Just wondering how many folks out there are involved in the Education Field? I am a teacher (I've taught at ALL grade levels), and I was just wondering how many other teachers/educators of any kind are out there.....

Perhaps we can start a thread on what it is like for educators AND students of all ages? I would love to hear anything anyone may have to say about their experiences and beliefs!

Harleigh

I am a teacher. There is another thread going for teachers being out or not. I have taught all levels from preschool to HS. Would love to share ideas.

I have participated a bit on the other thread about teachers being in or out. So there ARE many teachers here. I teach web design at college. Would also like to talk with other's experiences in the education field.

Thanks for the replies! I was wondering, though.....where is the thread about being in or out? I seem to get tied up in one thread or another most of the time, so haven't truly explored ALL of the site. Anyway, I look forward to sharing experiences, either here or on the other thread....as soon as I find it

Harleigh

The other thread is in "Christian Lesbian Life" under "coming out".

But I am willing to discuss teaching, being a Christian in the public schools, and being gay if you want.

Harleigh - are you familiar with using the New since your last visit feature, that's how you notice all the threads. Clicking the little clobe sign at the top.

This forum was moved from the 'suggestions' area to here

[This message was edited by Elaine on September 08, 2003 at 09:29 AM.]

Reminds me of a Xena episode...only saw it once, so forgive me, Xenites, if I get it wrong...but Gabrielle and some other woman had acted in a play or something and said ~ "We've found our true calling, we're thespians."

Harleighsmybaby,
I am also a teacher, but working out of my field right now. (I inspect houses.) lol I have my B.S.E. in Recreation Education to teach Leisure Studies. It has been next to impossible to find a position. I have; however, taught in a medium security prison for teenage girls. A rough job, but rewarding. Never did "come out" during my 5 years there. I'm looking forward to the posts for this thread. I have been reading the other one, too. I would like to teach again. If anyone has a lead for me, I'd love to hear from you. My e-mail is: Misswings62@yahoo.com (in subject area write: CL Teach, so I know it is from here. I don't open e-mail I don't know) Thanks! God Bless to all.

Misswings/Judy

Surviving is important.
Thriving is ELEGANT.

Maya Angelou

I'm not a teacher, but I'm a Residential Educator for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing children. Count me in!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Be prepared at all times for the gifts of God and be ready always for new ones. For God is a thousand times more ready to give than we are." - Meister Eckhart

- SoulBright

Hey Groucho!
Thanks for the welcome!

Yep, I'm at the SC School for the Deaf & Blind in Spartanburg, and you are at??

Love & Light,
SoulBright

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"God has no religion." - Mohandas K. Gandhi

Hi Groucho!

Okie dokie! I'll visit you soon. Thanks!

In His Light,
SoulBright

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The veil between us and the Divine is more permeable than we imagine." - Sue Patton Thoele

I teach high school English at an inner city school. I am out to some, depending on the individuals. I do have some lesbian students with really in tuned gaydar who have come out to me then replied with, "OK, now what's your story Ms. C?" We have several gay kids and faculty members. We talk among ourselves "on the cool" as they say!!!

Hi,
I am a counsellor in a british high school... often a ticky place to be a christian... even harder being a gay christian. Love my job, and know it is of God and have seen him work with many of the kids I have/am working with...

Hi All!
I too am a teacher, but I am a reading specialist who works with kids in Kindergarten through third grade. I had taught for 18 years in Catholic schools (and had my first experience with a teacher there) and moved into the public school system two years ago. I feel much freer to be myself now. Though I'm not openly gay at work, there are people who at least suspect it. Two of them are gay themselves (one a man, one a woman). We've kind of talked around it, but I'm not sure how gay-friendly the administration and school board are, so I don't want to proclaim anything just yet. The little ones often ask why I'm not married yet. (Obviously, I'm ancient to them) I just say I haven't found the right person.

Here's my struggle. I am very backward at any kind of dating thing. My experience has been very limited (long story). Anyway, I have a crush on our new assistant principal. She's older than I and unmarried. I think she might prefer girls, but I don't know. I have prayed to God to help me stop these little flip flops of my heart when I see her, because I can't imagine that trying to start anything but a friendship with one of my colleagues would be smart. I haven't had that many conversations with her, but I'm drawn to her. She's very quiet, intelligent, and calm, and she has a great smile. She was the principal of a Catholic school, so we have similar backgrounds. I am trying to write down some of my feelings in a journal to help me sort them out, but I want to talk to someone about it and can't find the right person. Actually, I'm half afraid that someone will think I'm just dreaming or a loser or something. Does anyone have any advice? I'm torn. I've been thinking I need to sign up for some of those personal ads online and go that direction instead.
Thanks for any ideas. I love this website because people are so supportive and have great advice foreach other.
Peace,
Mallory61/Kathy

Hey there I am an instructional assistant in a self contained school for emotionally distrubed middle/high school students. One day I will be the classroom teacher. I am a part time student as well. I have worked at this site for 6 yrs. At first I was totally closeted but now with the new sexual harassment rules I am able to be out to the students & coworkers. It has been a challenge & grow experience for all those involved. I thank God that it finally got to where I don't have to hide anymore.
Peace be with you

Theresa Smithey

With schools just getting into full swing, I thought it would be good to revive this thread.

How are people handling being gay in the education field?

How do people "field" the questions? I just got asked again!

Which is harder? Being a gay teacher? or being a Christian teacher? Or being a GAY CHRISTIAN teacher?

Recently heard you are not allowed to teach ANYTHING about homosexuality in school.

I do the don't ask don't tell thing at school. It is so difficult, particularly when others are engaged and talking about their significant other, and I am basically silent. It hurts. I feel like I distance myself because I don't want to be found out. Where I live, I could technically lose my job just because I'm gay. It's wrong, but what can I say?

I normally get asked by my students, "Do you have a boyfriend/husband." I can say "no" to that, because I don't!! I'm not married yet, and plan on being....my partner is planning on carrying a child because it could look bad for me (but she teaches, but not in the public schools)

I think being a gay Christian teacher could be the hardest. I think being a gay teacher is hard, but my g/f being an educator at a church with people who don't particularly want a gay person in leadership makes it ugly. I was a gay Christian educator, and I believe the grace of God made me lose my job. I couldn't work there...there are STILL rumors floating about me and my g/f (her sister teaches there, too, which didn't make it easy at all!). I miss my last job for what I did as an educator, but I don't miss the gossip and the politics. I don't like the politics in the public schools, either. Oh, well!


One thing I would like to teach= I'm doing a mentoring program with some of my students, and I teach a majority African-American population. I have found that this particular culture is SO dead set against gays. There are a lot of students who are avid church goers, but they are so anti-gay. The slurs I hear out of students, calling each other fags and gay upsets me. However, I don't exactly know how to combat that. IN this mentoring program, I may have an opportunity to teach that- a tolerance education and teaching children not to name call, etc. How do you do that without "outing" yourself to your students? I have no intention of letting my students know. My philosophy has always been I don't want my students to know too much about my personal life. So I keep that idea in mind. I'm not a homeroom teacher, so I can get away with it!!
http://tinypic.com/4oldg
Abigail
Isaiah 40:31

This is a subject I have been thinking about as well. I live in a society that is in large fairly positive towards gays but still it would not necessarily be easy to be out. I teach at a college, so the issue is different there with students being 19+ in age, most in their early 20s. I think there is one or two other Christian teachers there, not sure. That kind of subjects don't get discussed. Quite a few know I am a Chriatian because of my somewhat public involvement in ministry. Among our students there is one lesbian couple who are quite open it. I haven't heard any comments about them, people just seem to accept.

Just recently there has been a lot of public discussion about an event in a school for 12-16-year-olds a couple of weeks ago. A gay teacher was speaking in a morning devotional at a public school (we don't have other than public schools !!) Those are heard by all the staff and pupils. In it he told everyone he was gay and in a long term relationship. The headmaster of the school publicly reprimanded him for that on the basis that he shouldn't have talked about his private life at school. The discussion about the subject continues!

Abigail, your policy about people not needing to know about your personal life is a good one. That goes for all people, not just for gays, I think!

Hi!

I'm looking into the possibility of changing careers. I've always wanted to teach. I'd love to hear about experiences people have had in schools and any advice they can give.

Carol