Welcome

I learned how to better approach, welcome, and appreciate discussions involving the LGBTQ+ community in my school

I enjoyed the entire presentation, from the opening activity to the personal stories to the comfort in asking questions was so great. I gained knowledge on new terms and learned so many resources/books that I can have in my office to share with students

I gained more information and understanding of intersectionality, how to speak with parents to help them feel supported and to support their child, and the alarming statistics(and the importance of a youth feeling supported)

I am thankful to hear the most positive way to respond when you mix up a name or pronoun. Instead of saying I'm sorry and putting the student in a place where they need to say "its fine or its okay" I can just say thank you for correcting me and move on

I definitely will include more examples of diverse family structures in my reading and math lessons. I liked the example of using word problems to include more diversity (ex: Jason and his two moms bought...) I learned how to incorporate more inclusive language in my teaching and also learned that some of the strategies I currently use are also effective at creating safe, inclusive settings

I really appreciated the idea of handing out index cards to students and asking them to fill out their chosen name, their pronouns, and a safe name for the teacher to refer to them as when discussing them with family. This is a private activity that ensures students feel seen, respected and protected. I learned a ton about the legality and a teacher's responsibility

I learned that if a student comes out to a staff member, the staff member is actually obligated by law not to disclose that information to the student's family. It seems like a general rule of thumb not to share that information, but I am relieved to know that it is enforced by the law.

It was so helpful to hear someone's personal story and also learn about the CT state laws and regulations about what we can and cannot disclose to parents regarding a student's gender identity.