Spring Fever Week has a different theme each year. The theme of Spring Fever Week 2022 is: ‘Your Body Belongs to You’. This is a topical theme that focuses on making sexually transgressive behaviour open to discussion. It also addresses asking for and giving permission—in other words, consent.

Sexually transgressive behaviour

Sexually transgressive behaviour occurs at all ages. It is important for children to understand from an early age what transgressive behaviour is. They should also learn how to properly safeguard and respect their own wishes and boundaries, as well as those of their peers. This makes them more resilient now and helps them in their development later on.

Sexual development and transgressive behaviour

Children’s relational and sexual development begins in infancy and continues until they reach adulthood. During the preschool years, children discover their own bodies and the differences and similarities between boys and girls. They experiment and sometimes play sexual games, such as ‘playing doctor’. From the age of 7, children gradually become more familiar with social rules. They sometimes fall in love, and a few may have a ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’. Between the ages of 10 and 12, children enter puberty. A great many physical changes then take place. Some children become very interested in everything related to sex.

It is important that sexual behaviour is appropriate to children’s age and development, and that they do not do anything that is harmful to themselves or others. If one of these conditions is not met, this constitutes sexually transgressive behaviour.

Guidance on Wishes, Boundaries and Consent

Guidance has been developed to help teachers discuss the theme ‘Your Body Belongs to You’. The Guidance on Wishes, Boundaries and Consent explains what consent is and how it can be addressed in the classroom.

Guidance on Sexual Abuse

Research shows that 1 in 6 children experience sexual abuse. Statistically, there may therefore be pupils in the classroom who have experienced this. To give teachers tools for discussing sexual abuse in the classroom, Rutgers, together with the Centre for Sexual Violence, created the Guidance on Sexual Abuse. It contains tips on how to teach about this subject, how to support children who have experienced it and how to address it in relationship and sexuality education lessons.

Teaching tips and lesson suggestions

Preferably address this subject as part of a lesson on relationships and sexuality. Use a recognised teaching method for this.

The Kriebels in je buik teaching method includes the theme ‘wishes and boundaries’, while sexually transgressive behaviour and consent are also addressed in the lessons for the upper grades. These themes are also covered in the lessons of Veiligwijs and Wonderlijk gemaakt.

More information about these teaching packages in the materials overview

Online lessons

Are the pupils not going to school? There are also Spring Fever at-home lessons that pupils can complete independently, possibly with help from their parents.

Flag System

The Flag System provides teachers with tools to assess, discuss and respond appropriately to sexual behaviour. To determine whether or not sexual behaviour is transgressive, you can use the following rules from the Flag System:

  • Mutual consent. An important criterion when interpreting sexual behaviour is: does the child want it? Does the other person want it too? Do both children enjoy it?
  • Voluntariness. Is the child choosing it freely? Do they dare to say no?
  • Equality. Are both parties the same age and equally strong, intelligent and popular? Or is there a difference in power?
  • Developmentally appropriate. Is the sexual behaviour appropriate to the child’s developmental age?
  • Contextually appropriate. Is the child’s sexual behaviour appropriate? Does it avoid disturbing or shocking others in the environment?
  • Self-respect. Is the child aware of the consequences of their behaviour? Does the young person avoid taking risks that could have harmful consequences?