Relationship Management & Communication

During this unit, students learn interpersonal communication and relationship management skills, which includes friendships, family, and dating relationships as well as other interpersonal relationships (i.e teachers, classmates, community members). The focus of this unit, as with all units in health education, is on the development of students’ abilities to demonstrate the skill of focus.  In this unit, that focus is on healthy communication.  Topics briefly covered during this unit are sexually transmitted diseases , self identity, and reproductive anatomy & physiology. Throughout this unit, students are empowered to make healthy, responsible relationship choices now and in the future. While practicing communication and relationship skills, students work with and learn the functional information detailed below.

The skill sets covered in the Relationship Management & Communication unit include:

• • Interpersonal Communication
    • Active Listening
    • Assertiveness
    • Refusal Skills
    • Conflict Management/Resolution

• • Relationship Management
    • Choosing relationships that foster well-being
    • Nurturing
    • Empathy
    • Respect
    • Responsibility
    • Collaboration with others

The Functional Information covered in this unit includes:

Sexual Risk

• Adolescents can and should avoid pregnancy and STD/HIV/AIDS*.
• Most adolescents do not engage in risky sexual behavior.
• Individuals who are infected with STD/HIV may not have any signs or symptoms but can transmit the infection to others.
• The risk of pregnancy or infection with STD can be virtually eliminated by practicing abstinence from sexual contact.
• Abstinence is the only pregnancy and STD/HIV/AIDS prevention method that is 100% effective, 100% safe and 100% free of side effects.
• There are strong personal, medical and relationship building reasons for teenagers to abstain from sexual contact.
• STD can be transmitted by sexual contact with an infected individual or from an infected mother to her infant before or during birth.
• Individuals who use drugs are more likely to acquire STD/HIV.

Family Life/Sexual Health

• Family members are best able to care for one another when each member’s social, psychological, physical, spiritual and economic needs are being met.
• Individuals experience growth spurts and changes in appearance, interest and abilities during puberty.
• Individuals accept differing patterns of emotional, psychological and physical growth.
• Individuals establish caring and loving relationships throughout the lifecycle.
• Individuals learn how to establish and build fulfilling interpersonal relationships.
• Effective, clear communication is a vital aspect of healthy relationships.
• Individuals can express their sexuality in many healthy ways.
• Most adolescents are not physically, mentally, emotionally, nor financially capable of responsible parenthood.
• Sexual health begins early in life and continues throughout the lifecycle.
• ]Individuals are sexually healthy, behave responsibly and have a supportive environment in order to protect their own sexual health as well as that of others.
• Individuals learn healthy and appropriate ways to express and show sexual feelings.
• Gender stereotypes can limit the range of acceptable roles for both males and females.
• Sexual orientation is a component of a person’s identity.
• Individuals have a right to information that can make their lives healthier and happier.

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We support the continuation of at-home conversations about relationships and sexual health, especially while educators discuss these important topics at school. Parents who are in need of support in having and/or continuing these conversations should contact the school for additional guidance.

Parents/guardians have the option to withdraw their child from this particular unit of study. Alternate work will be provided for any student who is withdrawn from this unit.

If you have any questions or would like to withdraw your student from this unit, please email BH-BL’s Director of Health Education Joe Scalise at jscalise@bhbl.org.

*Please be advised that HIV/AIDS education, which is taught during the advocacy unit, is mandated by the State of New York to all students, and as such, does not carry the option to withdraw.