We Are Not Alone: Queer Teachers’ Navigating Personal and Professional Identity; A Qualitative Study
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| Author/collaborator |
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| Title |
We Are Not Alone: Queer Teachers’ Navigating Personal and Professional Identity; A Qualitative Study
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| Abstract |
The author’s qualitative study explores how Queer teachers navigate their personal and professional identities. His research questions sought to understand how Queer teachers balance their Queer identity in their personal and professional lives and how they find support for their identities in their workplace. Goodson’s study of teachers' lives and Alsup’s on teacher identity negotiation were used as a theoretical lens to bring greater attention to a neglected subject and situation: the lack of belonging that (as several studies show) Queer teachers tend to feel in school. The author’s research design combined self-study with a focus group discussion. The autobiographical self-study, inspired by Grace's concept of writing to the Queer self, allowed the researcher/teacher to reflect on their own experiences as an openly Queer teacher navigating their identities. The focus group participants were openly Queer individuals who had been working as teachers for 3-5 years in the Greater Montreal area. The author’s findings revealed that Queer teachers feel more supported with respect to their identities in environments that provide professional development, and a supportive community and resources for students. His research allowed the teacher-researcher to reflect on their own experiences as well as for Queer teachers to reflect together—an all too rare but necessary opportunity that shows promise for future work in research and practice. The focus group format generated momentum for change, as teachers shared ideas for improving the working conditions of Queer teachers in the Quebec education system. The author concludes with recommendations for educational leaders and policy makers on how to best support Queer teachers.
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| Type |
Master's Thesis
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| University |
McGill University
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| Place |
Montreal
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| Date |
2023
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| # of Pages |
148p.
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| URL | |
| Language |
en
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| Citation |
Laplante, Andrew. “We Are Not Alone: Queer Teachers’ Navigating Personal and Professional Identity; A Qualitative Study.” Master’s Thesis, McGill University, 2023. https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/sn00b408v.
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