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How do we cultivate safe, affirming schools for LGBTQ students? Since creating the , Bethy Leonardi, PhD and Sara Staley, PhD have been engaging deeply to support educators and to transform our schools.
Leonardi and Staley鈥檚 initiative, A Queer Endeavor, has offered three primary forms of professional development this year. In introductory two-day Teacher Institutes, educators watch Breaking the Silence and develop knowledge and awareness of gender and sexual diversity. They engage in critical self-reflection and dialogue, and are introduced to a framework for 鈥渢aking stock鈥� of their school contexts. Educators return on day two with personal observations, engage in further dialogue and role-playing, identify entry points for action, and collaboratively plan standards-based curriculum.
A third-grade teacher commented, "It was helpful to meet in small groups with teachers 鈥� to discuss practical ways of implementing the LGBTQ ideas into our curriculum. I loved the specific examples of activities and books to use in my classroom 鈥� and models of how to address the tricky questions with parents."
For educators ready for deeper study, a Teacher Cohort met monthly in the fall. This group engaged in ongoing collaboration, invention, and reflection, planned and practiced implementing curriculum, and shared their experiences. With the Inquiry Group, they created a resource bank of curricular materials for themselves and others.
Sharing in further study, an Inquiry Group of 10 teachers have met regularly since September. This supportive learning community engages in self-study and sense-making about the processes involved in taking up gender and sexual diversity. Central is this group鈥檚 commitment to creating equitable schools and to sharing more widely the insights gleaned from the successes and challenges experienced.
As Leonardi and Staley emphasize, 鈥淭his is a community endeavor that is very grass-roots and organic.鈥� They invite you to join in this important work.
Would you like support around creating inclusive schools that are safe and affirming for LGBTQ kids and families? Visit us at aqueerendeavor.org to share your stories.
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