RELATIONSHIP SMARTS
Using an interactive approach, this evidence-based program promotes abstinence by showing students how to focus on their strengths and goals, set personal limits and meet challenges to those limits and use technology as a positive tool.
Overview
Relationship Smarts is designed to be used with younger teens. The goal of this program is to build assets and strengthen protective factors by empowering youth to focus on their aspirations and boost confidence. Using a fun, interactive approach, Relationship Smarts shows students how to set personal goals, identifying their own strengths and weaknesses, understanding how their past and family relationships influence the present and the challenges associated with both romantic relationships and friendships. The curriculum also includes activities for students to do with their families or a trusted adult. The curriculum is based on numerous principles:
Students have attractions, emotions and desires for a healthy relationship.
Students must understand themselves before engaging in a relationship.
Students need to have a vision for their future.
Students need skills to reduce risky decisions and behaviors
Not having sex is the healthiest sexual limit for students in middle school.
Students can set sexual limits.
Students can be motivated to maintain their limits.
Students will encounter challenges to maintain their limits.
Students can overcome challenges to their limits.
Students can learn skills to boost confidence and decision-making.
Curriculum
The program is delivered through role-play, mini-lectures, brainstorming, games, small group work, an anonymous question box, videos, guest speakers and parent-teen communication activities.
The program consists of 13 Lessons. Each lesson is 45–50 minutes.
Content
Lessons 1 and 2 focus on the student. Through activities, the students learn to articulate their individual strength and weaknesses, goals, maturity level, personal values and skills to handle pressure situations. Trusted adult-child communication activities are included to reinforce the lesson objectives and encourage open communication.
Lessons 3-7 explore the components of a healthy relationship, skills to recognize a potentially abusive relationship and how to deal with attractions and corresponding emotions. Trusted adult-child communication activities are included to reinforce the lesson objectives and encourage open communication.
Lessons 8 and 9 introduce healthy communication skills to be utilized in all relationships. Lessons explore the physiological and emotional aspects of anger with skills to self-regulate and maintain more productive avenues of communication. Trusted adult-child communication activities are included to reinforce the lesson objectives and encourage open communication.
Lesson 10 explores setting physical/sexual boundaries to avoid unintended consequences such as pregnancy, STI/HIV, emotional or legal issues. Goal of this lesson is for students to take ownership over defining sexual boundaries in regards to their personal goals and aspirations. Defines intimacy as more than just sexual relations. Lesson provides real life experiences from teens about sexual regret and moving too quickly in relationships. Trusted adult-child communication activities are included to reinforce the lesson objectives and encourage open communication.
Lesson 11 provides medically accurate information on pregnancy, STIs and HIV, as well as assertiveness skill practice for pressure situations. Trusted adult-child communication activities are included to reinforce the lesson objectives and encourage open communication.
Lesson 12 provides a unique perspective of sexual decisions and consequences by exploring how an unplanned pregnancy would look through the eyes of a child. Explores the financial realities of teens as parents using evidence based statistics and other relational and emotional difficulties of being a teen parent. Trusted adult-child communication activities are included to reinforce the lesson objectives and encourage open communication.
Lesson 13 explores teens, technology and social media. Students learn to use social platforms as a tool to promote and support their dreams and aspirations while minimizing the risks associated with its use. Students learn the reality and risks of sexting, cyberbullying and pornography. Trusted adult-child communication activities are included to reinforce the lesson objectives and encourage open communication.