Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana…

Organization Data

General Information

Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana and Kentucky (PPGNHAIK) is a leader in reproductive health care, rights, and education in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky and western Washington. We provide high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for women, men, and teens. Many of our patients have no other health care available to them. In partnership with our communities, we advocate, educate, and provide health care to support sexual health and wellness for all. With over 20 years of eLearning experience for sexual health professionals, our team has been at the forefront of online training and education. We’re a diverse group of educators, trainers, instructional designers, and subject matter experts with years of professional experience in traditional and online learning environments. We’re committed to supporting the growth of youth-serving professionals who deliver sex education that incorporates a holistic and comprehensive understanding of human sexuality and healthy behavior.

Our philosophy towards sex education is at the heart of the Spark•ED curriculum. All course material is created with a social justice and racial equity lens and incorporates the latest information and research in the fields of sexual health, gender, adolescent development, learning styles, and behavioral change. Each course has been reviewed by content matter experts, including medical professionals, trainers, classroom teachers, school administrators, public health workers, and researchers. We have 20+ years of experience delivering virtual sex education training and technical assistance.

Our Capacity Building Team has extensive experience delivering training and technical assistance on a variety of sex education related topics, as well as expertise in delivering professional development through a combination of in-person and virtual modalities. We offer self-paced online training, virtual instructor-led training, customized training, technical assistance, and consulting for schools, school districts, colleges and private organizations. Our areas of expertise include: sex education content topics, facilitating sex ed, trauma-informed facilitation, relationships and consent facilitation skills, peer education, building and sustaining community relationships, and answering challenging questions from youth.

Services Provided:

Trainings

Technical Assistance

States:

Technical Assistance

Our Capacity Building Team represents a diverse group of trainers/consultants with years of professional experience in traditional and online learning environments. Our consulting clients include school districts, colleges, and private organizations interested in guidance on how to systematically address specific training needs.

Technical Assistance Webpage:

http://www.sparked.net

Topics:

Curriculum development, Curriculum review for cultural inclusivity, Curriculum review for LGBTQ inclusivity, Scope and Sequence development, Scope and Sequence review

Age Group(s):

Grades K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Trainings

Intro to Cultural Humility & Responsiveness (Self-Paced Course)

This three hour self-paced Intro to Cultural Humility & Responsiveness course emphasizes the importance of creating an equitable, inclusive and respectful environment for all learners. Emphasis is placed on understanding the essentials of cultural humility and responsive practices, including terminology, implicit bias, and intersectionality, and exploring what facilitating through a cultural humility and responsiveness lens can look like. The course is divided into three bite-size pieces in a range of learning styles including interactive assessments and real-life scenarios.

Upon completion of the training participants should be able to:

Explains what culture, intersectionality, implicit bias, cultural humility, and cultural responsiveness are
Describes how culture shows up in learning spaces
Differentiates between cultural competency and cultural responsiveness
Explains how intersectionality and the concept of culture support delivering high quality sex education
Explains how to apply culturally responsive strategies
Explains what a microaggression is and how to apply different models to respond to or address microaggressions

Online

Cost -

$200

Length -

3 hours of self-directed training

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture disclosure, Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, Racial and reproductive justice

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Define conscious and unconscious bias and explain how they could influence one’s teaching of sex education.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Describe three impacts that conscious and unconscious bias could have on cross-cultural interactions when teaching sex education.
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain how an educator’s personal beliefs about racial and reproductive justice could influence their teaching of sex education.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three strategies to reduce the impact of conscious and unconscious bias and enhance cross-cultural interactions in the classroom when teaching sex education.

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)
Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate three strategies for creating culturally responsive classrooms. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (S)
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.
Indicator 7 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to analyze and tailor lesson plans to match the age, developmental stages, cultural backgrounds, and other identities of students. (S)

Racial and Reproductive Justice Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Define racism (including individual, interpersonal, institutional, ideological, structural, and systemic), racial micro-aggressions, and reproductive justice.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Name three sexual health inequities and some of their systemic causes (e.g., African American women living with HIV have expressed mistrust toward healthcare professionals, in part, as a result of systemic racism).
Indicator 3 (K-12): Describe three ways power, privilege, prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes related to age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socio-economic status, immigration status, and/or physical or intellectual ability can impact sexual health and reproductive justice.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three effective response strategies when a student or school community member has been hurt or wronged by bias.
Indicator 5 (K-12): Describe three strategies educators can use to acknowledge and proactively work to mitigate the impact of bias on their students’ sexual health and multiple, intersecting identities.

Facilitating from a Cultural Humility & Responsiveness Lens

This 14 hour virtual instructor-led course focuses on growing your skills to artfully deliver sex education in their community. This course provides participants the opportunity to delve into theories, strategies, and learn and practice skills to teach and create learning environments with young people through a cultural humility and responsiveness lens. The course is delivered through five weekly 2 hour sessions held at pre-set times. The course incorporates a practice and coaching session using the Advocates for Youth Virtual Classroom (simulated teaching experience) which allows you to practice the skills you learned in the training in a low-stakes environment with virtual avatar students. After completing the training you should be able to:

Apply a cultural humility and responsive lens in the learning environment
Apply the Theory of Intersectionality in our facilitation to lift up all identities in the learning environment
Strengthen your understanding of the youth you serve based on their cultural context and experiences
Understand implicit bias
Apply models to respond when you or a learner commit a microaggression
Adapt lessons or curricula to be culturally responsive

Online

Cost -

$450

Length -

14 hours (4 hours of self-directed training and 10 hours of virtual instructor-led training)

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture disclosure, Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Define conscious and unconscious bias and explain how they could influence one’s teaching of sex education.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Describe three impacts that conscious and unconscious bias could have on cross-cultural interactions when teaching sex education.
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain how an educator’s personal beliefs about racial and reproductive justice could influence their teaching of sex education.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three strategies to reduce the impact of conscious and unconscious bias and enhance cross-cultural interactions in the classroom when teaching sex education.

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)
Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate three strategies for creating culturally responsive classrooms. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (S)
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.
Indicator 7 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to analyze and tailor lesson plans to match the age, developmental stages, cultural backgrounds, and other identities of students. (S)

Racial and Reproductive Justice Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Define racism (including individual, interpersonal, institutional, ideological, structural, and systemic), racial micro-aggressions, and reproductive justice.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Name three sexual health inequities and some of their systemic causes (e.g., African American women living with HIV have expressed mistrust toward healthcare professionals, in part, as a result of systemic racism).
Indicator 3 (K-12): Describe three ways power, privilege, prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes related to age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socio-economic status, immigration status, and/or physical or intellectual ability can impact sexual health and reproductive justice.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three effective response strategies when a student or school community member has been hurt or wronged by bias.
Indicator 5 (K-12): Describe three strategies educators can use to acknowledge and proactively work to mitigate the impact of bias on their students’ sexual health and multiple, intersecting identities.

LGBTQ+ Affirming and Inclusive Facilitation

This 12-hour virtual instructor-led course focuses on growing your skills to create and sustain inclusive and affirming learning environments. You’ll practice and hone a variety of essential skills including when it's okay to use specific language and identifying and interrupting micro-agressions. Delivered through five weekly, two-hour sessions held at pre-set times, the course incorporates a hands-on practice session utilizing the Advocates for Youth classroom simulation program (simulated teaching experience) which allows you to practice the skills you learned in the class in a low-stakes environment with virtual avatar students. After taking the course you will be able to:

Learn key vocabulary from the LGBTQ+ community along with language evolution and reclaiming of language
Differentiate between inclusive and affirming learning environments
Apply basic, intermediate, and advanced strategies to maintain inclusive and affirming learning environments
Apply the Theory of Intersectionality into your facilitation to lift up all identities held in the classroom
Apply models to identify and respond to microaggressions

Online

Cost -

$450

Length -

12 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, LGBQ+ identities

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (S)
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.
Indicator 7 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to analyze and tailor lesson plans to match the age, developmental stages, cultural backgrounds, and other identities of students. (S)

LGBQ+ Identities Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain how availability of supportive school staff, presence of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs), LGBQ-inclusive curricular resources, and the presence of comprehensive, enumerated anti-harassment school policies are related to improved school climate for students of all sexual orientations.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Define sexual orientation and sexual identity, including that everyone has both.
Indicator 3 (6-12): Explain the difference between sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and sexual identity.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Demonstrate the use of inclusive and affirming language. (S)
Indicator 5 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to intervene effectively in homophobic and other bullying comments and actions. (S)
Indicator 6 (K-12): Explain three ways that LGBQ+ youth are at disproportionate risk for health disparities.
Indicator 7 (K-12): Identify three credible, medically accurate, youth-friendly resources that can provide information or support related to sexual orientation.
Indicator 8 (K-12): Explain why it is essential to include positive portrayals of LGBQ+ people in lessons.
Indicator 9 (K-12): Demonstrate three strategies that can be used to include positive portrayals of LGBQ+ people in lessons. (S)

LGBTQ+ Affirming and Inclusive Sex Education

This three hour self-paced online training on LGBTQ+ Affirming and Inclusive Sex Ed provides an overview on how to create inclusive and affirming learning environments. The course is divided into four 30 - 45 minute bite-sized pieces that encompass a range of learning styles including interactive assessments, videos modeling classroom instruction, and real-life scenarios. After taking the course you will be able to:

Define sexual orientation and gender identity
Describe common vocabulary related to gender identity and sexual orientation
Explain how both sexual orientation and gender identity are determined by each individual, and not based on outward appearances
Define what homophobia and transphobia are and provide examples of each
Describe what a microaggression is, along with the three different types of microaggressions
Explain what intersectionality is, and how it can and should show up when delivering sex education
Describe what LGBTQ+ affirming sex education looks like
Assess your own sex education materials for LGBTQ+ inclusion in order to adapt or replace them as necessary

Online

Cost -

$200/course

Length -

3 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, LGBQ+ identities

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (S)
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.

LGBQ+ Identities Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain how availability of supportive school staff, presence of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs), LGBQ-inclusive curricular resources, and the presence of comprehensive, enumerated anti-harassment school policies are related to improved school climate for students of all sexual orientations.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Define sexual orientation and sexual identity, including that everyone has both.
Indicator 3 (6-12): Explain the difference between sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and sexual identity.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Demonstrate the use of inclusive and affirming language. (S)
Indicator 6 (K-12): Explain three ways that LGBQ+ youth are at disproportionate risk for health disparities.
Indicator 7 (K-12): Identify three credible, medically accurate, youth-friendly resources that can provide information or support related to sexual orientation.
Indicator 8 (K-12): Explain why it is essential to include positive portrayals of LGBQ+ people in lessons.

Facilitating from a Trauma-Informed Lens

This twelve hour virtual instructor-led training on Trauma-Informed Facilitation The course is divided into four 90 minute synchronous training sessions, followed by a practice and coaching session in the Advocates for Youth Classroom Simulation program to allow you to practice the skills you learned in the class in a low-stakes environment with virtual avatar students. You'll learn skills and to apply techniques needed to create and sustain a trauma-informed learning environment, and to identify and work with young people who may be exhibiting behaviors based on previous trauma. After taking the course you will be able to:

Create trauma-informed learning environments
Facilitate trauma-informed sex education
Identify and respond to signs of trauma
Recognize and practice responding to physical, verbal and behavioral signs of trauma
Use empathy and to validate emotions
Apply trauma-informed teaching techniques

*Prerequisite - Completion of the Spark*ED Trauma-Informed Sex Education self-paced course.

Online

Cost -

$450

Length -

12 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

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)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (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.

Facilitation Skills

This 12-hour virtual instructor-led course focuses on growing your skills to artfully deliver sex education in your community. You’ll practice and hone a variety of essential skills including “platform skills”, leading and debriefing discussions, responding to group dynamics, adapting on the fly to meet group needs – all while meeting the learning objectives. Delivered through five weekly, two-hour sessions held at pre-set times, the course incorporates a hands-on practice session utilizing the Advocates for Youth classroom simulation program (simulated teaching experience) which allows you to practice the skills you learned in the class in a low-stakes environment with virtual avatar students. After taking the course you will be able to:

Create and deliver a power packed introduction of yourself
Develop and use strong platform skills (voice volume, verbal pace, physical stance, eye contact, etc.)
Lead and guide a group discussion and discussion debrief
Lead a group brainstorming session
Create smooth transitions within group discussions
Give clear instructions to the group
Respond to group dynamics
Effectively adapt on the fly to meet participant needs and learning objectives

Online

Cost -

$450

Length -

12 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)
Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate three strategies for creating culturally responsive classrooms. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

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.

Facilitating Sex Ed

This course set the basic foundation for teaching impactful, inclusive sex education. During this six-session, 12-hour virtual instructor-led training you’ll learn to teach through that lens of social justice and racial equity concentrated in medically accurate, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and LGBT+ inclusive sex education. We’ll concentrate on the skills you’ll need to take your work to the classroom and community. You’ll even get hands-on virtual experience, practicing your sex ed facilitation skills in the Advocates for Youth Virtual Classroom followed by a coaching session to allow you to practice the skills you learn in a low-stakes environment with virtual avatar students. After taking the course you will be able to:

Identify what makes exemplary sex education
Understand the importance of not sharing your values and setting boundaries
Address bias and stigma in sex ed
Manage participant disclosure
Answer sex ed related questions

*Prerequisite - Completion of the Spark*ED Teaching Sexuality self-paced course.

Online

Cost -

$450 (plus $200 if you haven't yet completed the self-paced course)

Length -

16 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture disclosure, Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Disclosure, Effective teaching strategies, Racial and reproductive justice, Responding to challenging questions

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Define conscious and unconscious bias and explain how they could influence one’s teaching of sex education.
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain how an educator’s personal beliefs about racial and reproductive justice could influence their teaching of sex education.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three strategies to reduce the impact of conscious and unconscious bias and enhance cross-cultural interactions in the classroom when teaching sex education.

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)

Disclosure Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe the importance of teachers’ maintaining professional boundaries when teaching sex education.
Indicator 2 (K-12): List three factors to consider regarding personal disclosure when teaching sex education
Indicator 3 (K-12): Demonstrate how to reduce the impact of educators’ passive and/or active personal disclosure on the educational environment. (S)
Indicator 4 (K-12): Explain the roles and responsibilities of a mandated reporter.

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to build rapport with students. (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.

Racial and Reproductive Justice Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Define racism (including individual, interpersonal, institutional, ideological, structural, and systemic), racial micro-aggressions, and reproductive justice.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Name three sexual health inequities and some of their systemic causes (e.g., African American women living with HIV have expressed mistrust toward healthcare professionals, in part, as a result of systemic racism).
Indicator 3 (K-12): Describe three ways power, privilege, prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes related to age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socio-economic status, immigration status, and/or physical or intellectual ability can impact sexual health and reproductive justice.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three effective response strategies when a student or school community member has been hurt or wronged by bias.
Indicator 5 (K-12): Describe three strategies educators can use to acknowledge and proactively work to mitigate the impact of bias on their students’ sexual health and multiple, intersecting identities.

Responding to Challenging Questions Indicators

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)

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Trauma-Informed Sex Education

This four hour self-paced online training on Trauma-Informed Sex Education provides an overview on how to identify and respond with empathy to those potentially displaying the effects of previous trauma. Through this course, with an emphasis on understanding techniques to create and sustain a trauma-informed learning environment, you’ll know how to communicate, accept, and validate these emotions in others. The course is divided into four 30 - 45 minute bite-sized pieces that encompass a range of learning styles including interactive assessments, videos modeling classroom instruction, and real-life scenarios. After taking the course you will be able to:

Explain the importance of trauma-informed learning environments
Define trauma, types of safety, agency, and triggers
Define what makes and sustains a trauma-informed learning environment
Explain the essential skills for facilitating trauma-informed sex education
Define the needs and developmental context for sex education participants
Explain the essential skills to
- identify and respond to signs of trauma
- recognize physical, verbal, and behavioral signs of trauma
Explain how to use empathy and to validate emotions
Explain trauma-informed teaching techniques

Online

Cost -

$200/course

Length -

4 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, Sex education in schools

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

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)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

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.

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Relationships and Consent

This four hour self-paced online course on Relationships and Consent emphasizes how to guide young people on an exploration of their relationships, including teaching young folks how to build and maintain positive relationships and how to identify harmful and supportive behaviors. We tackle the following questions, and more, in this module:

What does it mean to be supportive? Unsupportive?
Who decides what's supportive/unsupportive?
How do we define relationships - romantic, platonic, familiar?
What does consent look like?

Empower young people by developing and strengthening their skills to navigate all kinds of relationships rooted in consent and clear communication. You’ll teach them tools they can use to talk through things when they feel uncertain and set them up for successful future consent conversations. The more we talk, the more we mainstream these areas of everyday life. Learn how to define and separate your personal values and beliefs, examine expectations set forth by your community, and navigate conflicting beliefs. We’ll discuss what you need to know to make informed decisions to better teach and support young people in a safe and inclusive environment. The course is divided into four 45-minute bite-size pieces that encompass a range of learning styles including interactive assessments, videos modeling classroom instruction, and real-life scenarios.

This course helps you to:

Explore and understand relationships as an essential part of everyone’s lives.
Identify the variety of intimate and romantic relationships that can exist in people’s lives – expressing affection and types of intimacy.
Teach youth to identify supportive and harmful behaviors and help develop the life skill of building and maintaining positive relationships.
Review communication tips and skills.
Build an understanding of what consent is and isn’t and that all people deserve to have their consent communicated, recognized, and respected.
Identify relationship skills to evaluate a relationship, set boundaries, end a relationship, and handle rejection.
Teach young people how to build personal power and agency.

Online

Cost -

$200/course

Length -

4 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Consent and interpersonal and sexual violence, Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, Healthy relationships, Sex education in schools, Values

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Describe three elements of a trauma-informed approach to sex education.

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.

Healthy Relationships Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three distinguishing characteristics between healthy and unhealthy relationships, involving family, friends, and/or romantic partners.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Explain three ways that healthy relationships can positively impact personal well-being.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three strategies for incorporating the positive and negative impacts of communicating through technology into lessons on healthy relationships.
Indicator 5 (K-12): Describe three ways to help students set and respect personal boundaries in relationships.

Responding to Challenging Questions Indicators

Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to three different types of challenging questions. (S)

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Values Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the importance of educators refraining from sharing their personal values when implementing sex education.

Teaching About Abstinence and Birth Control

This three hour self-paced online training on Abstinence and Birth Control provides an overview of behavioral, hormonal, and barrier birth control methods, including abstinence. You’ll learn to teach about each method and its effectiveness, and how help young people navigate information when deciding what form of birth control might work best for them. The course is divided into four 30 - 45-minute bite-size pieces that encompass a range of learning styles including interactive assessments, videos modeling classroom instruction, and real-life scenarios. After taking the course you will be able to:

Identify key teaching concepts for abstinence and birth control.
Explain how to create and adapt inclusive lessons about abstinence and birth control.
Describe the benefit of teaching about sexual abstinence and why abstinence may not be 100% effective.
Describe traditional abstinence-only education and why it is both ineffective and non-inclusive.
Describe different forms of birth control and the effectiveness of each one.
Identify important factors one should consider when selecting a birth control method.
Explain how hormonal birth control, barriers, and other methods prevent pregnancy.
Identify where to find reliable, medically accurate information about birth control.
Describe how to use a condom in a demonstration.
Explain why it is important for everyone to learn about birth control, regardless of the type of sex they will or will not be having.

Online

Cost -

$200

Length -

3 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction, Effective teaching strategies, Sex education in schools

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Contraception, Pregnancy, and Reproduction Indicators

Indicator 1 (6-12): Explain fertilization, implantation, conception, and how pregnancy occurs.
Indicator 2 (6-12): Demonstrate the steps necessary for effective external and internal condom use and how to access condoms. (S)
Indicator 3 (6-12): Describe the differences in mechanisms of action and access between emergency contraception and the abortion pill.
Indicator 4 (6-12): Explain methods of contraception, including the latest medical advances that are popular among young people.
Indicator 5 (6-12): Describe pregnancy options, including parenting, adoption, and abortion.

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Teaching About STIs and HIV

This four hour self-paced online training on Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV provides an overview of the different types of STIs: which are curable, which are treatable, and how to avoid transmission. You’ll learn how to teach and talk about STIs in a way that normalizes and removes associated stigma and shame. You’ll learn how to normalize prevention, testing, and treatment as a routine part of health and self-care. You’ll also learn to teach young people how to have these conversations with their partners, teach them the questions to ask, the words to use, and the steps to take to help these conversations take place. The course is divided into four 30 - 45-minute bite-size pieces that encompass a range of learning styles including interactive assessments, videos modeling classroom instruction, and real-life scenarios. After taking the course you will be able to:

Explain who is most impacted by common STIs and why.
Explain the causes and impacts of disparities in HIV in the United State.
Identify impacts of stigma on STI and HIV prevention, transmission, prevalence, and treatment.
Explain that prevention, testing, and treatment of STIs and HIV is a routine part of taking care of one‘s sexual health.
Explain how STIs and HIV are transmitted and describe how to prevent transmission.
Recognize eradication of shame and stigma as a primary goal of STI and HIV education.
Describe how to teach free from judgement, shame, and stigma.

Online

Cost -

$200/course

Length -

4 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture disclosure, Contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction, Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases/infections, Responding to challenging questions, Sex education in schools

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Conscious and unconscious bias about race, ethnicity, and culture Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain how an educator’s personal beliefs about racial and reproductive justice could influence their teaching of sex education.

Contraception, Pregnancy, and Reproduction Indicators

Indicator 2 (6-12): Demonstrate the steps necessary for effective external and internal condom use and how to access condoms. (S)

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.

HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases/infections Indicators

Indicator 1 (6-12): Describe HIV and three common STDs/STIs, and how each can and cannot be transmitted.
Indicator 2 (6-12): Explain that many STD/STIs do not cause symptoms and the only way to know if you have one is to be tested.
Indicator 3 (6-12): Explain the benefits of getting tested and treated for HIV and other STDs/STIs.
Indicator 4 (6-12): Explain three facilitators and three barriers to STD/STI testing and treatment.
Indicator 5 (6-12): Demonstrate the steps necessary for effective external and internal condom use and how to access condoms. (S).
Indicator 6 (6-12): Describe the latest medical advances in HIV and other STDs/STIs prevention and treatment.
Indicator 7 (6-12): Identify three medically accurate and youth-friendly resources for STD/STI and HIV prevention, testing, and treatment

Racial and Reproductive Justice Indicators

Indicator 2 (K-12): Name three sexual health inequities and some of their systemic causes (e.g., African American women living with HIV have expressed mistrust toward healthcare professionals, in part, as a result of systemic racism).
Indicator 3 (K-12): Describe three ways power, privilege, prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes related to age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, socio-economic status, immigration status, and/or physical or intellectual ability can impact sexual health and reproductive justice.

Responding to Challenging Questions Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain three reasons why it is important to respond to every question students ask when teaching sex education.

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Teaching Sexuality

This four-hour self-paced online training on Teaching Sexuality provides an overview of what’s involved and what to consider when teaching sex education and sexuality. You’ll learn how to engage young people to help them normalize meaningful conversations about sex and sexuality while removing the stigma associated with these topics. The course is divided into four 30 - 45-minute bite-size pieces that encompass a range of learning styles including interactive assessments, videos modeling classroom instruction, and real-life scenarios.

The course:

Provides a comprehensive definition of sexuality.
Names and describes the various aspects of sexuality.
Describes the importance of having a comprehensive, holistic lens when teaching sexuality.
Describes how the six aspects of sexuality model manifest throughout the lifespan.
Describes why a holistic conception of sexuality is essential for high quality sex education.
Describes why is it important to create a safe space to answer questions in sex education.
Explains how anonymous question time can be set up to maximize participation and foster an environment of learning and respect.
Names and applies best practices for answering various types of questions about sexuality.
Distinguishes universal from non-universal values.
Identifies values-based questions.
Describes the steps in the FLASH Values Question Protocol and use it to respond to values-based questions.

Online

Cost -

$200/course

Length -

4 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, LGBQ+ identities, Responding to challenging questions, Sex education in schools, Values

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.

LGBQ+ Identities Indicators

Indicator 2 (K-12): Define sexual orientation and sexual identity, including that everyone has both.
Indicator 3 (6-12): Explain the difference between sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and sexual identity.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Demonstrate the use of inclusive and affirming language. (S)
Indicator 7 (K-12): Identify three credible, medically accurate, youth-friendly resources that can provide information or support related to sexual orientation.

Responding to Challenging Questions Indicators

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)

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Values Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain the differences between personal and universal values relating to sexuality.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Describe how verbal and nonverbal expression of personal values, and comfort with topics related to sex education, could impact one’s teaching
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)

Teaching About Sexual Anatomy and Reproduction

In this four hour self-paced online training on Sexual Anatomy and Reproduction you’ll learn to teach in an engaging, inclusive, and body-positive manner, unassuming of gender, orientation, experiences, body parts, or behavior of young people. This comprehensive approach will allow you to have real conversations about anatomy and the reproductive system in an inclusive way, emphasizing the differences between cisgender, transgender, and intersex bodies. This course will also cover the wide range of “normal” anatomy – from the testicle/penis reproductive system, to the ovaries/uterus/vagina system, to the menstrual cycle, and all about pregnancy. The course is divided into four 30 - 45-minute bite-size pieces that encompass a range of learning styles including interactive assessments, videos modeling classroom instruction, and real-life scenarios. During the course you’ll:

Learn how to make anatomy and reproduction sex-positive and engaging.
Understand the importance of inclusive language when teaching anatomy and reproduction.
Recognize that there is a wide range of “normal” anatomy.
Define cisgender, transgender, and intersex.
Identify the parts of the reproductive system and their functions in people with ovaries, uteri, vaginas, testicles, and penises.
Describe the path of an egg during the menstrual cycle.
Identify what pregnancy is, and how it occurs.

Online

Cost -

$200

Length -

3.5 - 4 hours

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction, Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Effective teaching strategies, Puberty and adolescent development, Sex education in schools, Sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Contraception, Pregnancy, and Reproduction Indicators

Indicator 1 (6-12): Explain fertilization, implantation, conception, and how pregnancy occurs.

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the differences between positive vs. shaming approaches to teaching sex education.

Puberty and Adolescent Development Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe how puberty prepares the human body for the potential to reproduce.
Indicator 2 (K-12): List three physical, three social, and three emotional changes that occur during puberty.
Indicator 3 (K-12): Identify three practices that students can adopt for maintaining healthy habits beginning during puberty.

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Sexual & Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology Indicators

Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to use medically accurate terms for sexual and reproductive anatomy, including all external genitals. (S)
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the function of the individual sexual and reproductive body parts and how they typically work.

Sex Education Foundation Series

Our Spark*ED online sex educator courses focus on the information, skills, and theory required to deliver impactful and inclusive sex education. Our philosophy towards sex education is at the heart of the Spark*ED curriculum and all course materials have been created with a social justice and racial equity lens and incorporate the latest information and research in the fields of of sexual health, gender, adolescent development, learning styles, and behavioral change. Each course has been reviewed by content matter experts, including medical professionals, trainers, classroom teachers, public health workers, and researchers. These self-guided courses are a convenient 2 - 3 hours broken into 25 - 30-minute modules. Learning tools include interactive training, videos of classroom instruction, real life scenarios, and self-assessment throughout each course to ensure participants have mastered all the information.

The courses in the Sex Education Foundation Series include:

Teaching Sexuality and Answering Questions
Teaching About Sexual Anatomy and Reproduction
Teaching About Abstinence and Birth Control a
Teaching Sexually Transmitted Infections/HIV
Teaching Relationships and Consent
LGBTQ+ Inclusive and Affirming Sex Education
Trauma-Informed Sex Ed

Online

Cost -

$1,000

Length -

2 - 3 hours/course

Age Group(s) -

Grades 6-8, Grades 9-10, Grades 11-12

Topic(s) -

Consent and interpersonal and sexual violence, Contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction, Creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment, Disclosure, Effective teaching strategies, Healthy relationships, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases/infections, LGBQ+ identities, Puberty and adolescent development, Responding to challenging questions, Sex education in schools, Sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology, Values

Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) Indicators

Contraception, Pregnancy, and Reproduction Indicators

Indicator 1 (6-12): Explain fertilization, implantation, conception, and how pregnancy occurs.
Indicator 2 (6-12): Demonstrate the steps necessary for effective external and internal condom use and how to access condoms. (S)
Indicator 3 (6-12): Describe the differences in mechanisms of action and access between emergency contraception and the abortion pill.
Indicator 4 (6-12): Explain methods of contraception, including the latest medical advances that are popular among young people.
Indicator 5 (6-12): Describe pregnancy options, including parenting, adoption, and abortion.

Creating and inclusive and affirming learning environment Indicators

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)

Disclosure Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe the importance of teachers’ maintaining professional boundaries when teaching sex education.
Indicator 2 (K-12): List three factors to consider regarding personal disclosure when teaching sex education
Indicator 3 (K-12): Demonstrate how to reduce the impact of educators’ passive and/or active personal disclosure on the educational environment. (S)

Effective Teaching Strategies Indicators

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.

Healthy Relationships Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three distinguishing characteristics between healthy and unhealthy relationships, involving family, friends, and/or romantic partners.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Explain three ways that healthy relationships can positively impact personal well-being.
Indicator 3 (K-12): Describe three strategies for teaching students communication skills.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Describe three strategies for incorporating the positive and negative impacts of communicating through technology into lessons on healthy relationships.
Indicator 5 (K-12): Describe three ways to help students set and respect personal boundaries in relationships.

HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases/infections Indicators

Indicator 1 (6-12): Describe HIV and three common STDs/STIs, and how each can and cannot be transmitted.
Indicator 2 (6-12): Explain that many STD/STIs do not cause symptoms and the only way to know if you have one is to be tested.
Indicator 3 (6-12): Explain the benefits of getting tested and treated for HIV and other STDs/STIs.
Indicator 4 (6-12): Explain three facilitators and three barriers to STD/STI testing and treatment.
Indicator 5 (6-12): Demonstrate the steps necessary for effective external and internal condom use and how to access condoms. (S).
Indicator 6 (6-12): Describe the latest medical advances in HIV and other STDs/STIs prevention and treatment.

LGBQ+ Identities Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain how availability of supportive school staff, presence of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs), LGBQ-inclusive curricular resources, and the presence of comprehensive, enumerated anti-harassment school policies are related to improved school climate for students of all sexual orientations.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Define sexual orientation and sexual identity, including that everyone has both.
Indicator 3 (6-12): Explain the difference between sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and sexual identity.
Indicator 4 (K-12): Demonstrate the use of inclusive and affirming language. (S)
Indicator 5 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to intervene effectively in homophobic and other bullying comments and actions. (S)
Indicator 6 (K-12): Explain three ways that LGBQ+ youth are at disproportionate risk for health disparities.
Indicator 7 (K-12): Identify three credible, medically accurate, youth-friendly resources that can provide information or support related to sexual orientation.
Indicator 8 (K-12): Explain why it is essential to include positive portrayals of LGBQ+ people in lessons.
Indicator 9 (K-12): Demonstrate three strategies that can be used to include positive portrayals of LGBQ+ people in lessons. (S)

Puberty and Adolescent Development Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe how puberty prepares the human body for the potential to reproduce.
Indicator 2 (K-12): List three physical, three social, and three emotional changes that occur during puberty.

Responding to Challenging Questions Indicators

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)

Sex Education In Schools Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people

Sexual & Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology Indicators

Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to use medically accurate terms for sexual and reproductive anatomy, including all external genitals. (S)
Indicator 3 (K-12): Explain the function of the individual sexual and reproductive body parts and how they typically work.

Values Indicators

Indicator 1 (K-12): Explain the differences between personal and universal values relating to sexuality.
Indicator 2 (K-12): Describe how verbal and nonverbal expression of personal values, and comfort with topics related to sex education, could impact one’s teaching
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)

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Organization Data

Intro to Cultural Humility & Responsiveness (Self-Paced Course)

Facilitating from a Cultural Humility & Responsiveness Lens

LGBTQ+ Affirming and Inclusive Facilitation

LGBTQ+ Affirming and Inclusive Sex Education

Facilitating from a Trauma-Informed Lens

Facilitation Skills

Facilitating Sex Ed

Trauma-Informed Sex Education

Relationships and Consent

Teaching About Abstinence and Birth Control

Teaching About STIs and HIV

Teaching Sexuality

Teaching About Sexual Anatomy and Reproduction

Sex Education Foundation Series

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