Frequently Asked Questions

About the Reducing the Risk curriculum

How many lessons are there in the Reducing the Risk curriculum?

RTR consists of 16 lessons or classes designed for 45-minute periods. There are two options for the first lesson. After the teacher demonstrates refusal skills, students participate in one of two activities that personalize their vulnerability – one to pregnancy and the other to HIV.

What if there are objections to the curriculum or specific content?

It’s important that school members, administrators, educators and parents understand that:

• the lessons and specific activities have been carefully designed according to proven learning theories and have been successful in changing teens’ risk taking behavior
• RTR promotes a norm of abstinence and teaches skills that increase the likelihood of students making that choice
• RTR teaches skills that increase the likelihood that students who are sexually active will use protection
• a parent advisory committee representing diverse ethnic and religious views has reviewed RTR and supports its implementation
• parents may withdraw their children from participation at any time

Would the Reducing the Risk curriculum be a good fit for schools with a predominantly Black student population

Yes! In fact, in a study of 10 high schools in Kentucky and Ohio, RTR proved to be more effective with Black students than with White students.

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About the Project

I only have a few weeks in which to lead the curriculum.  How many lessons can I teach per week?

You can lead one to three RTR lessons per week.

How much time will it take for me to participate in the study?

The biggest time commitment will be preparing and teaching the RTR curriculum (20-40 hours). Additionally, you’ll need to complete two surveys and lesson logs for each of the classes. A small number of participating educators will be selected for voluntary interviews, which take approximately 30 minutes.

Can I choose what type of training I receive?

No. In order to obtain meaningful results, participants must be randomly assigned to one of the two study groups (one group using only the teacher’s guide for preparation or the other group using the online training in addition to the teacher’s guide). Regardless of which study group you are assigned to, you will receive the online training free-of-charge at the end of the study.

When will I receive my stipend for participating in the project and how much will I receive?

Stipends will be issued in accordance with school or district policies. The total stipend of $450 will be distributed at the completion of curriculum implementation, once the final survey is completed. The full stipend amount will be paid to educators who complete all study activities. Educators who are interviewed will receive an additional amount after the interview.

What equipment do I need to use the web-based training?

You will need access to a fairly new (less than four years old) personal computer with sound capabilities and Internet access. A printer would be helpful, but not necessary.

Will it cost me anything to be part of the RTRworks! Project?

No. The RTRworks! Project is fully funded to develop web-based training for the RTR curriculum and to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. We are not selling anything and will pay for the costs of the study, including the full curriculum and the training.

How can I receive results of the study?

At the end of the study, we will email the results to all participating teachers. If you are a district administrator or otherwise involved in school-based prevention programs, contact us using the contact information on this website and tell us you would like a copy of the results.

What do I do with the RTR curriculum after I complete the study?

The RTR curriculum, the activity kit, and any student workbooks you did not use are yours to keep and use in the future. If you would like to continue to teach Reducing the Risk and need more student workbooks, they can be purchased at http://pub.etr.org/ or by calling 800-321-4407.

I will be teaching more than one health (or science or PE) class in fall 2010. Can I implement the Reducing the Risk curriculum in all my classes?

Yes. You can implement the RTR lessons in more than one class, but you will only fill out lesson logs regarding your experience the first time you implement each lesson. You should fill out these logs with the same group of students for each lesson.

How long will I have to prepare to implement the RTR curriculum?

You will have 2-4 weeks to prepare before implementing the curriculum.

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How to Participate

I'm interested in the RTRworks! Project. What steps should I take to participate?

The steps to participate are easy. If you are a teacher or a school administrator, the best way to proceed is to fill out the online interest form. You may also call our toll free number at 877-316-7036 and leave your name, phone number and email address or send us an email. In any case, a member of the project staff will contact you, answer your questions, and email you a project Participation Agreement to review and sign.

I teach 9th grade. Can I participate in the RTRworks! Project?

Yes, we are looking for educators who are able to teach a sexuality education curriculum to 9th -12th graders.

I work in a school district office. How can I participate in the RTRworks! Project?

If you are a superintendent, principal or in any way responsible for the curricula used in your district, we would like you to review the material we have provided on this website, contact us if you have questions, and pass on information about this project to the high schools in your district. If needed, you can give approval for educators in your district to participate in the RTRworks! Project. If you are an administrator involved in student health and prevention programs, please contact us to find out how you can help educators in your school or district be part of the project.

What is the deadline for me to sign up?

We encourage interested parties to contact us immediately. We are aiming at having all study spots filled by the end of June 2010. If spots are available past June, we will accept more participants in July and August. No new participants will be added to the project after September 1, 2010.

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If You Have Already Signed Up

When will I receive the curriculum?

Participants will receive a copy of the RTR curriculum, student workbooks and activity kit in September 2010. You will begin teaching RTR in October, or later if that suits your schedule.

What materials will I receive?

You will be sent the pretest to complete sometime in mid-September. After you submit the pretest, we will send you the Reducing the Risk curriculum, activity kit and one student workbook for each student in the class that is part of the research study.

What if I already have a copy of the RTR curriculum?

Everyone who participates in the study will receive a copy of the curriculum. If a member of the project staff sent you a preview copy of the curriculum and you have not returned it, we will not send you another one. However, you will receive the student workbooks and the activity kit.

What should I do if I change jobs or my teaching assignment changes before the project begins?

It depends on whether your new job or teaching assignment meets the conditions necessary to participate in the study. To participate in the project, you must be able to meet the following conditions: a) implement the entire Reducing the Risk curriculum in a classroom-type setting with a group of at least 12 students who are in 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade; b) be able to give homework assignments to the students; and c) be able to teach the lessons 1-3 times per week. Remember, once you start implementing the curriculum, you must teach the lessons to the same group of students.

Can I receive the names of other educators participating in the study?

No. Any information provided by you or any other study participant is confidential.

A colleague of mine would like to participate. What should I tell her?

Have your colleague contact us soon by calling our toll free number 877-316-7036, emailing us at rtrworksproject@etr.org, or filling out online interest form.

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