A Qualitative Investigation into Three Upper Primary Teachers’ Responses Towards the Puberty-Focused Content in the Australian Curriculum: HPE (F-10), in One Faith-Based School in Queensland

Abstract

This qualitative inquiry aimed to investigate how three upper primary teachers are responding to the proposed implementation of the puberty-focused content from the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (F-10), in one faith-based school in Queensland. This research used semi-structured interviews with three participants and a reflective journal kept by the researcher. The semi-structured interviews were conducted with three upper primary teachers from one faith-based school in Queensland, and these formed the base of the data collection processes. The teachers’ underlying responses towards the puberty education from the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (F-10) appeared to reflect reluctance towards using a curriculum document, resistance to change and reliance on tacit knowledge. In turn the factors behind the responses indicated three teachers who will self-censor parts of the puberty-focused content from the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education (F-10) to suit their own philosophical and pedagogical assumptions.