| dc.description.abstract | Social studies educators hold an important role in shaping the ideas their students have about society and what we owe to each other. Because of this, it is crucial that we model how to treat LGBT individuals with respect and care to our students, their families, and fellow educators. Unfortunately, pre-service educators often receive little training to ensure that they feel confident enacting a radically inclusive approach to LGBT issues in their classrooms. Through this research I sought to understand what pre-service teachers’ perceptions, preparedness, and awareness of LGBT issues were prior to and following a professional development unit that I delivered about the topic. Conducting an assessment beforehand was crucial to ensure that I could provide them with training that would be relevant to their practice. I worked with eleven pre-service educators to help them build an intellectual toolkit about LGBT issues that they could utilize as they begin their careers. This involved two surveys, a training session, a focus group debrief session, and a website that we developed with various resources that they can access at any point. I found that many pre-service educators struggled with fear of pushback from parents and administration if they enacted an LGBT-inclusive curriculum, as well as a general lack of knowledge about how LGBT issues could be incorporated into their curriculum in an appropriate manner. These findings suggest the need for more widespread precedent in regard to these practices. | en_US |
