Empowering Classrooms: A Survey Snapshot of Pride and Less Prejudice Impact
Nicole Caldwell
Pride and Less Prejudice (PLP), an initiative committed to helping educators create affirming and welcoming classrooms through LGBTQ-inclusive literature, recently conducted a survey among educators to gauge the impact of our program. With over 10,000 LGBTQ-inclusive books distributed to more than 5,000 teachers since we began in 2019, we wanted to check in with teachers who have received our books to learn about all the wonderful ways that educators are using them in their classrooms and schools.
Key Findings:
Building Confidence in Discussing LGBTQ+ Themes
79% of the surveyed teachers reported that PLP has significantly boosted their confidence in addressing LGBTQ+ characters and themes in literature with their students. This statistic underscores the program's success in equipping educators with the tools and knowledge needed for inclusive discussions.
Promoting Comfort in Read Alouds
59% of educators shared that PLP has played a pivotal role in making them feel more at ease while reading books featuring LGBTQ+ characters out loud in the classroom. This result indicates a positive shift in educators' comfort levels, facilitating a more inclusive and welcoming learning environment.
Frequency of LGBTQ+ Book Reading
62% of teachers stated that they read LGBTQ-inclusive books to their students on a weekly or monthly basis. This finding reflects a growing integration of diverse literature into the regular curriculum, contributing to a richer and more varied reading experience for students.
Advocacy and Future Participation
An overwhelming 83% of surveyed teachers had recommended PLP's free books program to their peers, while the other 17% expressed their intention to do so in the future. This indicates a high level of satisfaction and advocacy within the teaching community, potentially contributing to the program's continued growth.
Professional Development Engagement
Approximately 20% of teachers attended PLP's Professional Development (PD) workshops in the past year, highlighting the ongoing commitment to professional growth and learning. With these workshops occurring 3-4 times annually, the positive response indicates a willingness among educators to invest in their professional development on these topics.
Utilization of PLP's Teacher Resources
Of those surveyed, educators used a variety of PLP’s resources over the past year, reflected in the data as follows:
38% Author Read-Aloud Videos
32% Teaching Guides for Individual Books
27% Book Gallery
20% Blogs
17% Social Media Contests
15% Bookshop Online Bookstore
13% "Meet the Author" Interview Series
These statistics shed light on the varied ways educators engage with PLP's resources, emphasizing the multifaceted approach PLP takes in supporting teachers.
Impactful Quotes:
Educators provided poignant testimonials on how PLP's books and resources have made a meaningful difference in their classrooms:
Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces: "The books and resources that I have used have helped my 3rd-grade students gain vocabulary and understanding of gender identity and the LGBTQ+ community. These books have helped us foster a safe and inclusive classroom community."
Reducing Barriers to Access: “I have these books near the whiteboard, rather than on my shelf. They allow students to meander up to my desk and 'casually' pick up a book to look through. It is less intimidating to them. They also report that the children's books are a low stakes 'non-preachy' way of introducing narratives and ideas they were curious about but didn't know how to approach.”
Promoting Pronoun Discussions: “I use What are your words?, which I received through PLP last year, as a read-aloud with my class each year to discuss pronouns and invite students to feel more comfortable sharing their own. I put out an email to my whole staff to request books and a number of them did, further diversifying their classroom libraries.”
Supporting Personal Connections: "I got the story Love, Violet for my classroom last year. I had a girl named Violet who was dealing with having a crush on another girl in class. She adored that book and immediately connected with it."
Professional Development and Collaboration: "My teaching team has loved the books we’ve gotten through you and borrow from each other if we don’t have the books as part of our collection. We can also usually incorporate the books into existing curricular themes."
Conclusion:
The survey data from Pride and Less Prejudice reflects a positive and impactful engagement with educators, demonstrating the program's success in empowering teachers to create inclusive learning environments. With a majority of teachers expressing increased confidence, comfort, and frequency in incorporating LGBTQ+ literature into their classrooms, PLP stands as an advocate for diversity and acceptance in education. The testimonials further highlight the profound effect these resources have on both educators and students, fostering empathy, understanding, and a sense of belonging. As PLP continues to evolve, these insights will undoubtedly guide our future endeavors in supporting teachers and promoting inclusivity in education. To everyone who completed the survey, thank you for sharing your experiences with us!
