LGBTQIA+ in Education: Building Empathy and Acceptance

Description

Concept by Mathieu Delamarre

School education is growingly recognizing the importance of fostering understanding, empathy, and acceptance for individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations.

However, educators often lack the necessary knowledge and capacities to address these topics effectively. Because of this, schools, teachers, and students face challenges in creating inclusive environments that embrace diversity and support the LGBTQIA+ community.

This course will introduce participants to the world of LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences to promote comprehension, acceptance, and inclusion in school environments.

During the course, participants will learn about the LGBTQIA+ community, how to develop strategies to address biases and prejudices while celebrating diversities, and how to create a safe and inclusive space in their classrooms.

They will delve into the concepts of gender, identity, and sexuality, gain an understanding of the diverse identities within the LGBTQIA+ initialism, and discuss the current status of their schools related to inclusivity and LGBTQIA+ issues.

Moreover, they will reflect on biases and prejudices related to gender stereotypes and engage in role-playing games to understand the impact of societal expectations.

The course will also highlight the importance of communities for teens, emphasizing the role of schools in building a sense of belonging for LGBTQIA+ students, and focus on how to incorporate LGBTQIA+ topics into the curriculum and develop inclusive language practices.

Main Benefits: By the end of the course, participants will feel more competent in creating inclusive spaces, breaking down barriers, and promoting empathy and acceptance, contributing to a more tolerant and supportive educational environment for all students, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Learning outcomes

The course will help the participants to:  

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of LGBTQIA+ identities and definitions;
• Analyze and challenge gender stereotypes and biases to promote inclusivity;
• Develop strategies for creating a safe and supportive space for LGBTQIA+ students in the classroom;
• Explore cross-disciplinary pedagogical approaches to incorporate LGBTQIA+ topics into the curriculum;
• Identify the benefits and limitations of inclusive language in educational settings;
• Foster empathy and understanding through role-playing games and tolerance-building activities;
• Recognize the significance of building strong support networks involving parents, teachers, and specialists to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in schools.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Course introduction

• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools.

LGBTQIA+: Introductions and definitions

• Gender, Identity, and Sexuality;
• Discovering the identities behind the LGBTQIA+ initialism.

Day 2 – Reasoning on gender stereotypes

• Bias and Prejudices, reflections about stereotypes;
• Role-playing games: male and female values and qualities;
• Conflict management: Teacher’s roles; 
• Building citizenship: groups, communities and the importance of communities for teens.

Day 3 – Approaching LGBTQIA+ in education

• Celebrating diversities: Approaching LGBTQIA+ through cross-disciplinary pedagogical approaches;
• Enriching the curriculum;
• The benefits and limitations of inclusive language.

Day 4 – Creating a safe space in the classroom

• Building a strong team to support Students: parents, teachers, specialists;
• Mental Health;
• Classroom activities: best-shared practices about tolerance;
• LGBTQIA+ today, Communitarianism, Lobby, or Trend?

Day 5 – LGBTQIA+ and cyber-technologies

• Benefits, Risks, and Issues of digital life;
• Educating responsible digital citizens;
• Group discussion.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.