‘As with other areas of diversity, best-practice models for including gender and sexuality diversity in K-12 classrooms advocate for whole-school approaches, bringing together both macro-level policy guidance documents and interpersonal, relational considerations for school community.’ In today’s article, Professor Jacqueline Ullman from Western Sydney University explores school-based connection for gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) students, why teachers’ responses to homo/transphobic attitudes are paramount, and shares details of a new micro-credential she co-designed to support teachers seeking to create gender and sexuality diversity-inclusive school cultures.
In research and in practice, the importance of students’ sense of connection and belonging at school is well understood. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) added a measure of school belonging back in 2000 and many Australian state and territory education departments include a similar measure for schools’ annual reporting metrics.
Part of the reason for the attention given to this particular area of school-based wellbeing is because of its ability to predict a multitude of critical educational outcomes, including: students’ mental health, their educational engagement, positive attitudes towards learning, and academic achievement.
While students with positive school belonging do better, the converse is also true; not only do students with low school belonging do worse academically and have poorer school attendance (CESE, 2024), they are also more likely to engage in substance abuse and less likely to complete school (Bond et al., 2007).
What is so hopeful about these research findings is that school-based connection and belonging are malleable – school-based adults actually have a great deal of direct control over this. Research shows that when teachers are seen to be warm and accepting (Hughes, 2011), demonstrably caring, available for students in need, and offer mutual respect, students’ sense of belonging increases (Roffey, 2012).
Creating school connection for gender and sexuality diverse students
For gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) students – who sometimes, but not always, identify with the LGBTQ+ communities – school-based connection and belonging can be harder won. For this cohort of kids and young people, broader school community attitudes towards gender and sexuality diversity play a role in their sense of belonging. For this reason, both teachers’ responses to homo/transphobic attitudes and their perceived care and acceptance of GSD individuals are paramount.
In order to better understand the nature and strength of these relationships, I led the “Free2Be…Yet?” (Ullman, 2021) national study of GSD high school students (aged 13-18; N = 2,376) to explore students’ sense of connection and belonging. I also mapped this against other key benchmarks of school climate with respect to the treatment of GSD students and topics more generally. From this research, a few key findings stand out:
- GSD high school students exhibited far lower school connection than general student averages – almost a full point lower on a 5-point measurement scale;
- Across the sample, just 44% of GSD students agreed with the statement ‘I feel like I belong at school’, as compared to the Australia-wide average of 72%;
- GSD students in the early high school years (years 7 and 8) had the lowest school connection overall;
- GSD students attending schools with gender and sexuality diversity-inclusive behaviour policies reported significantly higher school connection scores, on par with the general average;
- Reported frequency of homo/transphobic language and physical harassment at school were negatively correlated with GSD students’ sense of school connection; However, GSD students’ sense that their teachers viewed these behaviours as negative and intervened to stop them had an even stronger correlation with their sense of school connection than the reported prevalence of the behaviours themselves.
- For trans/gender diverse students in the study (n = 685), these relationships were more pronounced; teachers’ cultivation of an environment where GSD students can safely be themselves – where they aren’t teased, where they are respected, and where they can express their identities – was the most influential predictor of their reported school connection (Ullman, 2022).
Including perspectives on gender and sexuality diversity
Creating a school-environment that is safe and affirming of GSD students is not without its challenges. For a start, there are unhelpful ideas in circulation about whether or not this area of inclusion is ‘appropriate’ for K-12 classrooms or aligned with parents’ values.
Importantly, not only is the inclusion of gender and sexuality diversity mandated content within the Australian curriculum, recent nationally-representative research with Australian public school parents shows that over 80% want gender and sexuality diversity taught at school. The majority of parents want to see this content introduced in the latter years of primary school and early years of high school, with more age-appropriate content – such as diverse families and the harms of bullying – introduced during the first few years of primary school (Ullman et al., 2021).
Importantly, it is evident that the large majority of parents want to see schools working to include GSD students – not just for the benefit of those young people, but to enhance cohesion and reduce bullying for the whole school community.
As with other areas of diversity, best-practice models for including gender and sexuality diversity in K-12 classrooms advocate for whole-school approaches, bringing together both macro-level policy guidance documents and interpersonal, relational considerations for school community.
While university teacher training programs articulate the importance of celebrating community diversity, inclusion tends to focus in on cultural/linguistic diversity and diversity of ability. Unsurprisingly, some classroom teachers and school leaders have not received any formal education about how to scaffold inclusion of gender and sexuality diversity and may shy away from this area of diversity as a result.
Given the dearth of research-informed teacher professional development in this space, interested teachers tend to have to do their own independent labour to support and advocate for GSD students.
New research-informed short course for teachers
To meet this need, I worked with my colleague Professor Tania Ferfolja (who is also an academic researcher and pre-service teacher educator in Western Sydney University’s School of Education) to design the ‘Teaching to Affirm Community Diversity’ online short course (or ‘micro-credential’). This 10-hour short course is flexibly-available and self-paced, with asynchronous engagement with the academics, and able to be used to satisfy ongoing professional learning requirements for maintaining accreditation.
Drawing from current Australian research, it applies both federal guidance and state-based education policies to support teachers seeking to create gender and sexuality diversity-inclusive school cultures. It also explores legal and policy frameworks, best practice ideas, and strategies for fostering student belonging and school connection by creating a supportive, safe, and affirming school climate for GSD students.
Visit the website to learn more about the Teaching to Affirm Community Diversity micro-credential at Western Sydney University. Training can also be arranged in-person at the whole-school/team levels. For more information or to register your interest, please email Professor Jacqueline Ullman.
References
Bond, L., Butler, H., Thomas, L., Carlin, J., Glover, S., Bowes, G., & Patton, G. (2007) Social and school connectedness in early secondary school as predictors of late teenage substance use, mental health, and academic outcomes. Journal of Adolescent Health, 40(4), 357.e9-357.e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.10.013
CESE (Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation). (2024) Understanding attendance – an updated research review on school attendance. NSW Department of Education. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/about-us/educational-data/cese/2024-understanding-attendance.pdf
Hughes, J. N. (2011). Longitudinal effects of teacher and student perceptions of teacher-student relationship qualities on academic adjustment. The Elementary School Journal, 112(1), 38–60. https://doi.org/10.1086/660686
Roffey, S. (2012). Positive relationships: Evidence based practice around the world. Springer Social Sciences.
Ullman, J. (2021). Free to Be…Yet?: The second national study of Australian high school students who identify as gender and sexuality diverse. Centre for Educational Research, School of Education, Western Sydney University. https://doi.org/10.26183/3pxm-2t07.
Ullman, J. (2022). Trans/gender-diverse students’ perceptions of positive school climate and teacher concern as factors in school belonging: Results from an Australian national study. Teachers College Record, 124(8), 145-167. https://doi.org/10.1177/01614681221121710.
Ullman, J., Ferfolja, T., & Hobby, L. (2021). Parents’ perspectives on the inclusion of gender and sexuality diversity in K-12 schooling: Results from an Australian national study. Sex Education, 22(4), 424–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2021.1949975.
How well do you currently foster a sense of belonging for all students, and what specific actions can you take to ensure your classroom feels warm, safe, and accepting for gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) students?
When you encounter homo/transphobic language or behaviours at school, how confidently and consistently do you respond – and what might help you strengthen your practice in this area?
How familiar are you with your school’s policies and the Australian Curriculum requirements related to gender and sexuality diversity, and what supports do you need to deepen your understanding?
