Sexual Exposure
published:
Saturday | August 2, 2008
Dear Counsellor:
I have concerns about the level of exposure to sexual activity among our students, especially the adolescents. Some adolescents are only interested in sex and do very little in school.
- Marie
Dear Marie:
Sex seems to be a basic issue among people. People need to be guides for young people, they need to display self-control and show some awareness of what is happening today. These days everything is sexualised and children are behaving like adults. It therefore means that young and old need to set good examples for the youth to follow. If adults do not become conscious of what they are doing, the younger generation will be lost. Sexual themes are very explicit in society and the youth are simply doing what they see adults doing.
We urgently need to impose restrictions on certain behaviours and activities. Parenting should be taught and the youth need to be taught self-control and to delay gratification. Some things can wait until they are older. Until the adult population realises their role in the early-sexualised behaviour of children, we will not see an improvement.
Children should be taught that sex is not love and that they should think of their bodies as sacred entities that need to be respected. Inappropriate touching and comments should be censored and reported.
Classroom Problems
Dear Counsellor:
I teach at a primary school and find it challenging. Many of the students are hyperactive, confrontational and defiant. They fight often and do little work. I have reported the matter to the principal.
I have been doing research on the Internet about strategies to improve the situation in the classroom. Any suggestions?
- Teacher
Dear Teacher:
It is really courageous to try and teach in these times. Many students have varied social and emotional issues that cause them to be hyperactive and disobedient. Some children have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, mental retardation, and learning disabilities. Others live in violent communities and are unable to sleep at night and are living in fear of death. These traumatised children suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) and depression. Social activities impinge on learning and behaviour.
I think that the children in your class should be referred for psycho-educational assessment. Some children have difficulty with reading, mathematics and language. Some children have been abused physically, emotionally and sexually. As you realise now that classroom management with these varied students is very challenging, you need to work closely with the special educator, school nurse, principal and guidance counsellor. These students can be helped. Brief psycho-educational assessment can be done in your classroom. You can identify those with behavioural and learning problems. A detailed assessment can be done by the service provider.
Children need to be nurtured, cared for, appreciated and affirmed by the people in their lives, especially their teachers. Motivating the student is a skill that can quickly be learned. You will need to try to motivate your students to get them to pay attention, be curious about learning and excel in the area of academics.
These students should join clubs at school and be involved in a sport. Christian values need to be taught in school so that their spirituality can be nurtured. It was a sad day when Christian principles were withdrawn from schools. Children need values and belief in a higher power than themselves to be able to cope in this society.
Classroom management of students can be done successfully but you, as the teacher, need the support of the society at large.
