Positivity - Respect - Integrity - Determination - Equality
...that's a recipe to create a class community where everyone belongs and feels safe. Pride in Primary is a teacher guide that links days like World Book Day, Safer Internet Day and Odd Socks Day with a common theme of being seen and feeling valued.
Pride in Primary became my One Best Thing following a series of headlines in England that were harmful to the LGBTQ+ community. Countrywide organisations changed policies to exclude people from spaces like sports, recreation and workplaces. When the Department of Education (England) published draft guidance to schools that offered 'advice' on working with gender questioning pupils, the non-statutory paper added to the growing concerns of transphobia from the government felt by the LGBTQ+ community in England.
To make sense of my position as an educator, and a person of the LGBTQ+ community, I turned to my Apple Distinguished Educator peers to learn what their countries, governments and schools do to promote inclusivity and equality in teaching and learning.
PRIDE in Primary draws on research and reports from charities and partners around the world who make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning so that LGBTQ+ pupils feel safe in school. The most common finding from all of these organisations is when LGBTQ+ rights are acknowledged and talked about in primary school, everyone benefits! Everyone can be seen. Everyone can be heard. Everyone can feel safer.
PRIDE in Primary applies these principles to age appropriate activities that can be taught throughout the year in primary school. All of the activity ideas in the guide link to celebrations which already take place in the typical school year: World Book Day, Anti-Bullying Week, Safer Internet Day to name a few.
Call to Action: how might you adapt your teaching and/or classroom environment so that pupils learn about and value positivity, respect, integrity, determination and equality throughout the school year?
January 11, 2024
Wonderful theme and beautifully designed book Marc! The activities in the book support the theme so perfectly. This is an important resource for all teachers. Thank you for researching and creating this volume to make it easy for educators to practice Pride in Primary.
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