Date and time

Wednesday 9 October 2024, 9.30 am to 3.30 pm

Delivery mode

​​In person at ISV, 40 Rosslyn St, West Melbourne​

Audience

Teacher, Leader, School Staff

Description

Looking to register more than one person? Contact us at isLearn to arrange a group discount for your school.

Create a more inclusive classroom environment. Educators often lack the resources and understanding needed to fully support LGBTQIA+ students, leading to feelings of exclusion. This event addresses these gaps by providing insights into LGBTQIA+ identities, including discussions on sex, gender, and sexuality, with a focus on the experiences of transgender and gender-diverse students. Participants will learn about the significance of pronouns, challenges faced by queer students, and strategies for using inclusive language.

This session aims to equip educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to foster a welcoming and safe educational space for all students. Drawing on Australian research and real-life accounts, this professional learning will enhance educators' ability to support LGBTQIA+ students and their families effectively.

Join us to expand your professional skills and contribute to making your educational settings more inclusive.

‘Shaz and Julie are amazing. Great banter and the humour really makes dealing with sensitive content much easier.’ Anonymous workshop participant.

Key takeaways 

• deeper understanding of fundamental concepts of sex, gender and sexuality
• information about diverse gender identities and expressions
• exploration of the significance of pronoun use for transgender and all people
• strategies for applying inclusive language to create a safer classroom environment
• insights into LGBTQIA+ lived experiences
• tools and techniques to effectively support LGBTQIA+ students and their families 

Presenter information

Shaz Davis

Sharon (they/them) is non-binary and from both Bardi and Kija peoples of the Kimberley, Western Australia. 

They completed a Bachelor of Education at the University of Notre Dame Broome, specialising in Aboriginal Education, and graduated with an MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition from the University of Oxford, UK.

Sharon was the inaugural Director of Education at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, and previously led Aboriginal Education across 164 schools for Catholic Education Western Australia. 

Sharon is a current board member of Reconciliation Australia, the Stronger Smarter Institute and the Aurora Education Foundation. Previous board and advisory group appointments include the Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation, Indigenous Education & Boarding Australia, and the AITSL Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education.

Julie Bover

Julie (she/her) is an early childhood and primary school teacher, and an advocate for social justice in education. Her particular areas of expertise are equitable education for First Nations people and LGBTIQA+ support in education institutions and systems.

She holds a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Teaching and a Master of Education from the University of Canberra.

Julie teaches casually in primary schools and has over a decade of teaching experience in early childhood and primary classrooms, as well as time as an approved provider of her own family daycare service and with Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali team.

She supports and leads others from a values and ethics-based perspective to support a more just society through education.

Julie is an active member of the LGBTQIA+ community and a current board member of A Gender Agenda. 

Link(s) to relevant VRQA Standards

• School governance – Philosophy
• Curriculum and Student Learning – Student learning outcomes
• Care, Safety and Welfare of Students – Safe environment​