This unit focuses on early detection and screening for breast and cervical cancer. Students will learn about the purpose and process of various screening procedures. There is a great deal of information in this unit. At the end of each lesson, there are resources identified for teachers. Although this curriculum does not require in-depth medical knowledge on the part of the teacher, your confidence in presenting and facilitating this information will most likely increase by utilizing these resources. It is hoped that all the work that you and your students have done in previous units has set the stage for open discussion and exploration.
The lessons are designed in recognition of different learning styles. Among the lessons with more traditional reading and writing emphasis, there are also hands-on activities that make critical information tactile, as in Lesson 3: Beads for Life. Cervical cancer is the focus of Lesson 4. The use of a video offers auditory and visual ways to introduce and explore this issue. As many educators recognize, people remember: 10 percent of what they read; 20 percent of what they see; 30 percent of what they hear; and 70 percent of what they see and hear.
Small group interaction throughout the unit lets learners sort through and
become comfortable with this information, some of which is quite "weighty."
Teachers who have worked with this topic before have commented on the
depth and range of thoughts and feelings that come up. As an outlet for
learners' thoughts and feelings, you may want to create a display on your
classroom wall that invites participants to share what is on their minds and in
their hearts. Hang a large piece of newsprint on the wall. Divide the paper into
three categories: Now I Know; Questions I Have; I Feel. Invite learners to
write their thoughts and feelings on different colored post-its and attach them
under the appropriate category. You can share your thoughts and feelings as
well. This activity can be integrated into the classroom ritual or be used more
informally. In this way, some of the "weight" of the topic is shared in an
ongoing way.
This unit continues to support the development of students' reading and discussion skills. There are several different uses of writing. Writing in response to reading activities helps promote stronger reading and writing skill development. Letter-writing skills are discussed and practiced in the thank you letter to the health educator activity. In Lesson 4, learners have an opportunity to write a video review. This continues the development of paragraph writing skills begun in earlier units. Focused listening skills are called upon in the video viewing. In Lesson 2: Health Educator Presentation, learners have opportunities to ask questions in a public forum - an extension of the "talking to others" activities throughout the curriculum. Students will continue to develop group discussion and problem-solving skills in response to readings, a video, and presentations.
Basic information about breast and cervical cancer is introduced in this unit. Learners will read about and discuss the value of screening and early detection and will learn about exams that they can do at home, as well as various clinical examinations and screening tests that are done at medical centers. Breast self-exam, clinical breast exam, mammography, and the Pap test are emphasized. While breast self-exam is one of the things students can do on their own, it is important to remind students that breast self-exam alone is not sufficient. Students will learn facts and health information in this unit that could save their lives; however, there can be many real and imagined obstacles to prevent people from taking care of themselves or changing their behaviors. Learners will analyze and explore strategies for eliminating barriers and developing support networks for themselves, their friends, and relatives throughout this unit.
Unit Three takes learners deeper beneath the surface of both the topic of cancer and of the human body itself. Knowledge about the human body, body parts, and functions will vary widely amongst learners. Different cultures and communities may teach women and men different levels of awareness about the human body. Assumptions cannot be made regarding what scientific knowledge students have about their bodies or even where certain body functions are located.
Also there will be different understandings about the appropriateness of discussing parts of a woman's body. Eliciting the support of learners, one for the other, can be key in these discussions. In one class, a student who had been a doctor in China was able to bring another Chinese student into the discussion by gently leading her out of her embarrassment. As the doctor explained, "In China, women had not been educated about their bodies in this way and never discussed it in public." Other teachers have found that women are not aware of how their body works. It is not surprising to find learners who do not know what or where their cervix is.
This is also the unit that is probably the most challenging to teach in a mixed gender class. The focus on breast and cervical cancer is not meant to exclude the men in your classes. However, the focus is clearly on women's health issues. How can men be brought into this discussion? Calling on the many roles that men play in women's lives - as husbands, fathers, brothers, or sons - can be an effective way to draw them into the discussion. The health of their families depends on the health of all members. Men can play key roles in helping the various women in their lives - wives, mothers, sisters, or daughters - maintain their health. For example, one teacher found that a young man in her class got very excited after the Beads for Life activity. He went home and talked to his mother and showed her what he had learned. His mother then wanted him to talk to his cousin. When asked how he felt about his mother's reaction, he responded, "Oh, this is the first time I felt good about myself because I knew something that they didn't know about and everyone was asking me."
An underlying theme in Unit Three is overcoming obstacles to maintaining one's health. These obstacles exist for women and for men also. It is important for you to include the men in your classes in these discussions and activities.