UNESCO Age-Appropriate Educational Guidelines

Key idea: There are many different kinds of families that exist around the world

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ describe different kinds of families (e.g. two-parent, single-parent, child-headed; guardian-headed, extended, nuclear, and non-traditional families) (knowledge);

▶ ▶ express respect for different kinds of families (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ demonstrate ways to show respect for different kinds of families (skill).

Key idea: Family members have different needs and roles

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ identify the different needs and roles of family members (knowledge);

▶ ▶ appreciate how family members take care of each other in many ways, although sometimes they may not want to or be able to (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ communicate their needs and role within the family (skill).

Key idea: Gender inequality is often reflected in the roles and responsibilities of family members

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ list differences in roles and responsibilities of men and women within the family (knowledge);

▶ ▶ describe ways that these differences can affect what each can and cannot do (knowledge);

▶ ▶ perceive that gender inequality impacts the roles and responsibilities within the family (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ reflect on their own role and their feelings about men's and women’s roles and responsibilities within the family (skill).

Key idea: Family members are important in teaching values to children

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ define what values are (knowledge);

▶ ▶ list values that they and their families care about (knowledge);

▶ ▶ acknowledge that family members’ values affect children’s values (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ express a personal value (skill).

Key idea: Parents/guardians and other family members help children acquire values and guide and support their children’s decisions

Learners will be able to:
▶ ▶ describe ways that parents/guardians and other family members support their children’s decisions (knowledge);
▶ ▶ acknowledge that parents/guardians and family members influence their decisions (attitudinal);
▶ ▶ reflect on how a family value guided a decision that they made (skill).

Key idea: Families can promote gender equality through their roles and responsibilities

Learners will be able to:
▶ ▶ identify the roles, rights and responsibilities of different family members (knowledge);
▶ ▶ list ways that families can support gender equality through their roles and responsibilities (knowledge);
▶ ▶ recognize that all family members can promote gender equality within the family (attitudinal);
▶ ▶ express support for equitable roles and responsibilities within the family (skill).

Key idea: Health and illness can affect families in terms of their structure, capacities and responsibilities

Learners will be able to:
▶ ▶ describe ways that health and illness can affect family members’ roles and responsibilities (knowledge);
▶ ▶ recognize that health and illness can affect how a family functions (attitudinal);
▶ ▶ demonstrate empathy for families affected by illness (skill).

Key idea: Growing up means taking responsibility for oneself and others

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ identify and examine new responsibilities that they have for themselves and others as they grow up (knowledge);

▶ ▶acknowledge that as they grow up their worlds and affections expand beyond the family, and friends and peers become particularly important (attitudinal);

▶ ▶assess and take on new responsibilities and relationships (skill).

Key idea: Conflict and misunderstandings between parents/guardians and children are common, especially during adolescence, and are usually resolvable

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶  list conflicts and misunderstandings that commonly happen between parents/guardians and children (knowledge);

▶ ▶describe ways to resolve conflict or misunderstandings with parents/guardians (knowledge);

▶ ▶acknowledge that conflict and misunderstandings with parents/guardians are common during adolescence and can usually be resolved (attitudinal);

▶ ▶apply strategies for resolving conflict and misunderstandings with parents/guardians (skill).

Key idea: Love, cooperation, gender equality, mutual caring and mutual respect are important for healthy family functioning and relationships

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ identify characteristics of healthy family functioning (knowledge);

▶ ▶ justify why these characteristics are important to healthy family functioning (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ assess their contributions toward healthy family functioning (skill).

Key idea: Sexual relationships and health issues can affect family relationships

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶  assess how family members’ roles and relationships may change when a family member discloses sensitive information (eg. HIV-positive status; becomes pregnant; gets married; refuses an arranged marriage; has experienced sexual abuse; or is in a happy sexual relationship) (knowledge);

▶ ▶reflect on how their roles and relationships may change when they disclose or share information related to sexual relationships or health (skill).

Key idea: There are support systems that young people and family members can turn to when faced with challenges related to sharing or disclosure of information related to sexual relationships and health issues

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ describe how siblings, parents/guardians or extended family can provide support to a young person who discloses or shares information related to sexual relationships or health (knowledge);

▶ ▶acknowledge that families can overcome challenges when they support one another with mutual respect (attitudinal);

▶ ▶access valid and reliable community resources to support themselves or a family member needing assistance (skill).

Key idea: There are different kinds of friendships

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ define a friend (knowledge);

▶ ▶ value friendships (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ Recognize that gender, disability or someone’s health does not get in the way of becoming friends (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ develop a diversity of friendships (skill).

Key idea: Friendships are based on trust, sharing, respect, empathy and solidarity

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ describe key components of friendships (e.g. trust, sharing, respect, support, empathy and solidarity) (knowledge);

▶ ▶propose to build friendships based on key components of friendships (attitudinal);

▶ ▶demonstrate ways to show trust, respect, understanding, and to share with a friend (skill).

Key idea: Relationships involve different kinds of love (e.g. love between friends, love between parents, love between romantic partners) and love can be expressed in many different ways

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶ identify different kinds of love and ways that love can be expressed (knowledge);

▶ ▶ acknowledge that love can be expressed in different ways (attitudinal);

▶ ▶ express love within a friendship (skill).

Key idea: There are healthy and unhealthy relationships

Learners will be able to:

▶ ▶list characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships (knowledge);

▶ ▶ good touch and bad touch (knowledge);

▶ ▶perceive that there are healthy and unhealthy friendships (attitudinal);

▶ ▶develop and maintain healthy friendships (skill).