Sexuality Education Certification Series
The Sexuality Education Certification Series (SECS) is our most comprehensive training opportunity. Participants develop the knowledge, skills and comfort needed to provide successful sexuality programs. Each session of this lively, interactive course combines guest lectures, discussion and hands-on practical experience in specific subject areas. 

Graduates of this course are able to:

• Identify key elements of effective sexuality education based on the latest research.
• Feel comfortable discussing sexuality in an educational setting.
• Develop an understanding of key sexual health topics and effective teaching strategies for these topics.
• Define active learning theories and stages of behavior change in relation to teaching sexuality education.
• Teach with strategies that address diverse learning styles, cultures and experiences.
• Recognize the importance of values, attitudes and beliefs in teaching and learning in sexuality education.
• Learn the different stages of emotional, social and cognitive development.
• Design and present an age-appropriate lesson in sexuality education.

A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of series.

Protection Methods Update
Wondering where to put the Ring (and it’s not on your finger), what happened to Norplant and if people are still Sponge worthy?  If you answered yes, this is the perfect workshop for you.  During this workshop, a member of our clinical staff will provide the latest information and answer your questions about available protection methods.  Following the medical update, a member of our training staff will lead you through a demonstration of interactive, classroom-tested activities to help you teach youth about this challenging topic. 

Participants will leave this training with a better understanding of current protection methods and a collection of great activities to reach their students and/or clients. Participants will:

• Identify available contraception and protection methods, including effectiveness, proper use, and the pros and cons of each method.
• Develop new teaching strategies and activities for relaying information about protection methods.

STIs and Protection Methods Update
Need a “shot in the arm” (and we don’t mean Depo Provera!)?  Join us for a review of sexually transmitted infections and contraceptive technologies.  The morning session will be led by a member of our clinical staff who will provide the latest information and answer your questions on protection methods and sexually transmitted infections.  The afternoon will be led by a member of our training staff who will lead you through a demonstration of interactive, classroom-tested activities to help you teach youth about these challenging topics. 

Participants will leave this training with a better understanding of current infection and transmission rates and a collection of great activities to help students recognize and minimize their risk for infection and unintended pregnancy. Participants will:

• Develop an understanding of sexually transmitted infections, including transmission, treatment and prevention.
• Identify available contraception and protection methods, including effectiveness, proper use, and the pros and cons of each method.
• Develop new teaching strategies and activities for relaying information about protection methods and STIs.

Multiple Intelligences
In this time of cut-backs and state mandates, it is increasingly difficult to bring creativity to the classroom.  Are you tired of lectures and hand-outs?  Do you believe that every student should be empowered to learn in his/her own way? Join us for half-day training on teaching sexuality through the theory of Multiple Intelligences, created by Howard Gardner.  Now, more than ever, it is increasingly important to reach every student in your sex education classes. 

At the conclusion of this training attendees will be able to:

• Define the eight multiple intelligences and their relevance to individual learning.
• Better understand their own educational strengths and weaknesses.
• Incorporate the intelligences into their own health curricula and lesson plans in order to ensure that every one of their students is maximizing his/her educational potential.

What’s Love Got to do with It?: Teaching Youth about Healthy Relationships
Sexting, friends with benefits, cybersex, Grand Theft Auto, Facebook, internet porn and YouTube. With changing social norms and media overload, do your students really have a grasp of what healthy relationships are all about?

Could you use some new, creative approaches to teaching about communication, mutual consent, respect and responsibility to a population of distracted youth?  This dynamic workshop will provide educators and other youth workers with ideas and activities to help young people recognize the components of healthy relationships.  The focus will be on how to increase adolescents’ awareness and develop the skills necessary to attain and maintain positive dating relationships.

At the conclusion of this training attendees will be able to:

• Define what "consent' means in dating relationships.
• Describe three styles of communication and how they affect relationships.
• Discuss issues of power/control and equality/inequality in dating relationships.
• Conduct an exercise about defining elements of healthy relationships.

Working with Parents
This workshop recognizes the importance and necessity of partnering with parents in order to assure successful comprehensive sexuality education.  Members of our training staff will help youth workers and other professionals develop strategies to engage parents in creating ongoing conversations with youth about healthier, safe and better-informed decisions relating to sexuality. This workshop will focus on teaching, modeling, and practicing communication strategies to share with parents as well as information about how to help parents clarify their values around these topics. We will explore adolescent development stages in relation to sex and sexuality and provide a resource packet and complimentary book.

Drama in the Sex Ed Classroom
"Drama allows us to converse with our souls, to passionately pursue and discover ways of living with ourselves and with others.  We have no better way to work together, to learn about each other, to heal, and to grow." (Michael Rohd, author of "Theater for Community, Conflict and Dialogue")

This one-day workshop, designed for teachers, youth workers and other professionals will enable participants to better understand and apply theater techniques to sexuality education.  Following an expert’s discussion of using drama as a teaching tool, participants will be engaged in a series of theatrical exercises including, but not limited to, circle games, trust building games, hot seating, tableaux, monologue writing, performance and improvisation.  Attendees will leave this workshop empowered to apply these skills in their own sexuality education classrooms, community education groups and after-school programs.  It is recommended that participants take the half day Multiple Intelligences training prior to enrolling in this workshop.

At the conclusion of this training attendees will be able to:

• Lead a group of students/adults in role-play and improvisation exercises.
• Explain the merits of using drama techniques in sexuality education.
• Integrate drama techniques in sexuality education.

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)
Continuing Education Credits are available for teachers (PDPs), social workers (NASW) and health educators (CHES) for the Sexuality Education Certification Series.  CHES credits are also available for our one-day and half-day workshops. Email educationontheweb@pplm.org or call the Education Department at 617-616-1672 and we will answer your questions about continuing education credits.

View current class dates, times and register online

For more information about our education programs, email educationontheweb@pplm.org or call the Education Department at 617-616-1672.