through the local National Health Schools publication and invited to take part. The primary care trusts (PCT) magazines, local media and public health network meetings have also featured it. An article is to be published in Education and Health Journal in December 2005 and the project will be presented at a national conference to celebrate good practice in Sex and Relationship Education .
Lesson ideas were very imaginative. Children started a ‘new trend’ in the playground (socks tucked in trousers or sweatshirts worn back to front) and explored the reaction of others, finding that most children had copied by the end of playtime! Quality of the drama work was dynamic! When a child has learned to accept and embrace a part of themselves that they were previously struggling with, something good is happening! These moments of self-acceptance can be very significant in a child’ s life. In this way the work got right into the heart of the matter for the children. The project has won an Erewash PCT Service Improvement Award 2005 and the Pamela Sheridan Award for Sex and Relationship Education, presented annually by the Family Planning Association.
