Teaching Acceptance in Schools - How Teachers Can Help Gay Students

By Ramon Johnson, About.com Guide

You obviously care about the safety and wellbeing of your gay students. There may be a tendency, however, to give your LGBT kids special treatment, treat them like victims or use them as examples.

When talking about diversity in your classroom, try not to use your LGBT students as examples. Many LGBT teens are just coming into their sexual identity and often feel isolated as it is. Identifying them to the class or using them as "gay poster children" will only increase their feelings of isolation (and, frankly, make them more of a target for harassment).

Dispel jokes, rumors and comments without making your LGBT students feel like victims. And of course, try and show support without coddling.

You'll find that your LGBT teens are some of your strongest despite their perils. They need your support, but they also need to be teens.

more steps below...

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• Know the facts.
• Set the tone and lead by example.
• Work LGBT issues into your lesson plan.
• Combat the stereotypes.
• Counter anti-gay jokes.
• Don't single out the gay kids.
• Sponsor diversity programs.
• Urge school-wide anti-discrimination policies.

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