Get Real values, supports, and respects adolescents’ rights and abilities to make informed choices about their own health and safety. Here’s how:
- Offering factual, medically-accurate, age-appropriate information.
- Communicating about the benefits of abstinence.
- Teaching effective communication and negotiation skills to strengthen sexual health decision-making throughout life.
- Providing accurate information about safe and effective protection methods that prevent STIs and pregnancy.
- Believing that young people have a fundamental right to honest, accurate, comprehensive sexuality education.
Social and Emotional Learning
The Get Real curriculum is framed with the concept of social and emotional learning (SEL). According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), “SEL is a process for helping children and even adults develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness. SEL teaches the skills we all need to handle ourselves, our relationships, and our work, effectively and ethically. These skills include recognizing and managing our emotions, developing caring and concern for others, establishing positive relationships, making responsible decisions, and handling challenging situations constructively and ethically.”
Get Real incorporates the five SEL skills of self awareness, self management, social awareness, relationship skills and decision making as key elements in learning how to negotiate relationships. If young people can negotiate relationships, they can better negotiate sexual relationships. These skills are integrated into the content of the lesson through activities and process questions. Teachers are trained in the SEL framework during Get Real Teacher Training.