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Fort Lewis College

Publication Date

Spring 2008

Program Name

The Netherlands: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender

Abstract

Sex education in the Netherlands has been regarded by many as exemplary. Around the world the phrase “Double Dutch” is known as the term of using both the condom and the pill. The actual effectiveness of sexuality education in the Netherlands has rarely been studied. The teachers themselves must decide what they believe will be the most effective methods of sexuality education. This begs one to question why a teacher chooses the methods they have chosen and what makes them believe that these methods are effective. Because there is no research on how sexuality education is directly influencing students, teachers must rely upon their own assumptions of how their classes affect their students. To study these questions, five teachers in Amsterdam were interviewed about the sexual education that they teach. The teachers were asked about what methods they used to teach sexuality education, where they found the methods, why they thought these were effective, and what influence they felt sexuality education had on students. Many of the teachers questioned were using methods to teach sexuality that had already been developed, such as Promotie, Lang Leve de Liefde, and the chapter in Biologie Voor Jou. They believed that these methods had already shown to be effective. To measure the effectiveness of their curriculum they relied on students reactions. All commented that students ask many questions and enjoy sexuality education. The teachers believed that by answering all the students’ questions the students would have no more questions. Students tend to learn more if they enjoy a subject, because the students enjoyed sexuality education the teachers believed the students would retain the information they learned.

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Education | Public Health

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