Signup: Answering Unexpected, Sensitive & Challenging Student Questions Free Workshop – Fill out form
“Miss/Sir, can I ask you something…?”
And suddenly, you’re faced with a question you weren’t expecting.
It might be sensitive.
It might be challenging.
It might be personal.
Or it might simply be something you don’t know how to answer.
What do you say?
For many teachers delivering Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE), this is one of the biggest challenges they face.
And it’s not difficult to understand why.
You don’t have to be an RSE specialist
In many schools, particularly international schools, RSE isn’t delivered by specialist teachers. It may be taught by form tutors, pastoral staff, PSHE teachers, classroom teachers or other members of staff who have been asked to deliver a particular lesson or unit.
These teachers may be experienced educators, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have specialist knowledge or training in RSE.
They can be confident teaching mathematics, Geography, Science or English — but answering a question about pornography, masturbation, sexuality, relationships, contraception, consent or sexual health can feel like an entirely different challenge.
And then there are the questions that catch you completely off guard.
“Is it normal to…?”
“Why do some people…?”
“Have you ever…?”
“What would you do if…?”
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t knowing the information.
It’s knowing how to respond.
What happens when you don’t know the answer?
Teachers often worry that they need to have an immediate, perfect response to every question.
They don’t.
In fact, trying to provide an answer when you aren’t sure of the facts can be far more problematic than simply acknowledging that you don’t know.
Effective RSE teaching isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about being able to respond calmly, confidently, professionally and appropriately.
You don’t need the perfect answer
One of the most important messages I want teachers to take away is this:
You don’t need to have the perfect answer every time.
You do, however, need strategies. This is exactly why I’m running a free 1.5-hour online workshop:
Answering Unexpected, Sensitive & Challenging Student Questions
📅 Tuesday 29 September 2026
⏰ 3:00pm Bangkok | 4:00pm China | 12:00pm Dubai
🕐 1.5 hours
This practical session is designed for teachers, RSE/PSHE leads, pastoral staff and anyone working with young people.
We’ll explore:
✔️ What to say when you know the answer — and when you don’t
✔️ What to do when a question feels personal or inappropriate
✔️ How to turn unexpected questions into learning opportunities
✔️ When a question might actually be a disclosure in disguise
✔️ Professional boundaries and the importance of your “poker face”
✔️ Practical phrases you can use when you’re caught off guard
No perfect answers required. Just practical strategies to help you feel more confident.
If you’ve ever thought:
“What on earth am I supposed to say to that?!”
This workshop is for you.
✨ The workshop is completely free.
Answering Unexpected, Sensitive & Challenging Student Questions Free Workshop – Fill out form
Choice & Consent supports international schools to develop high-quality, evidence-informed RSE through curriculum consultancy, teacher professional development, student programmes and parent engagement.