Getting Ready for Benjamin: Preparing Teachers for Sexual Diversity in the Classroom(Curriculum, Cultures, and (Homo)Sexualities Series)

This book argues that issues of sexual diversity are inextricably interwoven into the basic concerns of pre-service teacher education. How do we make our students aware of assumptions regarding masculinity, femininity, and sexuality that arise from what is presented, represented, or omitted from curricula and classroom practice? What do we say about homophobia and heterosexism as we anticipate the administrative hierarchies, school cultures, parent and community politics they will encounter as teachers? What special challenges might face a teacher (straight or gay) who discusses sexual orientation in a high school classroom, or responds to a homophobic remark in the hallway or the cafeteria? How should we prepare a teacher for a parent conference with two moms or two dads? The essays in this volume range from an analysis of gay stereotypes in teacher education textbooks, to a discussion of queer multiculturalism, to personal accounts by lesbian and gay teacher educators and heterosexual allies who are challenging homophobia and heterosexism in their own classrooms and programs. All agree that education for sexual diversity is as important as education about all other forms of difference, and that future teachers need to know how to create safe spaces for lesbian and gay students, along with the children of gay families who are increasingly a part of the classroom landscape.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Surveying the Landscape Chapter 2 The Challenges of Gay Topics in Teacher Education: Politics, Content, and Pedagogy Chapter 3 "But No One in the Class is Gay": Countering Invisibility and Creating Allies in Teacher Education Programs Chapter 4 What do we do in Physical Education Chapter 5 "Pedophiles and Deviants": Exploring Issues of Sexuality, Masculinity and Normalization in the Lives of Male Teacher Candidates Chapter 6 Homophobia in the Schools: Student Teachers' Perceptions and Preparation to Respond Chapter 7 Education by Association: The Shortcomings of Discourses of Privacy and Civility in Anti-Homophobia Education Chapter 8 The Gay Ghetto in the Geography of Education Textbooks Part 9 "Add LGBT And STIR": Multiculturalism and Sexual Diversity Chapter 10 "Talking about Inclusion like it's for Everyone": Sexual Diversity and the Inclusive Schooling Movement Chapter 11 Re-visioning Multiculturalism in Teacher Education: Isn't it Queer? Chapter 12 Queer Developments in Teacher Education: Addressing Sexual Diversity , Homophobia and Heterosexism Chapter 13 Getting to the Heart of Teaching for Diversity Part 14 Telling Our Stories Chapter 15 How My Teacher Preparation Program Failed Chapter 16 Visibility, Invisibility, and "The Thickness of Non-Diversity": What I learned from Karen Chapter 17 Heteronormativity and Common-sense in Science (teacher) Education Chapter 18 "I was Afraid He Would Label Me Gay If I Stood Up For Gays" The Experience of Lesbian and Gay Elementary Education Credential Candidates at a Rural State University Chapter 19 Teacher Educators and the Multicultural Closet: The Impact of Gay and Lesbian Content on an Undergraduate Teacher Education Seminar Chapter 20 Can of Worms: A Queer TA in Teacher Ed Chapter 21 I'm Every Woman: Multiple Identities as Part of the Diversity Curriculum Chapter 22 Campus Dyke Meets Teacher Education: A Marriage Made In Social Justice Heaven Part 23 Afterword

About the Author :
Rita M. Kissen is associate professor of teacher education and women's studies at the University of Southern Maine. She is the author of The Last Closet: The Real Lives of Lesbian and Gay Teachers.

Review :
This groundbreaking collection, written by preeminent educational scholars, theorists, and practitioners, will forever redefine how current and future generations of teachers, school administrators, and pre-service teacher educators view issues of sexual and gender diversity in overall teacher training programs and classroom pedagogy. It will help to end the often-deadening silence by setting a higher standard for the promotion of truly democratic schooling within a larger diverse society. Getting Ready for Benjamin will go a long way in helping our schools welcome not only Benjamin, but also Sally and Khyati, Carla and Kalman, Nehal, Dachia, Courtney, Bob, and Kenji, as well as all their many peers. Getting Ready for Benjamin is a very important book that delivers an exquisite set of articles for an education practitioner at any level. Although a collection of articles, each is a delight to read and provides food for thought. This work is finely nuanced, clearly written, theoretically competent and should be a must for every teacher. I am grateful for the author for producing a book I can use in my education classes. This book is an important addition to the growing literature on LGBT issues in education. Rita Kissen has crafted a timely, comprehensive, and practical anthology that should be required reading for all K-12 educators and Teacher Educators. First-person narratives along with more scholarly essays create an inclusive and highly readable book for use in teacher education courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. This volume pulls together persuasive research about the heterosexist knowledges that pervade the school and teacher education curriculums. It is a valuable resource for teachers who need to get ready for . . . children and adolescents of 'queer' families who will no doubt give their teachers a run for their money. This book represents a moment for which many of us in teacher education have been waiting. Here is an anthology that addresses the needs of teacher educators, pre-service teachers, teachers, administrators, counselors and school staff as we attempt to do more than discuss, debate, and/or defend and sympathize with victims of sex and gender prejudice. These scholars, some of the most informed in the field, have presented us with revealing analyses of school cultures and given us insightful prescriptions for teacher education as we work to further fair treatment of individual differences in ways that can create safe and democratic school learning environments. This is a very important contribution to our understanding of both what is and of what is possible.