Growth and Development

So in my last post about the teaching of Puberty 101 to the kids Jen commented on her mom being one of the parents who opted for her to NOT be in the class. It's interesting, because I do agree that it is a personal decision of a parent. However I really do believe that the kids need to learn about this stuff. It's a pain to teach because the boy, mainly. The girls are really so much easier to teach about puberty, mainly because they tend to be more mature and less squirrelly about the thing. That is part of it, but it also has to do with girls going through the whole "starting my period" thing. They are really interested in that.

So anyway, class continued on Friday. I taught ALL the girls from the three classes and my principal, Jan, taught ALL the boys. This is way better. I can say this with some authority, as last year (at my old school) we taught these lessons with mixed company and it was torture. It was torture for the girls and the boy. It was torture for me. We all hated it. None of them are comfortable asking questions, it is hard to actually learn. They all feel embarrassed and it really sucks. So, splitting company for the lessons that deal with the specific genders is way better. Friday was "The Female Reproductive System Day" complete with cheesy movie. On a side note- Wake County Public Schools does not allow ANY Disney movies in the classroom. The only one we are allowed to show- Puzzled About Puberty for Boys (and Girls). Truly, I don't get it. ANYWAY...

The girls all did pretty well. They laughed at the older movie. They "Heywood" at the illustration of the female body and the changing it would go through. But after that they were great. The ladies took notes on the parts of the system, followed the path of an egg. I think the biggest thing that kids don't get (when it comes to women) is why a woman actually menstruates. We had to go over this about four times before I could say that everyone understood that it is all about getting rid of a lining that your womb doesn't need because there is no fertilized egg. The second thing you have to get them to understand is that a woman only passes about 2 tablespoons of blood during her period. Yeah, I know it feels like way more, but science proves it really isn't. The questions these kids ask, though, are pretty thoughtful. Girls tend to be very interested in their own bodies. We had just finished talking about an egg being one half of the genetic material needed to make a baby and a sperm was the other half when a kid raised her hand. Now, we NEVER talk about how the egg and sperm get together (Wake County is an abstinence based teaching program, which is a whole other issue around these parts), but the baby thought is there. I call on the girl and she busts out with "What about when a woman has an abortion? I've heard of it and I know it has to do with babies, but what is it exactly?" My standard answer that is deemed appropriate by the county: "That's a question that your parents can answer for you." There is no way I am touching that with a ten foot pole. I wouldn't answer it in any way shape or form, but I do take issue with the fact that there are some other questions that kids will eventually ask (maybe further on in middle or high school) and teachers have to give that answer because the county says so. I don't know....I just can't ignore the research that has proven if we are open and talk to kids about things then they are more likely not to make bug mistakes. But I digress...I am in the South now, aren't I?

Anyway, beyond that one question the only other funny one was: "Is it possible for more than one sperm to be inside you at a time?" Uh.....yeah. I let Mrs. Barksdale take that one. :) Of course the answer was "yes" we just didn't address how they get there in the first place. That is the middle school health class. All in all, the girls did fine. My boys came back (there are only four of them) and seemed a little silly. Monday will be their turn, though.