Today is the beginning of another school year. The time goes by so fast!
I began my current position in August of 2000. The kindergarteners from the year 2000 at my schools are entering 7th grade this year! I see some of them every now and then, and they are growing into beautiful adolescents. I hope some of what I have taught helps them to grow into happy, healthy adults.
One unit that I am responsible to teach is the “Growth and Development” program. You know (gasp)… THE FILM! The (insert giggling girls here) No Boys Allowed Film. Or, the (insert embarrassed boys pretending to be macho) No Girls Allowed Film.
Since I understand the sensitive nature of this subject, I usually don’t present the boys film unless there is no male staff member able and willing to do it. Although I can discuss any subject without a flinch, the boys are too shy to ask me the questions their little inquiring minds want to know. The girls, however, are another matter. We all sit on the carpet for an informal bit of “girl talk,” then I show the video and pass out product samples. By the end of the session I answer so many questions they have to rush so they don’t miss the bus.
Today as I unpacked a box of samples for this year’s students, I thought back about my own puberty education. Many, many years ago, 1964 to be exact, our school nurse and our gym teacher held a program for us, and showed “The Film.” But times were different then. Instead of a school day class with a permission slip, our class was an actual night program and our parent was required to be with us or we could not attend. It was a Very Big Moment in my life that almost didn’t happen. My mom wasn’t keen on the idea of attending the event. Thankfully, my best friend’s mom decided to take her, and helped convince mine.
The film we saw was already pretty old by the time we saw it, because there wasn’t a huge market for puberty films in those days. Sanitary supplies were only whispered about; they were not the subject of huge marketing campaigns and commercials as they are nowadays!
I recently found that ancient movie, “The Story of Menstruation,” on YouTube. Believe it or not, it is an animated film that was created by the Walt Disney Studios! This really brings back memories. We even received the “Very Personally Yours” booklet that the narrator mentions.
I’m glad I was able to find this, because it helps to remember how important this rite of passage was to me. When my students receive this instruction, my presentation may well set the stage for their attitude toward maturity and body image. It always needs to be good!
Here’s the film. Oh, by the way,… (giggle)… No Boys Allowed!
4 comments:
Well, thankfully I'm no longer a "boy", so I watched the video.
Very quaint. The part showing the woman doing housework was the best, I think. ;-)
You're right about one thing Stella. Time flies. Where has the summer gone?
Rob
I went to Catholic school. They couldn't afford a film, so we watched a filmstrip and Sister read from a booklet. We were in sixth grade and most of us had older sibs or cousins or neighbor girls from whom we had a load of info - some good, some bad and some pertinent that gets left our of school presentations.
Surprisingly, this was a pretty good video. Minus the sixties sexist stuff the information was accurate and straight forward.
When I taught 7th and 8th grade, I had girls trying to bum pads off me and were horrified when I had only tampons to offer. The school nurse told them they were too young for tampons. Why would she do that? I never bothered to ask. I switched to tampons as soon as I could and never looked back.
Feeling slightly nostalgic for the classroom, so thanks for this.
Wow. Would you believe I think I saw that film in circa 1992? Either that one or one very similar and "old" looking. Brings back memories.
Hmm, I can't remember which film we watched in the early 80s. Although I do clearly remember the filmstrip on bike safety that we saw in third grade -- it must have been a good 20 years old because all the boys in it had crew cuts.
I bought my daughter the American Girl book on puberty about a year and a half ago, and it was very funny to watch her take it all in. At first she didn't want me to see what section she was on or even have me in the room while she was reading it. Once she'd read it three or four times, she started bringing it to me and asking questions about certain dog-eared pages. She hasn't mentioned the topic in a while, but I'm sure we'll be revisiting it many more times in the next couple of years!
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