The Short Career of a Gay-Identifying Teacher: The Journey From Preservice Teaching to Lead Teaching to Exiting the Profession

• In Event: 63.084 - MTCC Roundtable Session 25
  In Roundtable Session: 63.084-13 - Queer in K–12 Schools: School Change and LGBTQ Narratives

Abstract

As they enter the profession of teaching, LGBTQ+-identifying individuals often encounter marginalizing experiences that trigger discomfort and anxiety related to their identities. These experiences may lead to queer teachers feeling a lack of support and leaving the teaching profession. This four-year longitudinal qualitative study documents experiences of a gay-identifying elementary teacher through three stages of his teaching career: (a) his navigation of public school and university contexts as a pre-service teacher, (b) his experiences in the teaching profession as a lead teacher, and (c) his eventual exit from teaching. This study offers implications for public school systems about how to support, recognize, and advocate for queer-identifying teachers and how to retain these teachers to support a diverse workforce.

Authors

• Bridget L. Maher, University of Michigan

• William Toledo, University of Nevada - Reno