Sarah Wilt: Unraveling the Complexities of Being a Queer Educator in Today's School Environment

Teaching While Queer: Advocacy For LGBTQ Folks In Schools & Education To Live & Work As Your Authentic Self

Ask A Queer Educator

This week host, Bryan Stanton (he/they), speaks with English Teacher Sarah Wilt (shey/they). The two talk about demisexual identity, working as a virtual educator for a Christian School, and past careers in Juvenile Detention and Camp.
Technique: Highlight a guest
Ever wondered what it feels like to navigate the world of education as a queer educator? Prepare to be enlightened as we sit down with Sarah Wilt, a non-binary, bi and demisexual educator, who shares her riveting journey from being a queer student in a religious household to teaching at a Christian cyber charter school. Sarah gives us an intimate account of her experiences, exploring her gender identity and sexual orientation, and how these complexities shaped her career path.
Technique: Make a promise of what you'll learn
In this episode, you'll gain a fresh perspective on not just the challenges faced by queer educators, but also on educator burnout, especially among teachers serving in disenfranchised communities. Sarah walks us through the transformation of teaching in a virtual environment, discussing her role as a cyber school teacher, managing hybrid classrooms, and her strategies in tackling homophobia in a virtual space. She also shares her insights on the power of including pronouns in education, using technology to address transgender identities in schools and the influence of social media on societal norms.
Technique: Posing a provocative question
How can we make education more inclusive and authentic? We explore this profound question with Sarah as she emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in our education system. Our conversation touches on the importance of controlling our own narrative, the profound impact of virtual learning on post-pandemic adolescent development and the need for more supportive and understanding education systems. Join us on this enlightening journey as we unravel these critical issues right from the perspective of an educator who is living it every day.

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The podcast explores the challenges and successes of LGBTQ representation in education, addressing issues such as burnout, tokenism, doxing, and the importance of advocacy in creating inclusive classrooms, safe spaces, and anti-bullying strategies, with a focus on supporting non-binary teachers and gender identity in schools to combat the feeling of isolation and lack of community.

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1. Sarah Wilt: Unraveling the Complexities of Being a Queer Educator in Today's School Environment (00:00:00)

2. Teaching While Queer (00:00:05)

3. Burnout and Tokenism in Teaching (00:16:08)

4. Teaching in a Virtual Education Environment (00:19:52)

5. Addressing Transgender Identity in Schools (00:26:36)

6. Pronouns and Identity in Education (00:31:18)

7. Research Methods, Education, Social Media (00:34:51)

8. Education, Authenticity, and Inclusivity (00:41:49)

9. Changing Education Paradigms (00:48:29)