I bought a book this weekend, titled One Teacher in 10. This book shares stories about LBGT teachers, focusing especially on one pivotal or critical moment in each teacher's career. Most of these stories, at least of the ones that I've encountered so far, are happy tales of "everything working out all right in the end."
That's great, really it is, and some of the stories even summarize the difficulties that teachers faced getting to that happy ending point. Perhaps it is a sign of the times, that students are more accepting, that people in general are more tolerant and homosexuality is "no big deal."
But what about when things do go wrong? The stories about defeat are just as important as the stories about success. I have heard it said that we learn more from our failures than from our successes and I believe that may be true. While success stories might be uplifting, stories about struggles, difficulties teach us - they can teach us how to work with or around unsupportive parents and administrators. They can teach us appropriate ways to come out to colleagues and students. They can teach us how to respond to difficult questions and address homophobia in the classroom.
Not that success stories can't teach these lessons as well, but I wonder if the decision to include mostly uplifting stories was based on editorial desires or if the majority of the stories submitted really did have positive messages.
Either way, I plan on including the good, the bad, and the ugly in this blog, so that others can share in my triumphs and learn from my mistakes.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Introduction
Teaching is what I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember talking about "what I wanted to be when I grew up." I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be enrolled in a master's program that is allowing me to work toward that very goal.
However, as much as I am learning about teaching and learning and my potential students, I am left wondering, who is teaching my potential students about me?
I am a lesbian. I am out to my immediate family and friends. I am not out to my coworkers (I am not yet working in a school). I am not actively out to my classmates, though I wouldn't doubt if some of them have put the pieces together themselves. I do not try to hide who I am, but neither do I feel the need to introduce myself as a lesbian to everyone that I meet.
So, I am left wondering, where does this leave me, and where will it lead me in the future? Do I take the risk of coming out at whatever school I end up teaching at? Is it even a risk to come out any more? Will I be able to find a mentor who can advise me as to the best course of action, since I know this is not an issue that will be covered in any of my classes?
The purpose of this blog is to record my personal journey, from homosexual student to homosexual teacher, in the hopes that I, and others, might be able to learn from my experiences.
However, as much as I am learning about teaching and learning and my potential students, I am left wondering, who is teaching my potential students about me?
I am a lesbian. I am out to my immediate family and friends. I am not out to my coworkers (I am not yet working in a school). I am not actively out to my classmates, though I wouldn't doubt if some of them have put the pieces together themselves. I do not try to hide who I am, but neither do I feel the need to introduce myself as a lesbian to everyone that I meet.
So, I am left wondering, where does this leave me, and where will it lead me in the future? Do I take the risk of coming out at whatever school I end up teaching at? Is it even a risk to come out any more? Will I be able to find a mentor who can advise me as to the best course of action, since I know this is not an issue that will be covered in any of my classes?
The purpose of this blog is to record my personal journey, from homosexual student to homosexual teacher, in the hopes that I, and others, might be able to learn from my experiences.
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