Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons^™

Clags's Queer Pedagogy Workshops, Spring 2000, James Wilson

Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS)

As a former high school English teacher and now a prospective college professor, I have long grappled with issues of gender and sexuality in the classroom. Is it, for example, incumbent upon me to be both a model and mentor for my Igbtq students? How will the classroom dynamic change if my private experiences become inextricably linked with my professional responsibilities? To what end might I implement issues regarding gender and sexuality while teaching canonical texts or traditional academic subjects? And finally, how would I handle homophobia, students coming out, and questions about my personal life in the context of …