OTEDUCA begins 2019 with a Summer School course at the Teachers’ College

OTD Chile’s education and training unit, OTEDUCA, began training teachers from Santiago and other regions in the Summer School of the Metropolitan Region Teachers’ College.

The course “How to Educate in Diversity: Guidelines for Addressing Transgender Children” will be held over three days. It was first presented to fifteen teachers by the activists Kris Córdova, Fernando Ojeda and Paola Muga.

Gladys Abarca, who works at the Liceo Presidente Balmaceda de Independencia, explained that she has already had experience with gender diversity students. “I had trans students, at that moment without knowing it, which motivated me to learn more and to be able to help. I’m very happy, I think it was a fantastic workshop”.

“It takes challenges, understanding who transgender people are. I will have to work with my colleagues and students on this knowledge that I have acquired today,” she said. On the other hand, the Metropolitan College of Teachers’ Gender Officer, Clotilde Soto, was in charge of managing the course, following up on the collaborative work started last year.

“We have seen colleagues’ experiences, the existing need and the lack of knowledge we have about the matter, so it was wise to do it and it will mark a step forward because these themes do not exist in the academic curriculum,” she said. The professor hopes to continue working with OTEDUCA during 2019.

In the audience were teachers who have had trans students and who have suffered discrimination in their school community. Initiatives that aim to break stereotypes, to promote a non-sexist education, to solve the actual issue of the use of toilets, to transmit knowledge to other colleagues, to promote the use of inclusive language, etc., emerged as a challenge.

If you want more information to participate or organize a workshop please contact [email protected]

Traslation: Mariana Galvez y Lilly Parra.