Teach the Teacher :: About Teach the Teacher

Introduction

High-school students often encounter sexual health problems. By year 10, 40% of students are sexually active[1]; sexually transmitted infection rates are rising rapidly in the under 25 age group[2]; Australian teenage pregnancy rates are the 6th highest amongst OECD countries[3]. Students believe school is the most important source of knowledge about sexual health issues, and they trust teachers more than any other professional regarding issues of sexuality[4].

The Teach the Teacher programme was created to facilitate better understanding for teachers and doctors of how sexual health issues affect young people. Medical students provide lectures and workshops to teaching students, empowering them to deal with these issues once they become teachers. Medical students also learn vital skills about communicating knowledge to members of the community without a medical background.

Objectives

Primary Objectives:

To ensure that all Victorian teenagers have adequate information and resources about their health and issues which might affect their health
To provide future teachers and doctors with information about the health issues that face young people.

Secondary Objectives

For Medical Students:

To appreciate the social context of certain medical conditions and health behaviours
To work towards a better understanding of young people’s rights to access health-care and to ask what part teachers can play in ensuring these rights are understood by young people in their particular school community.
To appreciate the medical background of certain medical conditions and health behaviours
To better understand what doctors are legally and professionally obligated to do when a young person wants advice/support/treatment around a sexual health matter.
To gain greater insight into the role that doctors play in health promotion and in public health education.
To understand how issues of mandatory reporting and duty of care impact upon what and how teachers teach sexuality education in secondary schools.
To develop sexuality education strategies that cater for a variety of different learners, schools and communities.
To work with teaching professionals to better understand the challenges and complexities of effectively delivering sexuality education in schools.
To foster relationships with members of the teaching community who are committed to educating young people about their sexual health and wellbeing.
To understand young people’s rights to access health-care and the issues surrounding this access
To develop skills for engaging and communicating with members of the community with a non-medical background

For Education Students:

To work towards a better understanding of young people’s rights to access health-care and to ask what part teachers can play in ensuring these rights are understood by young people in their particular school community.
To better understand what doctors are legally and professionally obligated to do when a young person wants advice/support/treatment around a sexual health matter.
To gain greater insight into the role that teachers play in health promotion and in public health education.
To understand how issues of mandatory reporting and duty of care impact upon what and how teachers teach sexuality education in secondary schools.
To develop sexuality education strategies that cater for a variety of different learners, schools and communities.
To work with health professionals to better understand the challenges and complexities of effectively delivering sexuality education in schools.
To foster relationships with members of the health-care community who are committed to educating young people about their sexual health and wellbeing.

[1] Smith A et al. Secondary students and sexual health 2002: Results of the 3rd national survey of Australian secondary students, HIV/AIDS and sexual health. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society; 2003.

[2] Department of Human Services. Victorian Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2006-2009. Melbourne: Rural and Regional Health and Aged Care Services, Victorian Government Department of Human Services; 2006.

[3] Skinner S R, Hickey M. Current priorities for adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia. 2003; 179(3): 158-161.

[4] Hillier L, Turner A, Mitchell A. Writing themselves in again: 6 years on: The 2nd national report on the sexuality, health & well-being of same sex attracted young people in Australia. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society; 2005.