Before Reading a Book to Your Class

One way to make children feel welcome in your classroom and school is to ensure that all kinds of families are portrayed in the books that are available in the classroom and in the library. It is important for children to see their reality reflected to them through the literature that is available and used in classrooms.

Before reading these stories:

• Think about whether or not reading a book with two mums or two dads is the place to start in developing a welcoming school or whether you need to lay more groundwork in your school community (This really depends on your school environment, and how far you have to come before your school is seen as truly inclusive) (Ward, 2015)
• Consider whether you will have support from your school‘s administration if parental concerns arise regarding LGBT topics or gender roles.
• Prepare yourself to answer students‘ questions (HRC, 2009).
• Discuss families with LGBT parents in the context of the range of family diversity that exists in our schools and communities.
• Look at how whether reading the book fits into school curriculum, such as:
  • Social studies units on family
  • Units on understanding and respecting others
  • Reading and discussing diverse literature

• See how the book can help meet social and emotional goals you have for your classroom, such as:
  • Building community in your classroom
  • Developing student self-esteem
  • Developing an awareness of diversity while at the same time understanding commonalities between people and families

Some books may be better for simply reading and integrating as accurate representations, whereas others may be better for opening up discussions about diverse family structures (HRC, 2009).

 

Human Rights Campaign [HRC],. (2009). An Introduction to Welcoming Schools(1st ed.). Washington, D.C. Available via: http://www.hrc.org/files/images/general/An_Introduction_to_Welcoming_Schools.pdf

Ward, R. (2015). Safe Schools Do Better. Safe Schools Coalition Australia, La Trobe University. Retrieved from http://safeschoolscoalition.org.au