TeachOUT: Public Pedagogy as Preservice Curriculum on Homophobia in Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 17
  In Roundtable Session: Investigating the Influence of K–12 Educator Perceptions on Curriculum and Practice

Abstract

Preparing preservice teachers to work with marginalized students is a critical challenge today. Among marginalized youth, gender identity and sexual orientation minority students experience significantly higher rates of harassment and physical violence than their majority peers. In addition LGBTQ students experience curriculum invisibility and disproportional discipline. This paper offers findings from a 5-year case study of an education course utilizing public and conflict pedagogy as curricular strategies to better prepare teachers to address issues of gender identity and sexual orientation oppression. Public pedagogy and conflict pedagogy provide future teachers skills to 1.) Identify the larger social context of oppression 2.) Support the development of an activist/advocate teacher identity and 3.) Provide a practicum field experience to enact outsider praxis.

Authors

• Tina Manuela Gutierez-Schmich, University of Oregon

• Julia Irene Heffernan, University of Oregon