Elementary Teachers’ Experiences with LGBTQ-inclusive Education: Addressing Fears with Knowledge to Improve Confidence and Practices

Abstract

This article presents the findings from a national study on the experiences of educators with gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) topics in elementary schools and recommendations for practice based in our experiences as classroom teachers and teacher educators. Using responses to open-ended questions that were part of a large-scale survey, we discuss the ways LGBTQ content is being included in PK-5 classrooms and the challenges and supports teachers experienced when introducing LGBTQ-related content or engaging in other visibility efforts and activities. These findings are placed in conversation with our experiences supporting educators preparing to do this work and inform our recommendations for practice. The importance of developing confidence and knowledge about gender and sexual diversity topics to address fear-based reasons for not engaging in this work are discussed, as well as ways to address these challenges for elementary educators.

Additional Resources

1. Bryan, J. (2012). From the dress-up corner to the senior prom: Navigating gender and sexuality diversity in PreK-12 Schools. Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield.

This book is a valuable guide that presents specific approaches to staff development around gender and sexual diversity topics. It also shares ideas for lessons and activities that can be used at multiple grade-levels (preK–12) and a resource guide for additional trainings and information.

2. Campbell, C., & Taylor, C. (2017). The Every Teacher Project Recommendations Toolkit. Winnipeg, MB: The Manitoba Teachers’ Society.

This 219-page toolkit was written based on findings from a survey of teachers to support the implementation of the recommendations in schools across the country. This guide includes recommendations for: teachers’ organizations, government officials, school districts, teacher preparation programs, and religiously affiliated schools. The appendices include specific law and policy information as well as resources for GSAs (Gender and Sexuality Alliances/Gay-Straight Alliances) and other schoolwide programming ideas.

3. Welcoming Schools

www.welcomingschools.org

This is a K-5 curriculum project developed to support LGBT-inclusive education alongside other diversity education initiatives. There are lessons on family diversity, bias-based bullying, and gender diversity. Each lesson plan includes suggested grade levels, learning objectives, supporting texts, and a detailed sequence of learning activities. This organization also offers trainings for school staff.

Notes

¹ GSD-inclusive education is a framework that includes a variety of theoretical and pedagogical approaches to disrupt normative assumptions about gender and sexuality. LGBTQ-inclusive education is a subset of approaches that align with the goals of GSD-inclusive education that focus specifically on people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer.

² See Appendix A for information about survey methodology.

³ Our final report analyzed data by grouping teachers in the following categories: elementary = PK-4, middle = 5–8, senior = 6–12 (Taylor et al., 2015, p. 3), therefore some of the statistics are reported using those categories. However, for the qualitative analysis presented here we included responses from those in grades PK-5.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [410-2011-0845].

Notes on contributors

Tracey Peter

Elizabeth J. Meyer and Mary Quantz are at the School of Education, University of Colorado Boulder. Catherine Taylor is at the Departments of Education and Rhetoric, Writing, and Communications, University of Winnipeg. Tracey Peter is at the Department of Sociology, University of Manitoba.