Keywords:
identity, parent, teacher, viewpoints, role model, advocacy, uncomfortable, queer labour
identity, parent, teacher, viewpoints, role model, advocacy, uncomfortable, queer labour
Transcript
Mary: One experience I, we had recently was parent-teacher interviews.
Tara: Yes
Mary: At the school where I’ve taught for 24 years. So you know, I’m very used to the process and that from the teacher’s point of view. But here we were as parents and the two of us walking from teacher to teacher.
Tara: Right, right.
Mary: Now I’m pretty sure my you know, my staff, there were no surprises there. Maybe the newer staff. But, it, it was interesting because a colleague of mine who is uh, a gay man, his partner is also a teacher, and they would like to have kids.
Tara: Wow.
Mary: And he’s, you know, he came up to me after and says “I just have to tell you, you are my hero!” And I said “Why? What are you talking about?” And he said “well I watched you and J walk around from teacher to teacher with your little notepad and, you know, going through the interview process” and he said “I, I, I was just so amazed by that and I just, I really appreciate the pioneering I guess that you are doing, and it’s, it’s making it easier for all of us.” And I mean I didn’t really understand that at the time, but uh, you know there were a few moments where I knew I was also being a parent in the midst of people who look at me as teacher.
Tara: Right
Mary: You know, and that was interesting. You know, I wasn’t sure how I felt, and I might have felt a little bit uncomfortable, but you know, there, there’s times where you just feel a little uncomfortable.
Mary: One experience I, we had recently was parent-teacher interviews.
Tara: Yes
Mary: At the school where I’ve taught for 24 years. So you know, I’m very used to the process and that from the teacher’s point of view. But here we were as parents and the two of us walking from teacher to teacher.
Tara: Right, right.
Mary: Now I’m pretty sure my you know, my staff, there were no surprises there. Maybe the newer staff. But, it, it was interesting because a colleague of mine who is uh, a gay man, his partner is also a teacher, and they would like to have kids.
Tara: Wow.
Mary: And he’s, you know, he came up to me after and says “I just have to tell you, you are my hero!” And I said “Why? What are you talking about?” And he said “well I watched you and J walk around from teacher to teacher with your little notepad and, you know, going through the interview process” and he said “I, I, I was just so amazed by that and I just, I really appreciate the pioneering I guess that you are doing, and it’s, it’s making it easier for all of us.” And I mean I didn’t really understand that at the time, but uh, you know there were a few moments where I knew I was also being a parent in the midst of people who look at me as teacher.
Tara: Right
Mary: You know, and that was interesting. You know, I wasn’t sure how I felt, and I might have felt a little bit uncomfortable, but you know, there, there’s times where you just feel a little uncomfortable.