SPCL 3000 LGBTQ Youth in Educational Contexts (Greytak)

This course is a critical and broad study of the social, cultural, and community factors that contribute to the psychological, sociocultural, educational and holistic well-being, mental health, and resiliency in LGBTQ youth, from childhood to emerging adulthood. Consideration of special challenges, risk and protective factors, and coping resources relevant to this population in education and community contexts. The course is interdisciplinary in that it pulls from fields of child development, education, sociology, and psychology, and draws from the frameworks of critical race theory and queer studies. The course is designed to provide a balance of structure and flexibility, providing a number of opportunities for students to choose both individual content focus and timing.

This is an Online Mixed course, meaning it has both synchronous ("live") components and asynchronous components. We will meet "live" virtually via Zoom approximately half of the weeks in the semester. During the asynchronous weeks, students will meet virtually in small group "study groups."

• Deepen knowledge, awareness and understanding of LGBTQ+ youth in schools and communities.
• Become more familiar with the language, culture, and history of the LGBTQ+ community.
• Identify and examine the stressors and challenges that LGBTQ+ youth face in school and community contexts, while also coming to appreciate the strength, resiliency, and solidarity these youth develop through their life experiences.
• Critically analyze current educational practices from an intersectional LGBTQ+ lens and to identify specific ways that education systems and those within these systems can become more inclusive
• Examine the intersections of race, class, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity among LGBTQ+ youth from childhood to emerging adulthood within family, school and community contexts.
• Develop multicultural competencies by actively engaging in critical self-reflection based on course content, individual examination, and interactions with fellow students; while also developing community skills to respectively engage in significant, difficult conversations about privilege, oppression, and difference.
• Further engage in the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and providing support to LGBTQ+ youth and develop as an advocate, activist, and/or ally.

Instructor Note

As the instructional leader of SPCL 3000, it is important to me that the classroom environment be an emotionally affirming and creative learning space for each of us at all times. If at any point, you feel anything less fully welcome and included in the class, please let me know. If you see a way for me to enhance your educational experience of this course, please don’t hesitate to say so. My pedagogical style invites engagement and participation by all students in the course. I ask each of you is to come to every class fully prepared to discuss the assigned reading, videos, and assignments. I will also provide you with the feedback necessary to help you achieve your goals as you move throughout this course. I will do my very best to support you, and facilitate the process; however, it is up to you to complete the work, and own the work. Students who are prepared with the readings and videos, attend class and participate in class discussions and activities, participate and demonstrate responsibility, and complete course assignments can anticipate successfully completing SPCL 3000. Remember, I am here to help. Please reach out with questions or concerns. I look forward to working with you all!

• Instructor: Prof. Emily Greytak (pronouns: she/her)
• Email: emily.greytak@brooklyn.cuny.edu
• Phone: Texting is great! (see Blackboard for mobile #, will also give in class)
• Course Number/Section: SPCL 3000 
• Course Name: LGBTQ Youth in Educational Contexts
• Course Time/Day: 
• Course Location: 
  • Office Hours: Sundays 10am-12pm, or upon request (see Blackboard for zoom link)

• You will get the most out of this class when you engage and invest, and so will the rest of the members of the class. I will ask that you participate but participation comes in many forms. I ask that you to engage and participate in the ways that you are able. I will also strive to create a class community where you feel you can bring your whole selves. I encourage you to speak up in class as it really does help foster a collaborative environment where we can better get to know each other. But you are not required to speak up verbally and I will provide multiple different methods for participation. II will ask for your engagement and your respect for all members of the class community.  
• In order to be as responsive to the unique needs and interests of students to address other necessary modifications to the curriculum or schedule, assignments in this syllabus may be added, changed or modified to accommodate the flow of the course. However, I will never make an assignment due any earlier than it is currently listed on the syllabus. Thus, it will not benefit you to work ahead on assignments or readings. If for some extenuating circumstance you need work on an assignment earlier than the week it is assigned, please let me know so that I can advise you of any potential changes, etc.

This Course is an OER (Open Educational Resources) meaning that course texts, readings, and materials will be provided via or linked from an OER page for the course.

OER, Blackboard, Zoom, Email, & Internet

Although this course will meet in-person, we will utilize both synchronous and asynchronous components. We will use OER (Open Educational Resources) and Blackboard to access course materials, announcements, discussion board, and assignment details, as well as to submit most assignments. If you are not familiar with Blackboard or need a refresher, you can check out the “User Guides” on Blackboard for help and tutorials. You can also contact the Help Desk and consult the Blackboard FAQ document for students (see below).

Office Hours and scheduled meetings with professor will generally be via Zoom. Ideally, you should be able to access your camera and audio functions during professor meetings. Therefore, you should have access to stable wifi and a working microphone, and camera (the internal microphone and camera on your computer or other device are fine) during those meetings, if possible. Please reach out to me (professor) asap if you have any challenges using Zoom for these meetings.

This class will also require you to communicate with the professor using email. You should be sure to have access to the email associated with your email address on Blackboard. It also critical that you plan to check your email at least twice a week for potential messages from me and your fellow students.

You will be need to have access to the internet and at times will be asked to visit various websites or videos online, such as YouTube or online news outlets. If you anticipate any difficulties, please let me know and I will do my best to figure out solutions or alternative means for you to be able to have all the access you need!

If possible, you should bring your device (laptop, smart phone, tablet) to class so that you can access documents, forms, and websites that we might use during class. If you are not able to do this, that is totally fine, just let me know so I can be sure to make other arrangements.

The School of Education at Brooklyn College prepares teachers, administrators, counselors, and school psychologists to serve, lead and thrive in the schools and agencies of this city and beyond. Through collaborative action, teaching and research, we develop our students' capacities to create socially just, intellectually vital, aesthetically rich and compassionate communities that value equity and excellence, access and rigor. We design our programs in cooperation with Liberal Arts and Sciences faculties and in consultation with local schools in order to provide our students with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, proficiencies and understandings needed to work with New York City's racially, ethnically and linguistically diverse populations. We believe that teaching is an art that incorporates critical self-reflection, openness to new ideas, practices and technologies, and that focuses on the individual learner's needs and promotes growth. Our collective work is shaped by scholarship and is animated by a commitment to educate our students to the highest standards of professional competence. The School of Education’s Conceptual Framework: Collaboration, Critical Self-Reflection, Diversity, Social Justice.