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It's Elementary: Teach Gender Equity and Respect

NCJ Number
163291
Journal
School Safety Dated: (Winter 1996) Pages: 23-25
Author(s)
K Petersen; S Petersen
Date Published
1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Prevention education, including sexual harassment prevention, should include prosocial skills as an integral part of regular classroom curricular offerings.
Abstract
Teaching prosocial skills for successful living requires a shift from restricting the mission of schools solely to academic learning. Prosocial skills enhance children's well-being by supporting positive self-identity and self-esteem, healthy sexuality, and gender respect; fostering a sense of equality and value for human dignity; developing personal safety awareness; expanding critical thinking, listening, and observation skills; and encouraging appropriate expressions of one's feelings as well as empathy for the feelings of others. Teaching sexual harassment prevention to young children requires care and sensitivity. Lessons should include not only the definition and understanding of sexual harassment, but also the foundation premise that learning about respect, equality, and dignity will give children the necessary skills to deal with sexual harassment. Effective sexual harassment prevention instruction begins when children first experience the teaching or prosocial skills, such as assertiveness, anger management, making healthy decisions/choices, listening, the importance of inclusion, peer support, and dealing with bullying behavior. Children can understand the information if the curriculum is based on the approach of treating others the way they themselves want to be treated. The use of follow-up activities by teachers is crucial to the success of the program. Providing consistency and reinforcement through repetition is important to children's learning processes. Children who follow adult advice to report a problem must have support or the problem will get worse.