Presenter: Melissa-Anne COBBLER, M.A. Educational Studies, Concordia university,

Uncomfortable Silences: Narratives of four educators teaching about HIV/AIDS in a High School near Montréal Presenter: Melissa-Anne COBBLER, M.A. Educational Studies, Concordia university, Montréal, Québec, canaDA AIDS 2012, WASHINGTON DC, USA July 26th,2012

Acknowledgements • I would like to give a special acknowledgment for the financial assistance of Concordia University’s - School of Graduate Studies; Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor; Dr. Geneviève Rail, Principal of the Simone de Beauvoir Institute; the University of Toronto’s – Dr. June Larkin, Faculty of Women & Gender Studies Institute; and my lovely mother and grandmother. • Thesis Supervisor & Associate Professor ArpiHamalian, Faculty of the Department of Education at Concordia University receives an important Thank You for her moral support. www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012 I have no conflict of interest.

A QUICKIE • INTRODUCTION • RESEARCH AIM & QUESTIONS • METHODOLOGY • FINDINGS • SIGNIFICANCE • PROPOSAL www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

INTRODUCTION • In 2005, the Québec Ministry of Education withdrew what was five (5) hours per year of formal sex education from the school curriculum. • Introduction of the Education “Reform” charged educators who taught courses in Science & Technology, English and Language Arts, and Moral and Religious Education tointegrate sexual health education into their curriculum. • Canadian youth (15-29) are vulnerable to contracting the HIV virus and Aboriginal youth are more so, comprising *40.9% of new HIV-positive cases. • The discourse around HIV/AIDS is fundamental as myths, stigma, and a lack of awareness continue to exist. www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012 *http://www.sexualityandu.ca/resource-library/single/check-the-research/global-hiv-statistics-for-youth

Research aim & questions • My notion was that the many teachers within the context of the education reform would not holdthe necessary, accurate, and accessible tools, and/or the knowledge to discuss HIV/AIDS with easedue to a lack of guidance. • To develop my hypothesis, five (5) research questions were created and subsequently, four (4) categories using narrative codes: • Understanding and/or learning of HIV/AIDS • Strategies used • Experiences and challenges • Other important factors related to myths and/or school environment www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

METHODOLOGY • Qualitative Case Study carried out over a four (4) month period – April to June, 2011. • Semi-structured interviews were carried out with interviews lasting from twenty-three to thirty-five (23 to 35) minutes . • Through word of mouth a small sample size of four (4) teachers participated; three (3) males and one (1) female. Three (3) potential participants, one including the Sexual Health Consultant to all English Montréal Schools, and one individual teaching sexuality in the French School board, ultimately declined to be interviewed. Between all volunteer teachers six (6) courses were carried out. • Used narratives for collecting data and to gain an authentic insight on the experiences of teachers who do such work. • Employed Paulo Freire’sTransformative/Engaged Pedagogy and NelNodding’sPedagogy of Care as theoretical frameworks. www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

FINDINGS • LACK OF INFORMATION/RESOURCES • RQ: What prior knowledge/resources are valuable for teachers to hold in order to facilitate a discussion on HIV/AIDS in the classroom? • All teachers mentioned they were left to use their “own devices,” which they derived from personal knowledge and/or the Internet. Two (2) teachers used the textbook as a way to discuss HIV/AIDS. • LACK OF TRAINING • RQ: If teachers do not hold prior knowledge on HIV/AIDS, how do they go about providing information to their students? • Educators did not initially receive nor were offered training throughout the year from the school board and/or administrator. www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

FINDINGS (cont.) • LACK OF TIME • RQ: What are the aims of teaching HIV/AIDS education? Does the teacher become self-reflective in the process? • Because HIV/AIDS is integrated into the regular curriculum discussions within the whole school year were limited, lasting at most a week. Educators did not feel that discussing HIV/AIDS made them any less or more reflective in how they viewed the virus. • LACK OF SUPPORT • RQ: What are teachers’ personal experiences, if any, with teaching HIV/AIDS? • No backlash received from the school board, administrator or colleagues. However, a display of a lack of support from parents. One (1) teacher was confronted by a parent for an assignment on sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

FINDINGS (CONT.) • UNEASE AND HIDDEN STIGMA • RQ: How do teachers go about discussing myths and stigma attached to HIV/AIDS? • Very seldom did educators used the actual term HIV/AIDS in their interview. “It”, • “this”, and “that situation” were often referred to, presenting an unease in fully • engaging with the term and hence the subject. • Importantly, educators fell short in clarifying student statements that crucially linked HIV/AIDS to race/ethnicity (Black/Brown), class (Poor), sexual orientation (LGBTTIQ), and/or nationality (Africa). www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

SIGNIFICANCE • Adequate resources, information, training (UNPACKING OF VALUES), require effective development and support as students are truly looking for accurate and consistent HIV/AIDS and SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION. • Collaborations between schools, educators and community organizations need to be established to lessen community burden. • Educators are still struggling to discuss HIV/AIDS with comfort. They’re likewise working within a system that still holds sexuality and HIV/AIDS as taboo topics. • Limited in-depth discussions on myths and stigma leave students to believe that HIV/AIDS is an issue that continues to predominantly affect the SOUTH (Africa) and not so much the NORTH (Canada). www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

SIGNIFICANCE (CONT.) • All volunteer teachers learned of HIV/AIDS though the media and which groups were viewed as the “carriers of the virus.” • Teachers in this study did not seem to utilize media effectively for the benefit of their understanding and importantly, the understanding of their students. • Teachers weren't aware of reputable local, national or international HIV/AIDS websites that carried accurate information. • Emphasis on a linkage between promiscuity and despair related to HIV/AIDS. www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

Proposal • Four (4) recommendations were purposed to facilitate the process: • Access to resources, training and external resource persons (when required). • Dedicated time to discuss HIV/AIDS comprehensively. • Mobilize educators to engage in a critical assessment/self-reflection of their values related to HIV/AIDS. • Production of exclusive tools and activities (toolkit) to assist educators in facilitating HIV/AIDS discussions. www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

Thank you/ merci / gracias! www.aids2012.org Washington DC, USA, 22-27 July, 2012

Presenter: Melissa-Anne COBBLER, M.A. Educational Studies, Concordia university,