The Benefits of Creating a Safe Space

English transcript:
I have taught in schools where SOGI was easy to teach, and I have taught in schools where SOGI was less comfortable to talk about or uncomfortable to talk about. And students knew that I was a safe teacher, regardless of where I taught. But the stories that my students came to me to share in the unsafe schools were hard stories. There were stories of being isolated. They were stories of contemplating suicide. There were stories of attempting. There were stories of students in tears leaving other classrooms. And listening to those as a teacher who wanted to provide a safe space was always difficult. I did what I could to let them know that they were cared for and supported. But there was only so much I could do myself. Right now, I'm teaching in a school where SOGI is facilitated and welcomed, and it's a huge difference for me as a teacher and also, for my students. I teach a subject where I regularly meet new groups of students throughout the year, and every time I meet a new group of students I work very hard to learn their names and as I'm learning their names, I give students the opportunity to introduce their pronouns to me as well, if they might be pronouns that aren't the ones that I might assume. And as I was going around the room this year, there were these two kids sitting beside each other. When I got to them, they introduced me and gave me their names and then they said are pronouns, are they/them. And I smiled and said thank you for sharing that with me and I moved on to the next students. But as I moved on, those two students looked at each other and gave each other high fives. And they were so excited to have been brave enough to share that with the teacher. And to know that that would be accepted and facilitated for them. And I had so much joy in my heart at that moment that those two students felt welcomed in a way that students in other schools I had taught at would not experience, and I was so excited that my classroom could be a safe space for those two. I'm not making it more difficult for my non queer students. I'm only making it easier for my queer student. Some schools are safer than others for queer students. And students can tell the difference within every school, there are safer classrooms and less safe classrooms. And my goal as a teacher is to make sure that my classroom is a safe classroom for my queer students and for all students who may find themselves different from their peers in some way. And I make a point of making sure throughout my teaching that all of those different groups of students who may feel different are welcomed and included and made to feel valuable and important for who they are. In all kinds of different ways.