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Training in Program Theory and Methodology The following are the theoretical and methodological foundation for program development, training, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, feedback and improvement processes. Trans-theoretical Behavior Change Model The Trans-theoretical Model of Behavior Change by JO Prochaska, PhD and CC DiClemente, PhD explains behavior change as a process rather than an event, making the case that people may go in and out of the various stages, repeat stages, and yet still move forward toward maintenance of the desired behavior. This model has primarily been used in clinical settings, but Heritage has adapted the principles of change in developing its programs for individuals and communities. The stages of change are identified as pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The Heritage program emphasizes the need to consider how gains for the individual and the community will be maintained over time. Emotional Intelligence Resource: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Author Daniel Goleman effectively argues that “our capacity for self-awareness and reflection lets us better attune to [social] signals, which can be subtle.” Prior to entering the classroom, Heritage Educators are taught about the various ways the brain processes emotions and the importance of affect relative to this topic. As with any subject, the student’s success largely depends on the effectiveness of the teacher and how they feel about what the teacher is saying. At the end of the program, how the students feel about abstaining will largely decide whether they will or will not engage in sexual activity. Social Learning Theory Resource: A Human Learning, Third Edition by JE Ormrod Social Learning Theory emphasizes that children learn from what is demonstrated by those around them. According to the website of Alfred Bandura, who first put forth this theory, social learning “emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. The component processes underlying observational learning are: (1) Attention, including modeled events…(2) Retention, including symbolic coding, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal, motor rehearsal), (3) Motor Reproduction, including physical capabilities, self-observation of reproduction, accuracy of feedback, and (4) Motivation, including external, vicarious and self reinforcement.” Considering the importance of the role models and teachers in the lives of young people, the role of the Heritage Educator, and his/her positive relationship with the students in the classroom is strongly emphasized. The influence of parents and other adults over adolescent behavior in well documented and as such, the importance of a systemic or community-wide approach to establishing the protective standard of abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage is stressed. All members of Heritage Community Services staff are expected to live abstinent lifestyles because of this theory. Social Intelligence Resource: Social Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Social Intelligence provides a neurological foundation for Social Learning Theory. According to its author, Daniel Goleman, “Neuroscience has discovered that our brain’s very design makes it sociable, inexorably drawn into an intimate brain-to-brain linkup whenever we engage with another person. That neural bridge lets us impact the brain—and so the body—of everyone we interact with, just as they do us. Even our most routine encounters act as regulators in the brain, priming emotions in us, some desirable, others not. The more strongly connected we are with someone emotionally, the greater the mutual force. The most potent exchanges occur with those people with whom we spend the greatest amount of time day in and day out, year after year—particularly those we care about the most.” An Authoritative Approach to Abstinence Education Resource: Hardwired to Connect by the Institution for American Values Hard Wired to Connect, a monograph by mental health experts, calls on communities to provide an authoritative environment, providing direction for youngsters. A case is made that leaving children on “autopilot” regarding the important things in life just won’t work. Heritage Educators are taught that humans are clearly wired by their interactions with others. These interactions don’t just “influence” children; they actually form their neural network, making them who they are. Therefore, Heritage’s position is that adults have a responsibility to provide protective standards and subsequent direction to children and adolescents regarding sexual activity. The consequences regarding their mental and physical health, as well as the implications for the families they potentially form, are far too significant for them and our culture to put the topic of sex on “auto pilot.” Miller’s Typologies Researchers have traditionally used two categories to define the adolescents in their samples: sexually active and not sexually active. Recently, Miller and her colleagues (1997) have proposed a more complex typology using five categories for identifying level of sexual activity, from Delayers who have never had penile-vaginal intercourse to Multiples who report more than one sexual partner (Miller, Clark, Wendell, Levin, Gray-Ray, Velez & Webber, 1997). This model has influenced program development, training, monitoring and evaluation, in recognition of the need to address the various degrees of sexual activity that may be represented in the target audience. Adolescent Brain Research Heritage Educators receive training in recent findings relevant to the adolescent brain. This training is based primarily on Why Do They Act That Way: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen by Dr. David Walsh. This training explains how the human brain develops and makes clear the differences between the adolescent and the adult brain decision making capacity. The Importance of Role Play (“Wiring and firing”) Resources: Why Do They Act That Way: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen by David Walsh, MD; Hardwired to Connect by the Institution for American Values Heritage Educators are taught the importance of curricula role-play activities, as related to “brain-based” training. The way human brains interact socially, and how they become “soft wired” through “wiring and firing” is emphasized. Predictors of Sexual Behavior (Stan Weed, PhD) Heritage Educators are provided with instruction in the predictors of adolescent sexual initiation as identified by Stan Weed, PhD, Institute for Research and Evaluation. These predictors are listed and described in the Heritage Program Rationale and in the article published in Evaluating Abstinence Education Programs: Improving Implementation and Assessing Impact by US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs and the Administration for Children and Families (2005). Heritage training provides specific instruction to its Educators on how to target these predictors when implementing the Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education and Life Skills Education curricula. This enables Heritage Educators to focus on the individual needs of an adolescent, going beyond a "Just Say No" program. Utilizing Data Feedback for Program and Implementation Improvement The Director of Training provides training for Heritage Educators and Regional Directors in interpreting data analysis or the purpose of improving program implementation, particularly relevant to the identified predictors of sexual initiation. If data indicates weaknesses across multiple Educators, program development and training are examined for improvement. Levels of Intervention (Stan Weed, PhD) Dr. Stan Weed’s Levels of Intervention theorizes that in order for there to be a behavioral change, students must be taught much more than knowledge and that the program must be aimed at the core of the person so that there is personal efficacy to achieve that behavior. The levels are awareness, knowledge, understanding, attitude, belief, value, personal efficacy, and commitment. It is Dr. Weed’s assertion that the deeper the level of intervention, the more likely the program is to empower participants to practice the desired behavior. Individual training will be given on the levels of intervention if it is found that a teacher is struggling with moving the student’s pre to post scores on personal efficacy and behavioral intent. Training in Program Presentation Presentation Skills Heritage Educators are taught classroom presentation skills. These skills are practiced in mock teaching sessions with their peers prior to teaching in the classroom. Feedback is provided by their colleagues for improvement. Leadership Skills Heritage Educators are taught leadership skills to improve effectiveness in the classroom and communities they serve. Training in Foundational Program Concepts The Sexual Revolution Heritage Educators are provided with information about changes in cultural norms during the period often referred to as the Sexual Revolution. The history of the Centers for Disease Control Division of Adolescent School Health state and national grants programs is reviewed. The impact of health officials and advocates who proactively oppose A-H consistent abstinence education program are discussed. Secondary Virginity Resource: The Cult of the Born Again Virgin by Wendy Keller; Sexual Celibacy by Donna Marie Williams Heritage Educators are provided with instruction in teaching secondary virginity with emphasis on sensitivity to the needs of those who have already engaged in sexual activity – including those who have engaged in sexual activity by choice as well as those who have been sexually abused. Cultural Influences Resources: Unhooked: How Young women Pursue Sex, Delay Love and Lose at Both by Laura Sessions Stepp; The Lost Children of Rockdale County video by PBS; The Merchants of Cool video by PBS; Smart Sex; Finding Love in a Hook-up World by Jennifer Roback Morse, “A Sexualization of American Girls,” APA 2007 Task Force; “When Sex Goes to School” by Kristin Luker; Love and Economics; Why the Laissez-faire Family Doesn’t Work by Jennifer Roback Morse. Because Hip Hop music is particularly popular among adolescents, and some of the popular Hip Hop music provides inappropriate standards regarding objectification of women, sexual activity and related topics, Heritage Educators are provided with a history of Hip Hop, the Hip Hop culture, and how to address issues in the classroom relevant to Hip Hop. The History of Marriage Resource: Marriage: A History by Stephanie Coontz Heritage Educators are trained in the history of western civilization marriage, beginning with pre-historic to present day, and the history of African American marriage. The purpose of these modules is to provide educators with a broad perspective about marriage. Heritage Educators are provided information about marriage trends, particularly over the last two decades, and the relevant impact of sexual activity outside of marriage. The Benefits of Marriage Resource: Why Marriage Matters: 26 Conclusions from the Social Sciences by the Institute for American Values Heritage Educators receive instruction on the benefits of marriage based on Why Marriage Matters, Twenty-six Conclusions from the Social Sciences produced by the Institute for American Values in keeping with the emphasis on marriage in the A-H Congressional definition of abstinence education. Healthy Marriage Resource: The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman, PhD Information from The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman is presented to help Heritage Educators think through concepts that contribute to a healthy marriage as a foundation for discussions that may ensue in the classroom. Marriage Preparation Resources: Don’t you dare get married until you read this!: The book of questions for couples by C. Donaldson; Getting ready for marriage workbook: How to really get to know the person you are going to marry by J. Hardin and D. Sloan; Saving your marriage before it starts by L. Parrott Because many Heritage teachers are not married, this module is provided to increase their self efficacy on the subject of marriage preparation and their ability to discuss marriage preparation with students in the classroom. Healthy Family Formation Resource: Heritage’s Healthy Family Formation monograph; Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman Heritage program staff members are trained in the concept that waiting to have sex until married provides the surest way to form ones family within marriage, with a mother and father committed to one another and to supporting and raising any children they may have. The benefits to children, women, men and the culture are emphasized. The Importance of Fathers Training on the importance of fathers is provided for all instructors for the purpose of informing those Heritage Educators who are already parents and those who hope to be parents to provide a foundation for making this case in the classroom with young males and young females. For those students who are already fathers outside of marriage, the case is made to increase paternal involvement. For those young people who have not had children, the case is made to abstain from sexual activity until after committing through marriage to the future father or mother of the children they hope to have. Engaging Male Participants Resource: Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys by Dan Kindlor, PhD and Michael Thompson, PhD Heritage Educators are provided training in engaging males in the classroom. The basis for the training is Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys by Dan Kindlor, PhD and Michael Thompson, PhD. This book outlines the need for male role models in the classroom, the importance of fathers in males’ lives and the importance of opening boys up to an emotional world by providing them with an “emotional vocabulary.” Condom Efficacy Joshua Mann, MD, MPH, of the University of South Carolina School of Family and Preventive Training in Program Curricula Instruction in Heritage School-based Programs Before teaching the Heritage Keepers® Abstinence Education I & II curricula and Life Skills I – V curricula, the Heritage Educator must complete the Heritage training for that curriculum. This includes explanation of the topics covered within the curriculum as well as specific teaching instructions and demonstrations of activities. Instruction in Heritage Community-based Programs Before implementing the Heritage Parent and Faith Components, the Heritage Educator must complete the Heritage training for those components. This includes explanation of the topics covered within the curriculum as well as specific instructions in all curriculum activities. Instruction in Presenting the Heritage/Medical Institute Sexually Transmitted Diseases DVD Heritage Educators are provided instruction in using the Heritage/Medical Institute DVD on sexually transmitted diseases in the classroom, which has been certified as medically accurate by the Medical Institute for Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Austin, Texas. |
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