This post was crafted by my wise and inclusive friend Ace Schwarz. You may know Ace from social media as @teachingoutsidethebinary. I have learned so much from Ace and I am so glad they graciously offered to blog for our community about simple ways to go about creating an inclusive classroom.
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The school year is in full swing, and I love seeing my former students in the halls. One has been saying, “Mx. Schwarz! My favorite non-binary science teacher!” every time she sees me. I giggle and reply, “I’m the only non-binary science teacher here.” This has happened about five or six times now, and while it still makes me giggle, it also elicits other feelings. I’m sad that I’m the only non-binary teacher they’re going to have (as things stand right now). I’m also proud that I get to be that non-binary science teacher. For many of my students, I’m the first non-binary person they’ve met. In some ways it feels like a neat super power, and as we know, with great power comes great responsibility.
The Inclusive Classroom Mission
It should not only be my responsibility to create an inclusive classroom. All school staff are responsible for creating representative classrooms for students. Every teacher, especially cisgender heterosexual (cishet) ones, have this responsibility. Cishet teachers have a lot of privilege in schools. When I include elements of social justice or share queer representation in science class, it’s sometimes seen as “pushing an agenda.” When cishet folks do the same thing, they are often praised or receive less pushback. Administrators are typically more open to listening to cishet teachers around these topics. While it’s ridiculously frustrating, it’s an opportunity for these teachers to show up as active allies in the mission for every teacher to have an inclusive classroom and offering every child an inclusive and welcoming school.
So, how can you be that active ally to LGBTQ+ students and colleagues? What are ways you can actively create an inclusive classroom space? Here are 7 really simple steps you can take to make your school a little bit more inclusive:
Educate Yourself
First and foremost, education is a really powerful tool. It is important to understand the vocabulary and terms that exist within the LGBTQ+ community (asexual, pansexual, etc.), as well as the ones society reinforces (i.e. the gender binary). I am not telling you to memorize every single term. However, I am encouraging you to seek out these terms and at least become familiar with them.
Get Rid of Gendered Language
Phrases like “boys and girls,” “you guys,” or “ladies and gentlemen” are so common in classrooms. According to GLSEN’s report on Trasngender Youth in American Schools, it is estimated that 150,000 students between the ages of 13 and 17 identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. Therefore, many students do not fit neatly into the gender labels we so often use in class. Using gendered language can subtly alienate students, so we should work to avoid using these phrases.
Try these instead:
- Everyone
- Students
- Learners
- Y’all
- Scientists/Mathematicians/Readers
It will definitely take some practice, and you’ll probably mess up (I still do sometimes). Spend intentional time using gender neutral language in everyday conversations. If you mess up in front of students, self-correct with a gender neutral phrase and move on. Practice makes perfect! Remember that if the goal is an inclusive classroom and school, these efforts are worth it.
Be Mindful of How You Sort/Group Students
When you assign student seats, do you alternate boys and girls? When you divide the class for an activity, do you have boys go to one side of the room and girls to the other?
Again, when we ask students to put themselves into a male/female box, we reinforce the gender binary and tell them they have to choose one or the other. Consider other ways you can group students.
Include LGBTQ+ Stories in Your Classroom Libraries
Books are windows, mirrors, and doors for our students. They need to be able to see themselves as well as others who are different from them in the texts they read. If you are unable to purchase books for your own classroom library, try and work with your school library to include more LGBTQ+ titles.
It is super important to note that these books should not be labeled “LGBTQ+” or placed in a special LGBTQ+ section. These stories exist within every genre and should not be singled out. Check out this page on my website with LGBTQ+ book lists for all age levels.
Incorporate LGBTQ+ Themes Across Contents
Incorporating LGBTQ+ themes and ideas into your curriculum doesn’t need to be a big or difficult task. In fact, many content areas naturally lend themselves to this integration. Stonewall’s Curriculum Guide, GLSEN, and Gender Inclusive Biology are just a few of the MANY starting points out there.
Stop Bullying in Its Tracks
LGBTQ+ students experience significantly more bullying compared to their heterosexual peers. Approximately 70% of students are bullied because of their sexual orientation (HRC) and 66% of students heard phrases like “that’s so gay” being used negatively in classrooms (GLSEN).
I cannot stress enough how important it is to stop bullying behavior as soon as it starts. However, you need to make students part of the process. Simply telling a student, “Don’t say that” isn’t enough. This does nothing to explain to the student why what they’re saying is wrong. When students understand the “why” and learn to develop empathy, they are less likely to engage in these behaviors. An inclusive classroom is also one that is clear. Students need explicit instruction in order to understand ALL topics.
Listen to LGBTQ+ Students and Colleagues
We know what we need better than any cishet person can. If there is ever an issue that LGBTQ+ folks are speaking out about, please listen and amplify our message. Use your privilege to push for policies and change.
Your learning shouldn’t stop at this blog post! I hope you’ll join the community I’ve built on Instagram or even consider joining my Patreon for more focused and customized tips. Creating an inclusive classroom and school takes time, work, and community. Thanks for being here!
