Teen-Aid Curricula Complies with A-H Definition of Abstinence Education Chapter by Chapter

Maturing in Body and Character

    Character: Doing What’s Right When Nobody’s Looking. Teaching character serves several purposes. Among them; improves social skills, develops strong internal control, builds thinking skills for positive decision making and problem solving skills, and ultimately, produces habits and virtues that lead to a more healthy and fulfilled life. The skills associated with character development and “emotional intelligence” shapes our lives, including sexual attitudes and behaviors. Maturing in Body and Character intends to develop children’s habits governing their internal controls and skills prior to teaching about their upcoming sexual development and associated responsibilities. The development of these habits of doing what is right and good will be especially important for the child as she/he faces issues of maturity (puberty) and sexual health during adolescence.

   Maturing in Body and Character lays the foundation of good character which enables young people to act with the character necessary to achieve each of the A-H (of the Personal Responsibility Act) pieces of the definition of abstinence education as legislated by Congress.

   Maturing in Body and Character will discuss why the student should wait to have sex, as well as how to wait. Successful people live by Principles that guide the decisions for their lives. One of those important decisions in a child’s life is whether and when to have sex. Abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage is the expected standard for all children.

Me, My World, My Future

   Me, My World, My Future is meant to be taught as a directive Family Life Education curriculum. The teaching approach uses values as a foundation, and information as reinforcement. Specific encouragement is given for the healthiest behaviors.

   Me, My World, My Future is comprised of eighteen lessons of varying length and substance. The concepts developed within the lessons build upon and support each other. It is therefore recommended that the lessons be taught in sequence. These lessons contain not only important factual information, but also acquaint the students with enabling skills that will help them accomplish constructive goals.

   The course is structured in a way that balances information that may cause the student concern, (e.g., drugs, tobacco, STDs with positive information (e.g., confidence building, caring, refusal skills). This balance is maintained throughout, and the course generally conveys an uplifting message.

   As with all Teen-Aid curricula, parents are included with a handout called the parent gram, which goes home after each lesson taught. The goals and objectives are listed with some “talking about it questions” for the parent to talk with their student about what was taught in class that day. The idea is to allow the parent to instill in their child; values which they wish to transmit regarding the subject.

 See also Teen-Aid A-H Themes for Me, My World, My Future

Sexuality, Commitment and Family

   Sexuality, Commitment & Family is based upon a tradition of moral and value principles. It strongly supports the family and teaches that the deepest meaning of sexual act derives from the marriage commitment. This program, for the high school student, is an educational program which fully emphasizes the deep meaning of sexuality in the context of the family, self respect, respect for others, and respect and love for one’s future spouse and children.

   As the child begins to progress into adolescence and enters the junior high and high school years, questions naturally arise as the meaning of sex beyond the biological principles. Teen-Aid’s Sexuality, Commitment & Family curriculum is primarily directed toward answering some of these basic questions. These materials may be used with early or late teens and they should be presented in an age appropriate manner, emphasizing the information as well as the attributes required in the near future which will enable the student to establish a permanent family.

   As with all Teen-Aid curricula, parents are included with a handout called the parent/teen communicator which goes home after each lesson taught. The goals and objectives are listed with some “talking about it questions” for the parent to talk with their student about what was taught in class that day. The idea is to allow the parent to instill in their child values which they wish to transmit regarding the subject.

See also Teen-Aid A-H Themes for Sexuality, Commitment & Family