I can’t believe it’s already the end of the fall semester!  Time just flies when you teach about sex!  Although I love teaching this class,  I wish students had the option to take a class like this much earlier in life.  Sometimes I feel like I’m teaching a remedial class – going over information that students should have known back in middle school! (mostly this involves the anatomy & physiology information – how can a man or woman NOT know their own body and how it works?)  Well, I think it’s better late than never!  I will continue to empower parents to talk to their kids about sex and over the next few months I’ll be doing some workshops for parents to help them either begin or continue these talks with their kids.  I’ve always said that parents are the primary educators of their kids.  The sex talk should come from them first – but unfortunately it often doesn’t.  I’m always amazed at how many kids are left in the dark about sex.  Honestly – is not talking about it supposed to make kids not interested in it?  Be serious.

At the end of each sex class I ask my students for feedback about the course – what they liked and didn’t like and what they feel they learned.  Below are some of their thoughts:

Coming into this class, I honestly didn’t know what to expect.  I have never taken a sexuality class!  Honestly, I have to say that I have learned a ton.  I’ve also learned more about myself which makes me feel great. I enjoyed the way you conducted the class and they way you approached certain topics that many people don’t feel comfortable talking about.  The most important element of this class is that you made us feel comfortable about sexuality.  I strongly believe that this made us want to learn and kept us attentive.  This course was full of important information and even though we did not have time to cover everything, I have to say I have a better grasp on my own sexuality. You are the best teacher (and parent).  It’s great that you are so open to us and your kids.  You have the power to change people’s lives and I thank you for all your time and dedication to this class.

I absolutely LOVED this class!  It is a fun class, and you, Dr. Carroll, made it that way.  It could’ve been one of those dry, boring, levture classes where you just stand at the podium and talk at us.  But you cultivated as much discussion and opinion-sharing as you could.  I love to talk about my opinions and views and you encouraged everyone to share their thoughts.  I also love looking at your blog – it’s a great way for students to stay connected to you outside of class [yippee!]

This was honestly one of my favorite classes of my college career!  It provided me with useful information and helped me to analyze my sexuality and become more comfortable with myself, which is great.  It also helped me to come to terms with being sexually assaulted – by learning about it and by also teaching me to communicate with my partner – both of which are really helping me cope.  Thanks so much.

This class was like nothing I have ever done before.  In junior high school, sex class was always boring and the teachers just told us not to do it.  But this class was very informative.  I learned about relationships and sexuality – information that I will use in every aspect of my life.

This class was defintely very beneficial for me.  I learned so much about so many things – midwifes, STIs and how to prevent them, child development and how to talk to kids about sex, and – most importantly – I learned just about every name for a penis and vagina there ever was!  You also gave so many real-life examples that were easy for me to understand and remember.  It really helps to have an open-minded professor like you when discussing such topics as gay marriage because everyone has different opinions on the topic and you were very kind to let us all voice those opinions without judging.    You motivated me to learn more, to read the book, to do research on interesting topics outside the classroom, to do my work, and to come to class.  That’s more than I can say about most teachers here at the University!

I really liked this course.  Growing up in such a religious family and community, a lot of things we learned in this class I never knew.  I thought this course was highly educational, fun, and very interesting.  I loved how open and personal you are with every topic.  This is definitely not a class you need much motivation to go to because it was never boring.  I wish there were more sex classes to take – we need an advanced class! Thanks for such a great and fun class.

I’ve never had a course that was so open to the idea of sex.  The topics we studied were always in full detail, making it very easy to pay attention and stay interested.  I liked talking about other cultures the most.  I never was aware how different each culture was.  The class was a blast and full of information.  Thank you!

I learned so much about things I thought I already knew, but didn’t!

I really don’t want the class to end just yet.  We have so much more to learn!

I liked how you really cared about us and considered our needs in the class.  Most professors are very set in their ways.  Thanks for a great course.  I really learned a lot.

I LOVED this class.  I enjoyed learning about everything.  When my friends have sex questions I can give them answers in a heartbeat now!  Seriously, this was my favorite class and the only reason I woke up early every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

Whenever I would be studying for this class my roommates would always ask me what we were learning and they were intrigued by some of the things I told them, especially the things they had never known.  I’m happy that by taking this class I now have the opportunity to teach my friends what I’ve learned so that they can also be more educated on such important topics.    What I liked best about this class was how open and comfortable you were while teaching us.  It helped in learning becuase I didn’t feel embarassed to ask questions or to even be learning about this topic!  It’s so important for everyone to be properly educated on this subject because it is such a huge part of our lives.

I really liked this class a lot.  This is the only class I have ever taken in my life that I don’t mind coming to.

This class was great.  Unlike my other classes, I feel like I learned things that will actually help me NOW and also when I leave college.  The information on STIs and birth control were very helpful to learn about, since I can protect myself.  Now I feel that sex is something I am better able to talk about and it doesn’t have to stay “in the bedroom.”

Two of my biggest fans stop by the Owens CC presentation!

I finally wrapped up my fall “speaking tour” – with a presentation at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio. Although I have spent many years in Ohio in my life, I had not been back for a long time.  As a kid my family visited Toledo many times since my grandparents lived there.  When I got older I eventually moved to Granville, Ohio for my undergraduate work.  After getting my degree in psychology, I ended up moving to Newark, Ohio for my first post-college job at Planned Parenthood.  So I have lots of history in Ohio (but truth be told, I’m a huge Michigan fan……..).

Enough reminiscing – let me first apologize for taking so long to get these final “tour” photos up on my blog.  I had some issues with the photo lighting and I think they are better now.  Much thanks to everyone at Owens for their help getting me there AND helping pull off the presentation!  Special thanks to Dr. Lorry Cology, who teaches the human sexuality course at Owens; Dr. Denise Shuster, the Chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department; Chris Zasada & Nick Army, my computer experts from IT; and Patty Parr & Janise Turso from Cengage Learning.  I hope everyone enjoyed the presentation and left with a better understanding of the importance of culture when it comes to evaluating sexuality.  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I recently had the opportunity to present my research to the faculty, staff, and students at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio.  The students asked great questions and I could tell they really understood the complexity of cross-cultural sexuality. Many stayed after to discuss their personal thoughts and ideas about sexuality.  Thanks so much to all who worked so hard to get me on campus.  I was thrilled to be there!  I will be posting more photos from the event very soon!

Keep talking sex in Ohio!!!