Teaching CSE requires a range of dispositions and skill sets. Those who teach CSE encounter unique challenges from those who teach other school-based topics. They must navigate their own experiences, values and belief systems while taking into consideration a diverse set of views, beliefs, and lived experiences that will be present in their classrooms. They must teach in ways that encourage health and well-being without shaming or stigmatizing young people, or perpetuating gender stereotypes, homophobia, transphobia or other biases.
Resources like the Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) provide details on the types of knowledge and skills sets a person who is charged with teaching CSE should have.
The PLSSE include four domain areas:
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Context for CSE: Teachers must understand the policies that govern CSE in their area.
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Professional Disposition: Teachers must examine their personal values and beliefs, understand their own biases, and have boundaries around self-disclosure.
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Best Practices: Teachers must remain up to date on best practices for teaching in the field of CSE.
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Key Content Areas: Teachers must have extensive and up-to-date knowledge of core content areas for CSE.
(Source: Sex Education Collaborative (SEC) 2018 – “Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE)”)
The World Health Organization also created a thorough framework for the competencies teachers should have (or be able to develop) in order to effectively provide CSE. Similar to PLSSE, this framework breaks down the interrelated nature of the attitudes, skills, and knowledge needed to provide quality CSE:
(Source: The WHO Regional Office for Europe and BZgA, 2017 – “Training Matters: A Framework for Core Competencies of Sexuality Educators”)
Ideally teachers should receive pre-service training in CSE as part of their preparation to become teachers, as well as in-service professional development throughout their time as educators.