SExT recognizes the complexity of human development and the holistic nature of health – the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social domains – and appreciation that these are interrelated and interdependent, and all are subject to the influence of a person’s environment or context.

The program is highly relevant to students’ present and future lives in a complex, global, technology-rich, and rapidly changing world.

Some topics need to be approached with additional sensitivity, care, and awareness because of their personal nature and their connection to family values, religious beliefs, or other social or cultural norms

Learning will be developmentally appropriate and respect students’ diverse backgrounds to ensure personal relevance and sensitivity

Ground rules will be set to establish and maintain a physically and emotionally safe learning environment that is healthy, caring, respectful, accepting, and inclusive, in which students of all backgrounds, abilities, and experiences feel comfortable and welcome.

The importance of establishing comfort level for both teachers and learners so that topics can be discussed is recognized.

Instructional approaches are informed by current research.

Teaching is constructivist, with teacher in the role of co-learner and facilitator.

Teachers should reflect on their own attitudes, biases, and values with respect to the topics they are teaching and seek out current resources, mentors, professional development, and training opportunities, as necessary.

Community organizations can provide valuable support and enrichment for student learning, including expertise, skills, materials, and programs that are not available through the school or that supplement those that are. Partnerships with such organizations benefit not only the students but also the life of the community.

The program will be balanced, providing for both direct instruction in content and skills and opportunities for participatory experiential learning, where students can use their knowledge and skills in structured as well as unstructured activities, encouraging creativity, self-expression, and development of personal and interpersonal skills.

Small-group activities will be used often, to allow for maximum participation.

Role playing and other theatre techniques will be used  to create meaning through stories and help in the development of both physical and oral communication skills.

Instruction should motivate students and instil positive habits of mind, such as curiosity and open-mindedness; a willingness to think, question, challenge, and be challenged; and an awareness of the value of listening or reading closely and communicating clearly.

Students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to make sound decisions about matters affecting their health and well-being, as well as the comprehension, capacity, and commitment needed before they experience real-life situations in which decisions have to be made.

Students will be guided in developing a positive sense of self and identity, self-awareness, and personal coping and management skills.

The program will encourage informed personal choices and taking responsibility (within the extent possible) for one’s health.

Students will be encouraged to make connections beyond themselves to understand how their health is connected others and affected by factors in the world around them.

Students will learn how to establish, monitor, and maintain healthy relationships and have opportunities to practice communication techniques

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The focus is not merely on health knowledge but rather on higher-level thinking connected to the application of skills for healthy living.

Students will develop critical thinking and inquiry skills for complex and multifaceted issues, which include questioning, predicting, analysing, synthesizing, examining opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting bias, and distinguishing between alternatives to make a judgement, and/or guide decision making.

Opportunities will be provided for imaginative and critical thinking about issues of fairness, equity, and social justice.

Well-being is conceived as not only the absence of problems and risks, but as the presence of factors that contribute to healthy growth and development.

Students will learn how to limit risk and to build protective factors that will increase their resilience as they confront challenges.

​Facilitators will prompt students, through questioning, to reflect and monitor their thinking and learning, thus modelling this style of inquiry for their students.