From “Destigmatizing Sex” to “I’ve Never Really Thought of It”: Middle School Teachers’ Conceptions of Sexuality in Cross-Curricular Classrooms (Poster 14)

• In Event: AERA Promising Scholarship in Education Research: Dissertation Fellows and Their Research

Abstract

In the ongoing national discourse about sexuality education, it is vital to consider middle schools as key sites for sexuality education research. There are fewer research studies conducted on sexuality education in middle schools in the United States compared to high schools. However, middle schools warrant more attention in social science research due to the unique developmental needs of students and concerns regarding curriculum and teacher competency. In response to gaps in middle school research, the need for pedagogical support, and arguments for cross-curricular strategies, this multi-site case study investigated how six urban educators in STEM, Humanities, and Health classes from three different middle schools understand and negotiate instances of sexuality in their classrooms. Preliminary results show teachers across content areas struggled with robust conceptions of sexuality even among those who taught the subject explicitly. These teachers conceptualize sexuality as strongly pertaining to sexual identity (i.e. sexual orientation, gender identity). Some educators also included aspects of sensuality and sexual health. In response to the relevancy of sexuality education to their subject matter, there were inconsistencies among these educators due to knowledge gaps or narrow approaches to their understanding of sexuality.

Author

• Monique Y. Perry, University of Pennsylvania