Sex Education in Early Childhood: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
This article addresses sex education in kindergarten, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive child development in early childhood education. This approach recognizes sexuality as a crucial aspect of a child’s overall well-being.
The current educational framework, as reflected in the Education Law 7/2010 of Castilla La Mancha, underscores the significance of values education. Therefore, this article will delve into the following key areas:
- Sexual education during childhood
- How children discover and identify with their own sex
- The construction of gender roles
- Essential strategies to prevent gender discrimination
Legislation and Values Education for Sexuality
Several legal frameworks, including Organic Law 2/2006, Royal Decree 1630/2006, Decree 67/2007, and Education Act 7/2010, implicitly or explicitly mention elements of values education. These elements are integrated across all areas of the curriculum, particularly within cross-curricular educational projects.
Values education in this context should adhere to the following principles:
- Integration into all elements of the educational process
- Moral and civic education as a pillar of values education
- Evaluation of values education
- Encouragement of cross-disciplinary treatment by management teams
- Guidance from counselors for teachers
- Integration of values education into all daily activities
Sexual Education in Early Childhood
Defining sexuality as the set of anatomical and physiological factors that characterize each sex, we acknowledge the crucial role of affectivity in its development. Affectivity, shaped through interactions with others, is pivotal for understanding and accepting one’s body and sex. Sexuality encompasses two dimensions:
- Knowledge and appreciation of the body
- Assumption of certain sexual roles
This concept of sexuality in childhood is further explored through the perspectives of Freud and Villamarzó Fernández.
Freud’s Perspective on Infantile Sexuality
Freud distinguishes between biological sex (determined at fertilization) and psychological sex (influenced by family and social environment). He highlights the following features of infantile sexuality:
- Children are sexual beings from conception, with their sexuality and personality taking shape in the first years of life.
- Infantile sexuality forms the basis of adult sexuality.
- Initially, the entire body is a source of pleasure, but as the central nervous system matures, specific areas (mouth, anus, genitals) become more sensitive, leading to the oral, anal, and phallic stages.
Stages of Psychosexual Development
- Oral Stage (0-1 year): Pleasure is primarily derived through the mouth.
- Anal Stage (2-3 years): Pleasure is associated with bowel control, particularly the retention and expulsion of feces.
- Phallic Stage (3-6 years): Pleasure is focused on the genitals.
Freud also emphasizes that sexuality is expressed through curiosity, observation, manipulation, exploration, and questions.
Key Points in the Evolution of Sexuality
- Prenatal: Biological basis combines with parental desires, acceptance of the child’s sex, forming a psychological foundation.
- Perinatal: Biological aspects interact with family and environmental acceptance, laying the groundwork for exploring social beings of the same or different sex.
- Postnatal: Biological, psychological, and social factors, along with educational activities, influence sexual development.
Freud concludes that family, environment, and education are fundamental for the development of sexuality.
Villamarzó Fernández’s Perspective on Infantile Sexuality
Fernández Villamarzó posits that”infantile sexuality is the germ of what will be the adolescent and adult sexuality” emphasizing the importance of early years in shaping sexuality. He identifies two parameters:
- Source-related stages: Focuses on the libido, erogenous zones, and the three evolutionary phases (oral, anal, phallic).
- Object-related stages: Considers the object towards which the libido is directed.
- Autoerotic Stage: The child finds interest in different body parts, deriving pleasure from self-stimulation.
- Narcissistic Stage: The child becomes the object of their own love and concern.
- Relationship with the Object Stage: The child develops an interest in parents and others as sources of pleasure.
The Purpose of Sex Education
Sex education, often treated as part of health education, aims to develop students’ respect for their own and others’ bodies, familiarize them with appropriate vocabulary, and promote gender equality. It encourages activities related to domestic life, fostering equal opportunities between sexes.
The ultimate goal of child sex education is to help students value their sexual identity, understand sexual differences, and respect the diversity of roles.
Basic Attitudes and Approaches
Observing, manipulating, and exploring are natural ways for children to discover their sexuality. Adults should encourage this curiosity while providing accurate information to prevent misconceptions. However, this should be done within a framework of appropriate attitudes and criteria:
- Respond to children’s interests and curiosities with honesty.
- Create a natural and trusting environment by promoting dialogue and games.
- Respect sexual play in nature, intervening only in specific cases (e.g., significant age differences, forced participation, obsessive behavior, imitation of adult behavior, physical harm, sexist or aggressive content, inappropriate language).
- Understand children’s ways of thinking, theories, fantasies, and myths.
- Promote non-discrimination, explaining differences based on biology (genitals) and societal expectations (gender characteristics).
- Openly discuss sexuality and answer questions honestly.
- Utilize any situation to guide and educate children about healthy relationships, involving families to ensure consistency between school and home (as emphasized in Education Law 2/2006).
Sex Education and the Curriculum
Royal Decree 1630 integrates sex education and education for equal opportunities between sexes into the curriculum as common elements, addressed through objectives and content in various areas. The psychoevolutive characteristics of children in this age group suggest a holistic approach, using interest centers or projects.
Sex education and equal opportunities are considered through the overall objectives of the stage and the three areas of expertise:
- Area A: Knowledge of Self and Personal Autonomy: Acceptance of one’s body and development of sexual identity.
- Area B: Knowledge and Interaction with the Environment: Appreciation of different forms of life in public, private, and domestic settings.
- Area C: Languages, Communication, and Representation: Communication between children through teamwork, using appropriate and non-sexist language.
The curriculum also emphasizes avoiding taboos, stereotypical behavior, and discrimination, while promoting respect.
Discovery and Identification with One’s Own Sex
A crucial step in a child’s sexual development is understanding their own sex. This process unfolds in stages:
- Interest in Sexual Organs (around 2 years): Children become aware of their sexual organs through exploration of their bodies, finding pleasure in touching their genitals.
- Recognition of Sex Differences (after 3 years): Children begin to notice differences between boys and girls.
- Curiosity and Spontaneous Expression: The discovery of one’s sex manifests through curiosity, expressed through:
- Exploration: Driven by neurological development, children touch and explore their bodies, experiencing pleasure when touching their genitals.
- Exhibitionist Tendencies: Children derive pleasure from showing their bodies.
- Curiosity about Others’ Bodies: Children become curious about the bodies of others, including their parents.
The Oedipal Situation
The discovery of sexual differences is linked to the Oedipal situation, occurring between 4 and 6 years, where children develop strong attachments to the opposite-sex parent. This leads to a”false infatuatio” due to envy of the same-sex parent.
Boys may display possessive behavior towards their mothers, asserting their masculinity. They may view their fathers as rivals while also feeling admiration and affection. Girls often show obedience and affection towards their fathers, while being more unruly with their mothers, yet still harboring feelings of tenderness and love.
Through imitation, shared tasks, and observation, children gradually construct their gender roles.
Construction of Gender Roles and Sex Typing
Family and school are primary and secondary social spaces, respectively, where children learn social roles based on gender. These spaces often reinforce gender stereotypes prevalent in the culture, associating strength, autonomy, and aggressiveness with boys, and obedience, kindness, and affectivity with girls.
Children internalize these roles by observing and imitating the behaviors of those around them. Schools play a crucial role in promoting gender equality by implementing activities that challenge these stereotypes.
Strategies for Promoting Gender Equality in Schools
- Avoid taboos and stereotypical behaviors.
- Promote respect and prevent discrimination.
- Present male and female roles in family and history with equal importance.
- Diversify roles children can engage in, without limiting them based on gender.
- Empower children to make decisions based on their tastes, opportunities, and characteristics.
- Prioritize objectives that foster self-esteem and a positive self-concept.
- Be aware of the”hidden curriculum” which encompasses indirect messages conveyed to students.
- Encourage open discussion and awareness of these issues among staff.
Educational Strategies to Reduce Gender Discrimination
Before outlining strategies, it’s essential to understand key concepts related to gender discrimination, as defined by Smith and Mackie:
- Stereotype: A generalized belief about a particular group of people, often based on oversimplification and distortion of reality.
- Prejudice: A preconceived opinion about a group or its members, which can be positive or negative.
- Sexism: Prejudice based on sex.
- Discrimination: Any behavior, positive or negative, directed towards a group or its members based on prejudice.
Stereotypes are often learned through interactions with members of stereotyped groups and information received from others. Family and school are primary transmitters of gender stereotypes.
The Role of the School in Addressing Gender Discrimination
Schools should be models of non-discrimination, actively challenging sexism and supporting children in developing their personalities. This involves helping them understand their own characteristics and limitations, encouraging them to act accordingly.
Strategies for addressing gender discrimination should be integrated into the Educational Project and Classroom programming. Early educational interventions can correct differences in the assessment of behaviors based on sex, ensuring equal treatment for both boys and girls.
Co-educational Strategies
- Expose girls to activities traditionally associated with boys and vice versa, focusing on motivation and providing clear instructions.
- Engage students in activities that promote active participation, independence, and self-confidence.
- Assign tasks that develop autonomy, enabling children to make decisions and experience the consequences independently.
- Provide constructive criticism, demanding high standards while valuing achievements, encouraging self-reflection and error correction.
- Reinforce girls’ self-concept by developing their social and professional skills, and boys’ self-concept by fostering their emotional and domestic skills.
- Facilitate learning experiences that challenge traditional gender roles.
Classrooms should offer equal opportunities for boys and girls through diverse corners and games. Ongoing evaluation is crucial to assess the effectiveness of strategies in preventing gender discrimination within the classroom and the wider school environment.
Legal Framework
Organic Education Law 2/2006 emphasizes education in respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, equal rights and opportunities between men and women, and non-discrimination. The LOE for Early Childhood Education includes objectives such as”releasing one’s own body and that of others, their possibilities for action and learn to respect differences” Article 126 of the same law mandates the appointment of a person within the School Board to promote educational measures for gender equality.
Conclusion
This article has explored the critical role of sex education in the educational journey of young children. By understanding how children discover and identify with their own sex, how gender roles are constructed, and the strategies for preventing gender discrimination, we can create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment.
Education for equal opportunities is a response to societal needs, ensuring that children have equal rights and opportunities. It is crucial to foster respect, tolerance, and an understanding of individual differences as natural and valuable.
A co-educational approach, emphasizing cooperation and mutual understanding between boys and girls, is essential for promoting equality and preventing gender-based discrimination.
Bibliography
Teaching Context
- VILLAMARZO-FERNANDEZ, P. Child sexual Source adulthood: a psychodynamic approach. Ed Amaru. Salamanca, 1994.
- FREUD, S. Child sexuality and neurosis. Ed Alliance. Madrid, 2004.
- NAVARRO-LOPEZ, E. and MORENO, P. sex education. Ed Pyramid. Madrid, 2001.
- SMITH, E. and Mackie, D. social psychology. Ed Pan America. Madrid, 1998.
Legal Framework
: / – LAW 7 / 2010 of July 20, education of Castile Mancha. /-Decree 67/2007 of May 29, laying down the curriculum for the second cycle of Infantil. /-Organic Law on Education, May 6 2006./-REAL Decree 1630/2006 of 29 December, which sets the curricula for the second cycle of Early Childhood Education (MS).