LGBTQ+ Identity: A Toolkit for Educators Collection

We are proud that our first #FEAS blog comes from sj Miller, a transdisciplinary award winning teacher/writer/activist/scholar, is Deputy Director of Educational Equity Supports and Services at NYU’s Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools and AERA’s Queer SIG Co-Chair. For more information please see sj’s website: www.sjmiller.info

Guest blogger sj Miller

We’re living in scary and challenging times as educators. Issues connected to LGBTQI+ people have been brought into a heightened focus in the news, and this means the call has never been more urgent for it to be folded into conversations within our schools and classrooms. But many teachers find themselves ill-equipped and ill-prepared to guide these discussions and meet the myriad emergent needs of their students in this space. That’s why I’m excited to share a new set of resources I’ve helped to create with you.

WNET, the education department of PBS LearningMedia, convened an advisory board– which I was part of—of 5 individuals, including educators and representatives from the NYC Department of Education’s Guidance Office and the LGBTQ+ Community Liaison, to create The LGBTQ+ Identity: A Toolkit for Educators Collection.

The advisory board workshopped the content to ensure it aligned with instructional goals that directly supports educators and students. The kit includes a series of digital media resources that will help administrators, guidance counselors, and educators understand and effectively address the complex and difficult issues faced by LGBTQ+ students.

The collection features short segments of video content from WNET’s groundbreaking LGBTQ+ series First Person, a digital series that delivers candid personal narratives illustrating larger conversations about gender, sexuality, social norms, and identity development. The video content is scaffolded by educational resources (background information, conversation guides, discussion questions, and teaching tips—connecting to the standards) to facilitate their use in educational settings. When used in tandem, the videos and accompanying educational resources will help promote understanding, awareness, and self-esteem.

The collection is distributed free of charge through PBS LearningMedia (pbslearningmedia.org) and is truly the destination for high-quality, trusted digital content and solutions that can inspire students and transform learning. New seasons of First Person are in the works now. Please share with others and don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions! For viewing of Season 1 go to: LGBTQ+ Identity Collection on PBS LearningMedia; and watch the first video of Season Two: Boundless Black Masculinity.

sj Miller
Deputy Director of Educational Equity Supports and Services
Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools