Cardea provides a range of TA services to support school districts in the adoption and implementation of sound sexual health education policies and procedures. Through direct services, training, and capacity building, Cardea assists districts in adopting best practices, building the capacity of their faculty and staff, and engaging their parents and community. TA begins with the dissemination of policy, research, practices, and resources through peer-learning communities/communities of practice. Additional individualized district TA supports system changes, capacity building, training and education that results in significant changes to practices within a district and changing community perceptions and norms.
Training Hub
The Sex Education Collaborative Training Hub lists trainings for sex educators, facilitators, and other professionals on best practices for sharing important information with clients and the public. From teaching anatomy inclusively to effectively addressing bias in the classroom to addressing racial justice and equity in sex education, the Training Hub includes trainings, technical assistance, and policy support from state, regional, and national leaders in the field of sex education.
Please note: The Training Hub includes both in-person and online professional trainings. If you see a training you are interested in and it isn’t listed as virtual, please reach out directly to any of our members to find out what's possible!
Trainings Offered by State-Based and National Organizations
Displaying results 106 - 110 of 154Virtual PD - Answering Difficult Questions
Virtual Professional Development is a simulated classroom where teachers can practice teaching student avatars using short scenarios and support from an instructional coach, so they can quickly learn and master the skills they most need to be effective. With upper elementary, middle and high school classrooms, Virtual PD has scenarios for teachers of all grade levels across a wide range of topics aligned with the Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE). You can watch the video here to learn more about Virtual PD.
Using the Virtual Professional Development simulated classroom, the educator will practice Answering Difficult Questions about Sexuality with the student avatars. In this VPD scenario, the participant is teaching a group of five students about risk behaviors for transmission of STDs using three categories (High Risk, Low Risk and No Risk). Lots of questions arise as students try and determine which category certain behaviors fall into if one person has an STD. The educator will need to demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to three different types of challenging questions including students’ values-based questions. This scenario is available for high school, middle school and upper elementary students with varying questions depending on grade selected.
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to three different types of challenging questions. (S)
Managing Sensitive Issues: Effectively Responding to Controversy
Educators and others who work with youth often feel anxious about addressing sensitive issues—such as topics associated with strong personal values—in the classroom, whether they are part of a curriculum or surface in a general class discussion. Sexuality, alcohol and other drugs, politics, race, and bullying are just a few examples of issues that, if not handled sensitively, could result in alienated students or angry parents contacting the school or agency. The most common topic targeted in this training is sexuality education, but the focus can be adjusted based on participants' needs. Participants identify the sensitive topics they face in their workplace and have the opportunity to assess their personal values, consider student diversity, and build the skills needed to answer difficult questions. The facilitator shares a set of proven strategies for responding to questions related to sensitive topics and harassing/bullying statements, and participants practice effective responses to build their skills.
Objectives of this course:
- Identify a range of personal and community-based values.
- Explore a set of effective facilitation techniques for addressing difficult issues.
- Practice using the techniques to effectively answer a variety of difficult questions.
- Practice using the techniques to effectively respond to harassing/bullying comments.
- Develop a personal plan of action to master the facilitation practices.
Visit ETR's Training & TA Form to submit your request and receive cost information.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (S)
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate three student-centered instructional approaches that support a variety of learning styles. (S)
- Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain three reasons why it is important to respond to every question students ask when teaching sex education.
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to three different types of challenging questions. (S)
- Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the importance of educators refraining from sharing their personal values when implementing sex education.
- Indicator 4 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to respond effectively to students’ values-based comments and questions. (S)
Unlocking the Secrets of Classroom Management
What student behaviors do you find most challenging? What techniques can you use to respond to these behaviors? Explore essential classroom management techniques for the sex education classroom. Take a peek at a few different kinds of sex education classrooms, as well as number of challenging behaviors and some techniques to address them.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (S)
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate three student-centered instructional approaches that support a variety of learning styles. (S)
- Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.
- Indicator 5 (K-12): Describe three effective strategies for practicing skills with students.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain three reasons why it is important to respond to every question students ask when teaching sex education.
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to three different types of challenging questions. (S)
Navigating the Politics of Public Health: Finding Common Ground in Support of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
In this four-part recorded webinar series, participants will learn how to advocate in support of adolescent sexual and reproductive health with conservative-leaning policymakers and key stakeholders, including:
- strategies for knowing your audience to understand their background and perspective,
- opportunities for finding common ground to work toward a shared goal,
- leveraging the media to increase your public awareness, and
- tactics for identifying and cultivating key messengers and mobilizing your community.
A shifted landscape of new or strengthened power players (particularly, those who lean conservative) at all levels of government, combined with threats to public health investments that our nation’s youth are facing, necessitates a reinvigorated call to public policy action by individuals and organizations that support youth and their families. Build your capacity to navigate the politics of public health and find common ground in support of adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
- Indicator 6 (K-12): Describe three strategies for actively involving parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults in a sex education program.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people
Additional Trainings offered by out-of-state organizations
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Connections Matter
Connections Matter is a training designed to engage community members in building caring connections to:
- Improve resiliency,
- Prevent childhood trauma, and
- Understand how our interactions with others can support those who have experienced trauma.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)
- Indicator 3 (K-12): Describe three elements of a trauma-informed approach to sex education.
- Indicator 4 (K-12): Demonstrate three strategies of a trauma-informed approach to sex education (e.g. giving trigger warnings before content on sexual assault and allowing students the right to pass as appropriate, etc.). (S)
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (S)
- Indicator 6 (K-12): Describe three strategies for actively involving parents, caregivers, and other trusted adults in a sex education program.





