Life Skills

One of my new things is teaching Life Skills. The class is encouraged by the government, though most schools (as far as I can tell) don't put many resources into it since there are no exams. I am only teaching it to my second and third years for right now. We've talked a little bit about HIV and violence (both topics are woefully under-covered in the syllabus and there is lots of misinformation out there) and today was a big hit: how and why to use a condom.

I presented them with a spice container that was to be the model penis. I went through all the info and demonstration (I thought about having one of the students help, but I wasn't sure if that would lead to bigger issues) and I think the students set new records for attentiveness. Then the question and answer session started. They started with a few clarifying questions on condom use (e.g. what should I do if I cannot find a condom?). Then, the questions started going towards sexual practices (e.g. what is the best sexual position? Is it true that having sex can cure back pains?). Finally, questions turned to biology and anatomy and betrayed how much the education system had failed to teach them about their changing bodies (most girls even as old as 19 didn't understand their periods at all and I couldn't figure out for the life of me what they meant when students were asking about secondary virginity).

It was nice that this was all on Friday afternoon, since most of the other teachers skipped out early. The students are much more free and open when I am the only teacher around, so it made for a much more productive lesson. I am very proud of this bond that we have developed, I just hope that most of the messages will sink in.