Deborah Roffman is the Subject of In-Depth Profile in The Atlantic

As part of their project “On Teaching,” The Atlantic today published Sarah Carr’s profile of Deborah Roffman, “The Questions Sex-Ed Students Always Ask.”For 45 years, Deborah Roffman has let students’ curiosities guide her lessons on sexuality and relationships.” (Sarah Carr, The Atlantic, January 13, 2020.)

“For 45 years, Deborah Roffman has let students’ curiosities guide her lessons on sexuality and relationships.”    More excerpts …

“Roffman’s title of human-sexuality educator has not changed since she arrived at the Park School in 1975, but the dimensions of her role there have steadily grown. So, too, has her outside work in consulting and teacher training: Over the years, she has advised at nearly 400 schools, most of them private.

“Initially, Roffman taught elective classes in sexuality to the juniors and seniors at Park, but within two years, she had expanded to seventh and eighth graders. In the 1980s, she added fourth and fifth graders to her roster. She also meets annually with the parents of students as young as kindergartners, to coach them on how to talk with their children about sexuality, and she leads summer training for the Park’s elementary-school teachers on incorporating sexuality instruction into their classrooms. “There is this knowledge that we keep in a box about sexuality, waiting until kids are ‘old enough,’” Roffman told me. “My job is to change that.”

…….

“During the next several years, Roffman not only made sure the school remembered to talk to students about sex but steadily built up the curriculum. At Park, students learn about standard fare like birth control and sexually transmitted diseases but also delve into issues such as the history of abortion rights, changing conceptions of gender roles, and how to build respectful, intimate relationships.”

Permanent link to this article: https://sexandsensibility.net/deborah-roffman-is-the-subject-of-in-depth-profile-in-the-atlantic/

Amaze Videos Launched

AMAZE LAUNCHES GROUNDBREAKING VIDEO SERIES TO HELP PARENTS TALK ABOUT SEXUALITY WITH YOUNG CHILDREN

AMAZE, the Sex Ed playlist for 10-14-year-olds featuring over 50 animated videos on the nuances of puberty and growing upis launching the “AMAZE Parent Playlist” for parents of 4-9 year-olds.

The Parent Playlist marks a new target audience for the AMAZE series and is designed specifically to help parents as they broach these complicated topics with even younger children in an informative and age-appropriate manner.

I was the Content Advisor for the AMAZE series.

“The earlier that parents can begin a dialogue with their children, the better – and while it may feel difficult to talk to very young children about sensitive topics, our kids will be healthier in the future,” “For so many parents, the idea of talking to young children about sexuality sparks existential dread. But it doesn’t have to be that way – these videos will help parents ease their fears, leave embarrassment at the door, and find comfortable ways to lay the groundwork for a healthy outlook on everything from relationships, consent, body image, and much more.”

With titles ranging from “How Do You Talk to Young Kids About ‘Sex’” to “Where Do Babies Come From” to “Is Playing Doctor OK?,” the first 10 animated videos in the AMAZE Parent Playlist will help parents continue building an open dialogue with their kids and lay the groundwork to lead safe and healthy lives.

All 10 videos are available here.

 AMAZE, funded by the Westwind Foundation, is a collaboration between Advocates for Youth, Answer, and Youth Tech Health working to create an engaging, age appropriate, online sex education resource for young people aged 4-14. There’s help for parents and teachers too. Visit AMAZE.org for tools to help facilitate a healthy discussion with your kids and students about these essential but sensitive subjects.

Permanent link to this article: https://sexandsensibility.net/amaze-videos-launched/