OBJECTIVES
Participants will:
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This lesson is straightforward. For most presentations, you can simply go over the material found in the factsheet. This guide simply provides comments on how you might present the material, suggestions for eliciting participant discussion and descriptions of supplementary material and activities you may want to use. Don't feel like you have to follow or use everything in it. You know your audience better than anyone else, you know how much time you have to make your presentation and you have your own unique ways of presenting material you're most comfortable with.
INTRODUCTION
This should be the introductory session for the SIT program. Therefore, you should make every effort to help participants feel comfortable. If you don't already know the group, try to begin learning participant names. Have an introduction that will help everyone feel at ease. Acknowledge that you will be discussing information they may find embarrassing at times.
Use some of the ideas in the first paragraph of the factsheet to make the point that young people constantly encounter messages about sex and that feeling confused about it is common. Tell participants that the SIT program will present the type of accurate information teens say they want and need about sexuality.
Give some examples of the topics you intend to cover in the program. As you do, make a point of using some of the vocabulary you'll be using. Use words like "penis," "vagina" and "sexual intercourse." As you use them, give definitions. (Avoid using "slang" terms unless one of the participants does. If that occurs, don't embarrass the young person. Simply say, "Yes, that is one of the many slang terms for this. The term(s) we'll be using here is/are . . . .")
End this introductory section by encouraging participants to ask questions about sexuality. Say they can either ask them in the group or place written questions in a special container you are providing for that purpose. Show them the container, point out that the container will be there during each session and encourage them to write questions before they leave. (One way to reduce the potential embarrassment of asking a question is to give all participants a note card for questions and insist that everyone return it to the container before leaving. Those without questions can leave their cards blank. You may want to consider doing this at each and every session.) Promise to read the questions after each session and provide answers at the next meeting. In addition to responding to individual questions, you'll find that you can use your answers to introduce a variety of topics you'll be covering in future sessions and to review material from previous ones.
SEXUALITY: IT'S MORE THAN INTERCOURSE
Begin this section by pointing out that sexuality is far more than the physical act of sex and going over all that is involved. Introduce the idea of "sexual scripts."
One way to get the group thinking about sexual scripts is to come up with what they think the sexual scripts are for the "typical" boy and "typical" girl. Work on the girl's script first. Have the group call out what they think her "who, what, when, where, why and how" of sex are. Record their answers on a flip chart or chalk board. Do the same thing for the boy's script. Have the group compare the two scripts and discuss any differences that exist.
SEXUAL INTEGRITY
Go over the material in this section and emphasize the importance of striving to act with sexual integrity. Be sure everyone realizes the crucial role honesty, sincerity and ethics play.
Acting with sexual integrity requires us to think about and analyze our sexual behavior. While it isn't mentioned in the factsheet, you may want to point out that it is our brain and ability to think that separates us from other animals. It is the use of our brain that distinguishes our approach to sexuality from their's.
If you have time during your presentation, you may want to use the video "Rockabye" at this point. It's approximately 17 minutes long and vividly dramatizes the issue of adolescent pregnancy. While pregnancy is discussed in another SIT lesson, the video introduces a variety of issues that are discussed in a number of SIT lessons and the behavior of the six main characters could be analyzed. In particular, participants could discuss the extent to which they think each one's behavior is characterized by sexual integrity.
RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY
End your discussion of the factsheet by making the point that acting with sexual integrity shows both respect and a willingness to take responsibility for one's own sexuality. That responsibility includes the responsibility of becoming informed. Congratulate the participants for demonstrating that responsibility by participating in the first SIT lesson and mention some of the topics that will be covered in future sessions. Finally, remind participants to leave any written questions they may have in the container.
AUTHOR: Gary L. Hansen, Ph.D., Extension Specialist in Sociology, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky; and William W. Mallory, Fayette County Extension Agent for 4-H/Youth Development, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Kentucky.
