Welcoming Schools Guide: Elementary School Educator Training and Evaluation

• In Event: Educating School Personnel About Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues: Effectiveness of Professional Development Programs

Abstract

The Welcoming Schools Guide for Elementary Schools is a program inclusive of all kinds of families (diversity related to race/ethnicity, religion, family structure, socioeconomic status, national origin, and physical ability) and addresses multiple forms of bias-based bullying, especially in the lesson plans for students. Nevertheless, the guide has an intentional emphasis on LGBT issues and gender expression and addressing anti-gay name-calling and bullying.

Objectives
The specific goals of the paper are: 1) Describe educator training components (both the 2- hour mandatory professional development for all educators and the 8-10 hours of professional development for select educators and administrators who would be seen as Welcoming Schools leaders) as implemented in 11 schools in districts in California, Massachusetts, and Minnesota in 2008-2009; 2) Present the educators’ evaluation of their training (quantitative and qualitative data) from the first year of implementation;
3) Present findings as to the educators’ perceptions of the impact of their training on their teaching practices and school.

Perspective
The Welcoming Schools approach is consistent with other programs addressing socio-emotional development and reflects the body of research on these characteristics, their relationship to academic learning, and assessment of programs promoting healthy development (i.e., Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) syntheses of research). The perspective is that educators can build in topics addressing family diversity in an integrated, organic manner as part of overall curriculum and school climate.

Methods
The tripartite evaluation of the Welcoming Schools Guide included 1) an in-depth process evaluation (including classroom observations; focus group meetings with faculty, staff, parents, and other community members; interviews with school principals); 2) a preliminary outcome evaluation (surveys pre-implementation, immediately after training, 9 months post-implementation, and 1 year follow-up); and 3) ongoing community responses.

Data
Data sources include surveys (immediately post training and pre and post program implementation), focus groups, and individual interviews with classroom teachers, administrators, and professional staff. Overall, 217 professional staff members completed the pre-implementation survey and post-training evaluation and over 45 educators participated in the focus groups and individual interviews.


Results
There was demonstrable, significant change over the course of only 9 months. Teachers overwhelmingly emphasized the need for professional development, collegial conversations mediated by expert facilitators, and sufficient materials. There were statistically significant differences in teachers’ acceptance of gender expression outside of the norm; perceptions of their students’ readiness to discuss family diversity; personal comfort in dealing with diversity issues; ability intervene when hearing bullying and gender stereotyping, and their intent to incorporate the Welcoming Schools’ lessons in their own classrooms.

Scholarly Significance
The vast majority of educator preparation programs fail to address LGBT issues or
gender expression (particularly primary school preparation) and few resources exist
to help primary school educators address them in their classrooms or schools. This methodologically sound evaluation contributes to the literature supporting the addition of LGBT issues or gender expression to teacher preparation and provides evidence of the value of the addition of such programs in elementary schools.

Authors

• Laura Szalacha, The Ohio State University

• Suzanne Pasch, Wheelock College