In what ways can I as an aspiring high school teacher support my LGBT students, and make them feel safe in my classroom? What kind of supports do you wish were present when you were in school?(&&&)
Even something as small as one or two LGBT posters on your classroom walls can make a huge difference.
Zero tolerance for any kind of homophobia, racism etc etc. Assist with the schools LGBT support group, or set one up if they don't have one. Make your presence as gay known in the school and are sure kids know they can all to you when they need to. If the community has no LGBT group, get one going to support adults so their community as a whole feels safe. Arrange informal get togethers that anyone can attend so those still in the closet can attend without coming out. In short. Show your support. Be loud, be proud, help them feel safe.
Ooo! Me too! I'm always looking for new things to do when I'm teaching! Here's what I already do, some of it is better than others: I make it clear at the beginning of the year that I will not tolerate "hate speech" in any form in my classroom. That includes derogatory racial, religious, gender, or orientation words. Those things are punished harshly and it stops that behavior fast after the first few detentions. If it continues, we have a private conversation between me and the worst offender about why that kind of speech is inappropriate in public places (work places, schools, hospitals, etc.). I post a "safe space" poster that is used in our district to signify rooms that are LGBTQ friendly. I talk with my students about their lives outside of school (during passing times, before or after school), and share stories from my life (that are appropriate) that include LGBTQ people. If it comes up I don't hide my own orientation from the students, but it's only come up once in 7 years of teaching. I use any nickname a student wants to be called, marking it on my attendance sheets for substitutes. I make it a point to compliment fingernail polish on boys, "boy" haircuts on girls, and other gender-bending fashion choices.
All the suggestions you both have made are great ideas, and I will definitly apply many of them. My only concern is making my sexuality known to my students I see how benificial that can be, but sadly in the state of Georgia I can be fired for my orientation. I realize how selfish it sounds to say that. Now just typing that out has me debating about whether I should share or not.
You don't have to come out publicly if you're afraid of losing your job. But if someone asks you, don't hide. You can be cryptic about it if you need to, and the students will draw the conclusions they need to.
I think seeing if you can start some sort of group to act as a safe space for lgbt students would be a really good idea (if there isn't one already). I know I wish that there was something like that within my school. Other than that, just make sure it's known that your class is a safe space, whether it be a sign that marks it as such or announcing it to your students.
Having gender identity and sexual orientation protected under my high school's anti-bullying policy would have been nice to see. It also would have been nice to see LGBTQ people included in sex education, and perhaps even a GSA. From teachers, combating heterosexist and cissexist language would have been much appreciated.
