Meet India "We wish more teachers discussed these issues," were comments that India's students shared after she implemented the strategy, "'That's So Gay' -- How That Phrase Can Hurt."  Earlier this school year, India, a beginning teacher who teaches high school Algebra and Geometry at PUC Schools in Los Angeles, caught two of her advisory students using sexual orientation slurs. “They didn't see the harm in using the words ‘gay’ and ‘fag’ out of context and my hope was to open their eyes through this lesson.” Guidance from India on Adapting this Strategy for the Students or Mentees You’re Serving: ”I encourage everyone to spend time going over this topic with their students. At the end of my lesson, my students wished more teachers had discussed what using the word “gay” really means and how it can be harmful. I would also encourage teachers to make the lesson their own and tweak it for their students to make the most significant impact.” A Little More Background on India Before Diving Into the Strategy India was drawn to teach at PUC Schools because of its small class sizes, the determination of the organization to ensure that every student graduates high school with a focus on college, and the instructional support PUC offers to beginning teachers. “Working at PUC has stretched me in multiple ways,” she says, “but I have grown as a teacher because of it.” |