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User Guide
The True Life: I’m Coming Out Teacher’s Guide
This portion of the lesson plan is both a companion to the True Life:
I’m Coming Out video, and a curriculum guide that provides educators
with:
- A way to extend the dialogue around sexual orientation and gender
identity/expression beyond the issue of coming out
- A follow up debriefing and discussion about the video The lessons
in this guide build sequentially from individual reflection and understanding
to community action in four steps:
| Lesson 1: |
Understanding “Coming Out” & Building
Empathy for LGBT Students (45 minutes) |
| Lesson 2: |
Exploring Individual Attitudes Toward Homosexuality (50-70
minutes) |
| Lesson 3: |
Changing Individual Behavior Around Name-Calling (60-90 minutes) |
| Lesson 4: |
Taking Action/Changing Schools Through a Climate Survey (time
will vary) |
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Guidelines for Educators
- If time constraints only allow you 1-2 class periods to devote to
this program, it is possible to simply watch the video, and then use
the discussion questions in the section entitled Program Overview and
Questions for Discussion to deepen understanding among your students.
- If you have an additional class period, use Lesson 1 to help students
better understand what it means to come out and how to be an ally to
LGBT classmates and peers.
- Lessons 2-4 require more time and can be used together as a concentrated
unit on LGBT issues, or separately throughout the school year as time
allows to deepen understanding and inspire individual and institutional
change around anti-LGBT practices in your community.
- The last section of this guide provides resources for further reading,
study, and for support should sensitive issues or crises emerge.
We hope that this teacher’s guide provides you with the background
information and tools needed to increase respect for LGBT people and to
reduce bias in your school. If you have further questions or resource
needs, you can contact GLSEN at (212) 727-0135 or glsen@glsen.org.
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