Transcript of Crossroads - WHY?
Crossroads - WHY?
Frame 1: Crossroads-WHY?
(Speaker) Crossroads was reviewed and revised in 2014 by the NSW Department of
Education and Communities in consultation with key stakeholders.
The revised course is for implementation in government schools from 2015.
This presentation provides an overview of the reasons behind the review, the findings
of the review, how the revised course addresses the findings and why Crossroads is an
important part of student learning and development in Year 11 and 12. The video is
designed for school based staff, parents/ carers and the wider community.
More support on how Crossroads can be implemented in schools and what is to be
delivered is available on the Crossroads website.
Frame 2: Why review Crossroads?
There were a number of reasons for the 2014 review of the Stage 6 Crossroads course.
The health and education needs of young people continue to change. The course needed
updating to reflect these changes and reflect contemporary health issues.
The Department identified the need to review and revise the Crossroads course to
support the whole of government strategy for alcohol and other drug related violence
announced in February 2014.
The current PDHPE 7-10 syllabus was released and implemented in 2003, which was
after the 2000 implementation of the Crossroads course. This resulted in overlap of
content. A revision of content was required to continue to extend student learning and
reduce overlap. Greater guidance for teachers on best practice approaches for this
learning was a key focus in the content revisions.
With the increased use of technology, Crossroads needs to reflect the changing nature of
young people's lives and the health issues arising in a futures focused manner.
Frame 3: The health & wellbeing of young people
Information on the health and wellbeing of our young people is available on the
Crossroads website for sharing with the school community, including an animated video
and report highlighting key data and findings.
Frame 4:
The review of Crossroads included:
 a literature review of current health issues for young people and best practice in
health education
 surveys and focus groups. 364 teachers and 310 DPs/ Principals completed he
surveys. 25 students across NSW were involved in interviews and focus groups
to share their thoughts and ideas.
 a key stakeholder reference group made up of representatives from government,
non-government agencies, educational sectors, professional associations, parent
associations and the Secondary Principals Council provided feedback throughout
the review.
The ability of schools to implement an effective program for students was found to be
impacted by issues related to the method of delivery, including:
 pressure to limit time away from class due to academic requirements of HSC
 perceived relevance of course amongst principals, teachers, parents and students
 use of external providers
 support for course coordinators or teachers conducting the course
 access to relevant and current resources
The review guided the development of principles to best practice delivery, course
content, implementation methods, resourcing and professional learning.
Frame 5: What does the evidence tell us about best practice?
The main findings of our literature review indicate that:
 a whole-school approach should be used. Health and wellbeing should be
promoted through the whole school environment, rather than just through
PDHPE.
 ‘Connectedness’ should be fostered both within the school, and between the
school and parents and the wider community, to improve student health and
wellbeing, and to raise academic attainment. Every member of the school
community has a role to play in the promotion of health and wellbeing.
 Interventions and programs should be age-appropriate but also recognise that
students of the same age will not all be involved in the same behaviours.
Educators and programs should be fully supported by school management.
 Programs should be effectively resourced and adequate time set aside for their
delivery. Programs should involve progressive learning, which is reinforced over
several years.
 Educators involved in programs should be committed, skilled, trained and
strongly motivated.
 Students should be actively involved to promote a sense of ownership.
 Learning methods should combine whole and small group work with
opportunities for one-to-one support. Programs should use participatory and
interactive learning approaches. A wide range of opportunities should be
provided which enable students to test their skills, and for teachers to evaluate
whether the learning and teaching strategies employed are having their desired
effects.
 Specific health issues and skills should be contextualised before being addressed
within the broader social environment. Programs should have a significant focus
on positive health behaviours and issues rather than merely on problems and
difficulties affecting young people’s health. A strengths based approach is
important. Links to health services need to be visible, welcoming and nonjudgemental in schools. Established partnerships and a whole school support to
health and wellbeing support this.
Frame 6: Student perspectives on Crossroads
Through focus groups with senior students, we found that students recognise that their
wellbeing is important but they don’t consciously take care of it.
Students identified Year 11 and 12 as:
 full on – pressure is intense, feel underprepared for senior years and increased
workload
 challenging – finding a balance between work, social life and school is difficult
 draining – student identified the increasing responsibilities and challenge of
juggling these. Students indicated they felt burnt out.
Frame 7: What did students identify as the important learning for Year 11 and 12?
Students identified bullying as a key issue in year 11 and 12. They linked bullying to
sexuality (particularly homophobic bullying), safety (or lack there of) and the influence
of bullying on students ability to achieve. Students recognised that some young people
hide aspects of who they are and conform as a way to avoid bullying to fit in with the
larger group and stay safe and “not a target”.
Although students acknowledged the importance of having a good support system and
their desire to support others they identified they felt nervous and uncomfortable
reaching out to peers.
Relationships was identified as a key topic by all students. They identified the needs to
explore how to establish and maintain positive relationships in different contexts e.g.
the workplace. Students thought that relationships was an accessible learning context
which allows interesting ways to explore many of the other learning contexts.
Students believe that personal identity underpins all other themes and acts as an
anchor.
Students want sexuality and sexual health to be covered in Year 11 & 12 as they have
usually forgotten the content from Year 8 & 9. They want the facts about consent and
pregnancy, detailed information about STI’s and they want to be told straight about the
issues and consequences of their actions. They believe that it is important to reinforce
content from earlier years and know the risks, make informed decisions and take care
of self & others.
Students believe that addressing and supporting health and wellbeing is important in
Year 11 and 12.
Programs are most effective when they:
 are delivered within a whole school approach to health and wellbeing
 foster connectedness within the school and between the school, parents/carers
and wider community
 recognise that students of the same age will not all be involved in the same
behaviours
 involve progressive learning reinforced over the years
 are delivered by committed, skilled and motivated staff
 actively involve students in planning and evaluation
 use interactive learning methods
 contextualise health issues and skills within real life contexts
Frame 8: Student perspectives on learning environments
Students recognised that new issues, situations and pressures emerge as they navigate
Year 11 & 12 so they need regular check points, support and inspiration. Themes and
topics need to be reinforced over time in order to be effective, especially as the pressure
increases. This emphasises the need for a progressive course across Year 11 and 12
rather than Year 10.
When asked on the key highlights of existing courses and what students want to see in
school based programs to aid their learning the answers reflected the desire for a
comfortable environment, enjoying learning, people knowing the content and adapting
that to meet their needs and allowing for interaction and involvement to explore these
issues.
Some students identified that they have not spent any time questioning their values and
beliefs and Year 11 and 12 was the ideal time to do that in a safe and supportive way
through school programs.
Frame 9: Crossroads addresses the findings
The Department’s Curriculum Planning and Programming, Assessing and Reporting to
Parents K – 12 policy standards requires all government secondary schools to deliver
Crossroads for a minimum indicative time of 25 hours.
Crossroads can be completed in either Year 11 or Year 12 or ideally across both years.
It aims to prepare and support students as they encounter situations related to identity,
independence and their changing responsibilities.
Frame 10: Evidence based principles of Crossroads
A strong research base underpins Crossroads, guiding its contemporary principles and
content. The intent is that the seven evidence-based principles provide the foundation
for the effective delivery of Crossroads in NSW schools.
The Principles encourage the inclusion of parents, carers, students and skilled staff in
the planning, delivery and evaluation of Crossroads as part of a whole school approach.
The Principles encourage an ongoing and sustained program across Year 11 and 12 to
build on student knowledge, attitudes and skills and maximise positive outcomes. The
delivery of Crossroads in schools should incorporate interactive teaching and learning
approaches, which avoid the use of shock tactics or fear. Interactive approaches
increase student involvement in their own learning and develop values, attitudes and
skills through interaction with others in different contexts.
More information on the Principles of Crossroads can be found in the Principles of
Crossroads video on the Crossroads website.
Frame 11: Crossroads structure – focus areas
This version of Crossroads explores a broader range of physical, mental, emotional,
social and spiritual health factors that may impact on the lives of young people.
Crossroads has an equal focus on the health, wellbeing and safety of young people.
The Crossroads content is explored through two focus areas, Owning yourself and
Responding to others. The two focus areas are interrelated and inform and support each
other. These two focus areas are designed to encourage students to explore concepts,
attitudes and skills through their personal perspective, before considering the
perspectives and influence of others in their world.
For young people, “owning yourself” can be described as ‘being the best version of
themselves they can be and being someone they want to be”. Young people who own
themselves, recognise their strengths, their personal power, their rights and their
responsibilities. They respect themselves fully and have a clear set of values, beliefs and
attitudes. When a young person owns themselves and feels personal empowerment,
they are more likely to act with self determination, autonomy and choice. They are more
likely to feel comfortable with themselves and work confidently towards goals,
aspirations and potential for a life of meaning and purpose.
A purposeful and meaningful life includes belonging to or serving something bigger
than ones self. If we view this as “others” then responding to others reflects the way
young people respond to their world AND how their world and others shape and
contribute to their health safety and wellbeing. The ways in which young people
respond to others can have a significant impact on their health, safety and wellbeing
now and in the future.
When developing teaching and learning activities for Crossroads, schools are
encouraged to combine content from across focus areas and learning contexts to
provide students with learning experiences that meet their needs, interests, abilities
and local settings. Planning decisions should take into account available resources and
community priorities.
Text on screen:
Owning yourself
 personal empowerment or agency
 respecting yourself fully, both your strengths and weaknesses
 clarifying and acting on a personal set of positive values, beliefs and attitudes
 a positive sense of self, including a clear personal identity
Responding to others
 planning, developing and evaluating strategies to support the health, safety and
wellbeing of self and others
 communicating and interacting effectively with others to form and maintain
respectful relationships
 knowing how and where to ask for help and support
 feeling a personal sense of purpose and meaning to one’s life
Frame 12: Structure of Crossroads
Crossroads is divided into two focus areas (the outside arrows on this diagram):
1.
Owning yourself
2.
Responding to others
Each focus area is explored through the six learning contexts (the inside coloured
boxes):
 Personal identity
 Mental health and wellbeing
 Relationships
 Sexuality and sexual health
 Drugs and alcohol
 Safe travel.
It is mandatory for schools to address BOTH focus areas and ALL six learning contexts
in their Crossroads program. The content and the amount of time devoted to each focus
area and learning context is a school-based decision. This decision should reflect the
needs of the student cohort each year.
Frame 13: Why is Crossroads important for students in Years 11 and 12?
Through our surveys we found that a number of schools deliver Crossroads in year 10,
despite Crossroads content being designed for Year 11 and 12. The delivery of
Crossroads at the end of year 10 fails to provide opportunities for senior students to
reflect on and share situations which are important to them in a safe and supportive
environment. It limits the opportunities for students to extend their understanding and
build positive attitudes and skills at a time when these situations and issues are most
relevant. The information in the presentation supports the strong need for the
Crossroads course in Year 11 and 12.
Frame 14: Schools are encouraged to use the information provided in this video and on
the Crossroads website to increase awareness of the importance of Crossroads and the
key principles on which it should be planned, delivered and evaluated each year for
each cohort of senior students.
Consider how you can increase awareness within the wider school community of the
importance of the Crossroads course for student learning and development in Years 11
and 12?
What are the needs of your students in the current cohort of senior students? How can
you access this information to ensure relevance of your Crossroads program?
What learning contexts can be explored to develop a Crossroads program which meets
these needs?
More information and resources to support the planning, delivery and evaluation of
Crossroads in government schools is available on the Crossroads website. For more
information contact the Department’s Secondary Education PDHPE Advisor at
pdhpe.unit@det.nsw.edu.au