SOGI and Curriculum

Blog #3

A safe, inclusive education environment is not achievable if meaningful conversations between students and educators are withheld in the classroom. In Kedrick James’ article, Mapping Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Inclusion through Curriculum and Practice in a Canadian Teacher Education Program, a focus is placed on the crucial role of teachers to include SOGI language, awareness, and integration into their daily practice. Studies done at a university in British Columbia concluded that formal curriculum – though important – has less of an impact on SOGI inclusion in students than informal curriculum. Thus, shifting focus to the major impact informal education can have on the inclusivity, comfort, and identity of both SOGI and non-SOGI-identifying students.  

James additionally highlights that teachers must both be committed to and competent in SOGI inclusion for an effective impact to be made on students. A survey conducted by Every Teacher Project concluded that “lack of training and fear of backlash” were common factors in educators avoiding SOGI issues; thus, emphasizing the need for “adequate SOGI resources and instructional support” (966). When fear withholds educators from encouraging change, the initial problem continues to grow. Researching, learning, understanding, and openly sharing knowledge on SOGI topics is the best way to bring a source of belonging to students while also challenging unjust social dynamics.  

Other ideas to expand upon 

• “When failing to be intentionally inclusive in these moments, educators perpetuate the hidden curriculum of shame and blame,” 
• “Teacher education occurs informally, when the discourse shifts from the language of curriculum to matters of personal relevance – when the scheduled class discussion becomes an open conversation, when lecture topic becomes relational talk. Our data suggest that these dialogical openings are critical to learning processes and make up an essential part of progressive work in teacher education.” 
• “Through the gaps in structured curriculum, classrooms can breathe with lungs of open dialogue: time is afforded to identity and to forming relational bonds” 
• “SOGI inclusive education goes beyond simply stating that all are welcome and then teaching disembodied knowledge of a subject in language that continuously underscores dominant, heteronormative stereotypes and the gender-binary worldview that dominates formal curricula” 

Out of all the topics I researched, sexual and gender identity within the curriculum stuck out to me the most. I found James’s peer-reviewed article through the University of Regina library database, where I intend to do the rest of my research. Going forward, I need to find two additional resources on the topic of sexual and gender identity within the curriculum to compare and contrast with the initial article. From there, I plan on picking a format for my piece (either MLA or APA), then I will research the formatting guidelines to refresh my memory.  

Source 

James, K. (2019). Mapping Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Inclusion through Curriculum and Practice in a Canadian Teacher Education Program. Canadian Journal of Education, 42(4), 957-991. Retrieved from https://login.libproxy.uregina.ca:8443/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/mapping-sexual-orientation-gender-identity-sogi/docview/2336300562/se-2