"Don't touch while talking," said my math teacher in my 12th grade. Perhaps that was why my classmate used a window hook to tap a girl's elbow. (Painful!)
Sex Education is one topic that can lead to heated debates. After all, education refers to the WHOLISTIC development of a child. The question is, how wholistic?
My friend and were recalling those "unforgettable" school days when the teachers would try hard to instil values and yet be absolutely unreasonable in many other aspects. This, of course, included inter personal interaction with the opposite gender. As a nine year old, my teachers would ensure that I sat either next to a boy or between two boys. Two years later, the boys of my classroom were seated on one dedicated side of the classroom. But the moment I hit teenage, I noticed that neither the girls nor the boys could take it anymore. And thus, they chose to sit like they did when they were nine years old. Then again. the levels of curiosity were strangely higher than before. So, instead of relieving us of such curiosity, the teachers would punish us for being curious.
Some students had it harder at home. For even their parents viewed topics like sex and inter personal relations as something offensive. Making them scared and in the end, utterly confused.
I have always wondered why teachers and some elders fear stating or elaborating on certain subjects. How else would the world come to existence? My film studies professior believed sex to be as natural as breathing and that even cinema is merely depicting what is real. (not entirely! But mostly). Why is sex viewed as dirty, bad, and applicable only within a legal and moral context? For if that was the case, the world would have been a totally different place.
This reminds me of how my 12th grade business studies teacher graciously refused to elaborate on why sex was termed as a basic necessity even in an business set up. It was funny! The sentence read something like this - an organisation should strive towards satisfying the employees basic needs like food, shelted, clothing, sex.......
Sure, at seventeen the word sex made us laugh. But in the real world, this is a matter of concern. After all, cases harrassment or abuse often take place as this one need is not satisfied (feel free to correct me!). (Why did my teacher do that?)Sadly many schools do not know how to conduct sex education classes. My school, ensured that these classes would result in a forty five minute silence between boys and girls. What would you expect if these classes were conducted seperately for both sections? The sessions left me confused about my desires of having a family of my own, or even being human !!???!!!!????
If teachers and members of your own family refuse to talk to you about these aspects of life, then I guess the use of the internet, magazines, cinema or even youtube could educate one alot more. Now, whose fault is it if children much below 17 years old seem to have an inclination towards porn and similar forms of entertainment?
The concept of healthy physical contact is yet to sink in. All handshakes and hugs do not lead to unplanned preganancies. If they did, Mars would have become the planet of life indeed! (There is no space on earth anyway!)
Unless the world that moulds us does not keep up with time, am afraid we will be witness to more "Junos" in the days to come. The Indian society does have many lose ends. We talk of 'our' culture, 'our' values, 'our' principles and 'our' methods as superior without truly understanding it story, context and purpose. The 'Joint Family' for instance is often looked upon as ideal without truly understanding its pros and cons. Similarly, interpersonal interaction and sexual behaviour seem to take a dimension that is less understood or in some cases ridiculous.
The solution could be an open mind. Schools an colleges mould personalities. It is time for teachers to do justice to their jobs and be TEACHers. Impart knowledge that is not only academic but that encourages questions and discussions. Teaching, should no longer be looked at as an easy means to earn your daily bread. It is a service that one will remain grateful until the very end.
Perhaps one could be guided towards using apt websites, online books or other useful sources. (Ever considered the Encyclopedia??!!)
Moreover, it is extremely important for one to be able to talk to someone older and bolder about such issues. Student cousellors have proven successful in some but not all cases. Perhaps parents, elder brothers and sisters, or other close members of a family could attend to such needs of people. Such interaction does make the family stronger and give the person a great deal of support and confidence to face a crisis situation. As they say a building is only as good as its foundation.
Things have really changed and we must keep pace with the change!
Sex Education is one topic that can lead to heated debates. After all, education refers to the WHOLISTIC development of a child. The question is, how wholistic?
My friend and were recalling those "unforgettable" school days when the teachers would try hard to instil values and yet be absolutely unreasonable in many other aspects. This, of course, included inter personal interaction with the opposite gender. As a nine year old, my teachers would ensure that I sat either next to a boy or between two boys. Two years later, the boys of my classroom were seated on one dedicated side of the classroom. But the moment I hit teenage, I noticed that neither the girls nor the boys could take it anymore. And thus, they chose to sit like they did when they were nine years old. Then again. the levels of curiosity were strangely higher than before. So, instead of relieving us of such curiosity, the teachers would punish us for being curious.
Some students had it harder at home. For even their parents viewed topics like sex and inter personal relations as something offensive. Making them scared and in the end, utterly confused.
I have always wondered why teachers and some elders fear stating or elaborating on certain subjects. How else would the world come to existence? My film studies professior believed sex to be as natural as breathing and that even cinema is merely depicting what is real. (not entirely! But mostly). Why is sex viewed as dirty, bad, and applicable only within a legal and moral context? For if that was the case, the world would have been a totally different place.
This reminds me of how my 12th grade business studies teacher graciously refused to elaborate on why sex was termed as a basic necessity even in an business set up. It was funny! The sentence read something like this - an organisation should strive towards satisfying the employees basic needs like food, shelted, clothing, sex.......
Sure, at seventeen the word sex made us laugh. But in the real world, this is a matter of concern. After all, cases harrassment or abuse often take place as this one need is not satisfied (feel free to correct me!). (Why did my teacher do that?)Sadly many schools do not know how to conduct sex education classes. My school, ensured that these classes would result in a forty five minute silence between boys and girls. What would you expect if these classes were conducted seperately for both sections? The sessions left me confused about my desires of having a family of my own, or even being human !!???!!!!????
If teachers and members of your own family refuse to talk to you about these aspects of life, then I guess the use of the internet, magazines, cinema or even youtube could educate one alot more. Now, whose fault is it if children much below 17 years old seem to have an inclination towards porn and similar forms of entertainment?
The concept of healthy physical contact is yet to sink in. All handshakes and hugs do not lead to unplanned preganancies. If they did, Mars would have become the planet of life indeed! (There is no space on earth anyway!)
Unless the world that moulds us does not keep up with time, am afraid we will be witness to more "Junos" in the days to come. The Indian society does have many lose ends. We talk of 'our' culture, 'our' values, 'our' principles and 'our' methods as superior without truly understanding it story, context and purpose. The 'Joint Family' for instance is often looked upon as ideal without truly understanding its pros and cons. Similarly, interpersonal interaction and sexual behaviour seem to take a dimension that is less understood or in some cases ridiculous.
The solution could be an open mind. Schools an colleges mould personalities. It is time for teachers to do justice to their jobs and be TEACHers. Impart knowledge that is not only academic but that encourages questions and discussions. Teaching, should no longer be looked at as an easy means to earn your daily bread. It is a service that one will remain grateful until the very end.
Perhaps one could be guided towards using apt websites, online books or other useful sources. (Ever considered the Encyclopedia??!!)
Moreover, it is extremely important for one to be able to talk to someone older and bolder about such issues. Student cousellors have proven successful in some but not all cases. Perhaps parents, elder brothers and sisters, or other close members of a family could attend to such needs of people. Such interaction does make the family stronger and give the person a great deal of support and confidence to face a crisis situation. As they say a building is only as good as its foundation.
Things have really changed and we must keep pace with the change!
I do have both for and against opinions to this. I studied in a boys school and it was different for me when i first moved to college. Talking to unknown girls was new. It would have helped to be in a co-ed system and know about more the opposite gender early in age. But, what how much of a different person would that have made me now? I am not sure. And talking about the sex education and the way you want the students to be treated, it needs a cultural change. A change in the minds of everyone. Not just in the school syllabus or the teachers.
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