Tristan on Creating Inclusive Spaces
[LA Seminar Discussion]
Everyone needs to be seen and understood. When teachers make their students feel seen, their students do better, they enjoy the class more, and they are motivated to do well. Feeling seen also allows the students to feel like they can talk to their professors, whether it’s about a concept they don’t understand or when they need help outside of the classroom. Teachers make their students feel comfortable expressing their feelings, their struggles, and their opinions on topics being discussed. I’ve definitely felt what some of the students in the LGBTQ video discussed, going into a classroom or really anywhere outside of my house and appearing “too” gay, is uncomfortable and sometimes downright scary. I think that as teachers, this should be recognized, and discussions in class shouldn’t purposefully be avoided because they’re “uncomfortable.” After all, you never know what might change someone’s opinion and who you might be encouraging to open up and be themselves.