Good pre-service and in-service is essential for teachers if curricula on sexual and reproductive health, including HIV/AIDS, is to be effective. Such training presents many challenges but is essential to help young people learn more about their sexuality and how to avoid unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
In most schools, sexual and reproductive health education consists of didactic lectures about basic anatomy and physiology. This is hardly surprising, because most training programs fail to prepare future teachers of sexual and reproductive health to teach the subject effectively. As a result, many teachers complete their training with critical gaps in their knowledge of reproductive health. Some have judgmental attitudes or religious, legal or moral objections to teaching young people about sex, contraception, or condom use. Others feel uncomfortable talking about such subjects or using the interactive teaching methods that appear to be most effective in promoting healthy sexual behavior. When they move to the classroom, these teachers are often expected to use teaching materials that omit key information and encourage the "chalk and talk" approach.
The Red Ribbon (Ombetja Yehinga, Government of Namibia) Developed by Namibian governmental organizations with the support of UNICEF, DFID, GTZ, and others, this online teacher training material is designed to help teachers integrate HIV/AIDS education into their classrooms. It addresses discrimination in the community, tips on how to assess and handle embarrassment when talking about sex, and much more. Each of the five modules has different resources, including scientific information, sample lessons, teaching aids and techniques, tests, and more.
School AIDS Resource Pack (Volunteer Services Overseas) Designed as a resource for teachers going through training to become AIDS awareness educators, it includes basic information on AIDS and eight simple classroom activities.
Sexually Transmitted Infections: Briefing Kit for Teachers (WHO, 2001, PDF, 215 KB) This 39-page document has four chapters: understanding STIs, STI education, understanding young people's behavior, and teaching STI prevention. The goal is to inform teachers about STIs, young people's behavior, and basic principles and teaching techniques.
Teaching About AIDS Made Easy: A Manual for Teachers of Grades 5, 6 and 7 (Namibian Ministry of Basic Education and Culture) This 35-page guide for teachers includes general information about AIDS, outlines skills for development by learners, goes over teaching methodologies, gives three sample lessons, and lists the qualities of a good HIV teacher.
HIV/AIDS Clearinghouse: Teachers and Educators (UNESCO) This Web page links to more than 30 documents on the impact of AIDS on teachers as human resources in the epidemic from around the world. It includes thought pieces giving personal perspectives, action plans, consultative findings, guidelines, and more.
