The curriculum is structured in such a way as to treat the social, personal and health dimensions of the child’s life in an integrated manner. It provides for the development of a broad range of values, attitudes, skills and understanding relevant to the child’s health and wellbeing, to other people, and to the society in which he/she lives. This foundation will inform the child’s actions, behaviour and decisions in the many situations that he/she may encounter and have to deal with as part of everyday life and living.

Because SPHE permeates all aspects of school life, the content outlined in the curriculum should be implemented in a combination of formal and informal approaches: formally through the discrete SPHE time designated on the timetable and other relevant subject areas, and informally through the everyday happenings in the school and in the context of the overall school climate and atmosphere. The professional judgement of the teacher will guide him/her in choosing the most appropriate way in which the objectives can be achieved.

Basic structure of the curriculum

The curriculum is delineated at four levels—infant classes, first and second classes, third and fourth classes, and fifth and sixth classes—and is divided into three strands: Myself, Myself and others, and Myself and the wider world. Each of these strands is further subdivided into a number of strand units or topic areas that contain particular objectives, some of which are illustrated by exemplars. These exemplars are simply a range of suggestions and do not comprise a comprehensive list of activities and experiences.

The strand units are consistent throughout all the class levels, reflecting the spiral nature of the curriculum. As children grow and mature, the content is revisited in more detail, enhancing the skills, attitudes and understanding already developed and providing increasing opportunities for reflection and application.

However, while the content is presented in a manner that is considered appropriate to the child’s age and stage of development, flexibility is recommended so that his/her emotional development and individual needs and interests are taken into account.

Overview of content for SPHE

The strands and strand units of the SPHE curriculum

The three strands of the curriculum

Myself

This strand concentrates on what is essentially the intrapersonal side of the child’s life. It is presented in a number of strand units that focus the learning on self-awareness and self-development. The emphasis is on getting to know and understand oneself on many different levels and on learning to act on the basis of that self-knowledge.

Self-identity

In exploring this strand unit, children are encouraged to see themselves as unique individuals, with differing abilities, strengths and limitations, who are loved and cared for and who have an important contribution to make in life. As the children progress through the school, more emphasis is placed on helping them to deal with the various factors that influence their self-esteem and self-concept, such as the role of peers, the role of families, personal successes and failures, media images, and the affirmation of others.

Increasing independence, self-reliance, resilience and self-efficacy are fostered in the curriculum through encouraging children to

• try new tasks and new situations
• take increasing responsibility for their own actions and behaviour
• learn to cope and deal with the many challenges that life can present
• reflect on their own reactions and behaviour in differing situations
• voice their own opinions and contribute to group and class decisions.

Teachers can help children to become more responsible for their own learning and to engage in self-assessment by enabling them

• to set goals for themselves
• to reflect on their own progress and achievements
• to engage in dialogue with the teacher about their work and their particular interests or frustrations.

In developing a sense of self, children need to be given opportunities to develop their sense of awareness: of themselves, of the world around them, and of the interconnectedness of things. Encouraging children and giving them time to pause, to wonder, to reflect and to appreciate mystery will help them to become aware of their own spirituality and the integrated nature of mind, body and spirit.

SPHE can contribute to the child’s spiritual development by enabling him/her to examine and explore concepts and ideas, to formulate questions, and to explore dilemmas that are age-appropriate and meaningful. Opportunities will arise in SPHE for children to experience a sense of awe and mystery, such as in learning about the process of birth and new life and the exploration of the cycle of growth and change. Other aspects will also enhance the child’s spiritual development. These include working together, learning about one’s own feelings and those of others, developing a sense of empathy, and experiencing supportive and healthy relationships. Children will also become aware of how particular beliefs and values are important in their lives and how they influence the decisions and choices they make.

Taking care of my body

Children who care for and respect themselves are more likely to treat their own bodies with dignity and be more particular about their life-style choices, both now and in the future.

This strand unit focuses on promoting health by exploring

• the need for regular exercise
• food and nutrition and the significance of healthy eating habits
• the use and misuse of various substances
• the transmission of infection and disease.

As physical growth and development are explored, children learn the appropriate anatomical terms for the private parts of both the male and the female body. Acquiring this vocabulary at an early age provides the foundation for later learning on puberty and reproduction and can help children to speak about all parts of their bodies in a respectful and dignified way.

As children grow and develop they become increasingly aware of their own body image. It is important, particularly approaching puberty and in subsequent years, that children are encouraged toaccept their own body image and to respect and care for their own bodies. In SPHE children are given the chance to explore some of the media images portrayed and to examine the influence of these body images on habits and behaviour.

Growing and changing

Exploring the process of growth and change is essential for children. It will help them understand themselves and the various changes that they will experience as they grow towards adolescence. By exploring this strand unit children begin to understand that the rate at which each person grows is unique and that growth is characterised by a combination of social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and physical factors. Making children aware of this integrated nature of the human being can help them to grasp the fact that their emerging sexuality is an integral part of growth and development. In this context it is also essential that children have an understanding of puberty and human reproduction before they leave primary school. By becoming familiar with these changes the child can acquire the language and vocabulary necessary to discuss his/her own growth and development as well as being able to ask appropriate questions and clarify and find information that he/she might need.

Because change is inevitable in life, children need to learn how to cope with it in a positive manner. At every class level children should be enabled to explore changes and situations that are relevant to them in their own lives and to examine appropriate ways of dealing with these changes. Loss, for example, is a change that children may experience in their lives. This strand unit explores losses of different kinds: the loss of a pet, a friend moving away, family separation or the death of a family member. It is envisaged that, having acquired strategies for dealing with such a change, children will be able to apply them in many other situations where change occurs.

Feelings and emotions

Children need to learn to recognise and manage their own feelings. Opportunities are provided in this strand unit for them to name, express and deal with these feelings. The emphasis is placed on exploring the whole spectrum of feelings without labelling them as either positive or negative: for example, joy and excitement should be explored in a similar way to anger and envy. Understanding one’s own feelings increases self-understanding and allows for greater awareness of one’s own moods, intentions and motivations.

Children will begin to learn how to express feelings in an appropriate manner and to explore how it feels to be treated in an unjust or unfair manner. In the senior classes they learn positive ways of dealing with mood changes that may occur during puberty and learn that physical and hormonal changes affect the way they feel and act.

Children increase their sense of personal control as they learn to recognise different feelings and exploreways in which these feelings affect themselves and others. Throughout the curriculum children are given opportunities to differentiate between needs and wants and in so doing come to understand the concept of delayed gratification. Developing empathy is also fostered at all levels in the school, as it is essential for handling and managing relationships, promoting compassion and sensitivity, and appreciating diversity.

Safety and protection

Every child needs to know what to do when he/she is at risk. In this strand unit, children are made aware of potentially dangerous situations and are given the opportunity to explore strategies that can be used to help protect themselves and others. Among the topics included for exploration are:

• knowing when and how to seek help
• tasting or coming in contact with unknown substances
• getting lost
• the need for rules and regulations
• taking lifts from strangers
• being asked to keep a difficult secret.

Through SPHE children explore the concept of risk. It is important that they develop a balanced perspective on risktaking by assessing situations and examining consequences. They also need to know when to seek advice and how to communicate their concerns in an appropriate manner.

Through exploring safety and protection, children are encouraged to

• identify when they need help and whom to approach in various situations
• develop an increasing sense of personal responsibility for their own safety and that of others
• explore issues concerning health and safety, including accident prevention and what can be done if an accident occurs
• focus on the use and misuse of various substances, both legal and illegal
• learn the importance of not intimidating, isolating, frightening, teasing or taunting others.

The curriculum also explores children’s rights and particularly the right they have to feel safe. They need to be encouraged to recognise a potentially serious situation and to know how to take appropriate action.

Making decisions

Being able to make informed decisions and choices is inherent in SPHE. Throughout the curriculum, decisionmaking skills are fostered and practised. Children can identify and recognise the kinds of decisions they can and cannot make and the factors that may influence their choices. They will learn how to

• exercise judgement
• weigh up different possibilities
• examine the steps and choices that guide them towards considered decision-making
• begin to understand their own rights and the rights of others, and associated responsibilities
• explore the various factors that influence decision-making
• reflect on actions taken.

In so doing they will see the consequences of alternative choices and learn to apply these insights to issues such as friendships, smoking, alcohol use and risk-taking. The skills in this area therefore will be developed through the experiences and situations that occur in a variety of contexts. It is hoped that by the time they leave primary school, children will have acquired an age-appropriate strategy for decision-making and will understand their own role and that of others in the process.

Myself and others

Learning to care for and respect others is the cornerstone of this strand. It explores the role of various people in one’s life and explores how people interact, communicate, live, play and work together.

Myself and my family

This strand unit is concerned with the family and the experience of family as a community to which the child belongs. It is necessary to discuss families and different aspects of family life in an SPHE curriculum because of the significant role of the family in the child’s life. However, the privacy of the child, the family and the teacher should be respected at all times.

Children can learn to value family life and appreciate their own families, beliefs and traditions through

• identifying what constitutes a family, emphasising the fact that family units and structures may not all be the same. These family structures include foster-families, one and twoparent families, situations where children are reared by people other than immediate family members, and children who have been adopted. It is also important to recognise the role of the extended family in the lives of many children.
• exploring the kinds of things that families can do together and how they care for, love and support each other
• identifying the different roles within families, understanding that these roles may vary and recognising that each individual makes a contribution to family life
• beginning to look at the behaviour that promotes harmony in families and becoming aware of the types of changes that could affect family life. These changes could include the birth of a new baby, moving house or school, separation, illness, violence or unemployment.
• examining the concept of belonging to a family and exploring how family life can alter as children move into adolescence and adulthood
• exploring the reality of the images of family life and life-styles presented in the media.

My friends and other people

This strand unit begins with the child’s experience of immediate friends and broadens out to include other people.

Opportunities are provided to explore

• the meaning and significance of friendship, what can threaten it, and how it can be supported
• aspects of genuine friendship, such as listening, trust, honesty, laughter, empathy and the importance of spending time together
• making and changing friends as part of growing up
• the ways in which individual actions and behaviour affect others
• treating others with dignity and respect.

In the senior classes the programme facilitates the exploration of both samesex and boy-girl friendships. In these, as in all types of relationships, children are encouraged to be respectful towards each other and to be responsible in their behaviour. This complements the work being carried out on sexuality and growth and development in other sections of the programme.

Emphasis is also placed on examining the positive and negative role of peers and on helping children to cope with pressure and persuasive influences.

In exploring gender equity children are given the opportunity to reflect on their own attitudes and values and to discover ways of counteracting stereotypical images.

Relating to others

This strand unit focuses on the development of a range of communication and interpersonal skills. In all classes children are encouraged to

• listen effectively
• talk, discuss, question and practise various non-verbal forms of communication
• learn about different types of communication and explore their effectiveness and appropriate use
• give and receive compliments, affirmation and constructive criticism
• empathise with others and explore issues from a variety of perspectives.

Resolving conflict

Healthy relationships by their very nature involve fun, sharing, laughter, intimacy, trust and honesty. However, conflict and disharmony are equally part of relationships. In SPHE children learn how to deal with conflict by practising different techniques that focus on identifying the problem and exploring possible solutions: for example, they can learn how to compromise, to apologise, to receive an apology and to forgive. In this context children become familiar with passive, aggressive and assertive behaviour and learn how each of these behaviour types is recognised and manifested.

Allied with the work on resolving conflict is the issue of bullying. Children can come to an understanding of what bullying is, the type of behaviour that constitutes bullying, and the role of various people in bullying situations. They learn that bullying is always wrong, and this is reinforced throughout their time in school. They are taught that there are certain steps to take if they are being bullied or if they see someone else being bullied. As bullying undermines self-esteem, it is essential at all levels to emphasise the fact that the child who is being victimised is not at fault. The approach adopted to dealing with bullying in SPHE will be informed by the policy on bullying drawn up and agreed in the school.

Myself and the wider world

The third strand places the child in the context of the world in which he/she lives. It aims to develop a respect for cultural and human diversity in the world and an appreciation for the democratic way of life. The child is encouraged to become an active and responsible citizen who understands the interdependent nature of the world in which he/she lives.

The content will be complemented by the work carried out in social, environmental and scientific education (SESE) and is designed to provide the foundation for civic, social and political education (CSPE) in post-primary schools.

Developing citizenship

This strand unit begins by focusing on the school or class as a community in microcosm. By experiencing community in such a practical way, children learn what belonging and participation really mean.

In a school that values caring and shared responsibility, children can learn to

• share and co-operate
• set realistic goals and targets for themselves and others
• develop leadership and administrative abilities
• celebrate difference
• be part of something that goes beyond personal interest and recognise that they can make a valuable contribution to society.

The concept of democracy becomes real and meaningful for children as they are given the opportunity to

• voice individual opinions
• undertake a variety of responsibilities
• reach group decisions by consensus
• listen to different points of view
• work both as an individual and as a member of a group
• be involved in school decisionmaking.

These experiences lay the foundation for active and interested participation in society. In this context children can become aware of various roles in the democratic process, including those of the Presidency, the Oireachtas and the Constitution.

In this strand unit children explore the diversity of the world in which they live. They are encouraged to learn about their own traditions and culture and are given opportunities to compare and contrast these with other ethnic or cultural groups in society. They explore and examine how discrimination can occur in school, in the local community and in their own country. They learn about individual and group rights and responsibilities, particularly in the context of their school and local community, and to value and treat people as individuals. They are particularly encouraged to reflect on their own behaviour and to acknowledge where they themselves might be prejudiced and manifesting discrimination, and how this could be counteracted.

Words can be used to establish particular beliefs or values and to foster inaccuracies or misinformation about different groups or individuals. In challenging name-calling and labelling, children practise using language in a positive manner and begin to recognise ways in which words may contribute to injustice, prejudice and discrimination.

Local, national and wider communities

Exploring aspects of local, national, European and wider communities can help children develop a sense of the interdependent nature of the world. By appreciating this diversity they are encouraged to develop a critical awareness of their own identity in the widest sense.

Environmental care

A good citizen has a sense of individual and community responsibility in caring for the environment. This is developed and explored in SPHE and is complemented by the other aspects of environmental care and awareness that are dealt with in SESE: geography and science.

Media education

The media, in all forms, influence our actions and our behaviour and can unconsciously affect the decisions that we make. In many instances they can contradict the values and attitudes that are taught in the home and at school. This can be confusing for children who are beginning to apply their own values to guide and inform their thoughts and actions.

Media education encourages children to examine the media in a critical way and to explore how they can influence behaviour and opinion.

In SPHE children are given the opportunity to

• become familiar with different media
• explore how prejudice and partiality can distort information
• explore some of the techniques used in the media
• examine how these techniques are used in promoting particular ideas or in selling particular products
• look at the media in a critical way by asking questions, exploring perspectives, and examining bias
• begin to investigate advertising and marketing strategies and practise using some of these approaches for themselves
• become discerning about the messages they receive from different media sources
• examine how families and relationships are portrayed in the media, how conflicts are resolved, and how intimacy and sexuality are represented
• examine the effects of advertising on various aspects of life, for example on purchasing, dietary habits, health behaviour and life-style.

Children are also given opportunities to explore the range of information available to them through information and communication technologies. They can begin to become aware of cultural bias and the dominant perspective that pervades some of these technologies. They are encouraged to make the technology work for them and to become discerning and judicious media users .