Madison Demers

001208889
Seminar ED3505
The Activist Teacher: Including Intersectionality into my Classroom

One of my goals as an activist has always been unlearning, and when I say unlearning, I

mean learning to unlearn biases I may hold unintentionally. Even in school, we are taught to

learn these stereotypes sometimes- though it is changing, many people still hold those values

today. As a teacher, I am going to utilize my skills I have learned through my political endeavors

in my own classroom as I teach my students to think critically about the world around them.

Anti-racist and activism work includes dismantling the systemic issues within our

education system. I want to do this by providing chances and opportunities for my students to

learn about everything going on around them and learn that some things are not as perfect as they

seem where we live. It also includes bringing in different perspectives into my classroom, like

inviting Indigenous Elders to speak, BIPOC scientists, and my own students. I would also

include diverse curriculum for them to absorb and understand.

Intersectionality is also a huge piece of activism and social justice work. I want to make

sure to include all intersections and ideas of society into my classroom, so all my students feel

safe and validated in their existence. So many of them are already struggling with external

difficulties and barriers that are preventing them from succeeding. I want them to know that my

classroom is a safe space for everyone and I am there to support each student.

My classroom is going to be a safe space for everyone, and I will work on creating open

dialogue between myself and my students, so they feel comfortable! It is so important to create

that dynamic, because it means that my students will be more willing to communicate with me

and that is so incredibly crucial to their development. For myself, I am a teacher that is a part of

the LGBTQ2S+ community, which is one of the key driving factors for my ambitions to create

this safe classroom. Not every class feels safe to be yourself and I want to change that for all my
Madison Demers
001208889
Seminar ED3505
students. I am going to tell my students that I am here to support them in their learning journey

and their growing journey! I am going to make sure to relate to them in any way I can so they

know that they are not alone.

Being a teacher does not just mean I am teaching; sometimes it means I am a listener;

sometimes it means I am a student as I learn from my students. It also means I am constantly

learning new strategies to adapt to every new class and unlearn any biases I may have as a

teacher. My main goal to be an accepting teacher that understands my students instead of

assuming who they are and learn about them!

Every student matters, every student has a dream, and every student should have a

teacher to help them along the way.