August- Hyperlink- Blog 5



“Safe Spaces- Making Schools and Communities Welcoming to LGBT Youth” by Annemarie Vaccaro, Gerri August, and Megan Kennedy discusses how classrooms can be inclusive to youth who identify as LGBTQI+. The authors say that, “Sexual orientation topics are entirely absent from nearly half our elementary teacher education programs in the United States” (Vaccaro, August, Kennedy 85). When educators are not taught about sexual orientation topics, they can say things that are offensive or demeaning to the LGBTQI+ community and/or not teach their students about different types of people and families. This can lead to children feeling left out because of their sexual orientation or their home life, for example having two dads.
An article I found, 12 Ways to Make Your Classroom Safe for LGBTQ Students” by Kelly Huegel Madrone discusses different ways to make a classroom inclusive to all students, regardless of sexual or gender orientation. Madrone says some important ways to make your classroom inclusive are to have LGBTQ-inclusive materials present in your classroom, be aware of your language, and to have resources available, just to name a few.
There is no reason that classrooms should not be inclusive to everyone. If someone wants to be a teacher, they need to make sure that their students feel safe and included. No one should feel like they do not belong because of their gender identity or their sexual identity.
Another way to make your students feel safe and included are to hang up signs and posters, like the one down below.

Image result for making classrooms safe for lgbt

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