We are all located at the intersection of multiple identities. That is, there is no single African-American, female, cisgender, working class, or first-generation experience. Taking an intersectional approach to our classrooms means becoming aware of the multiple forms of oppression and privilege each individual faces and how they interact with one another. Two transgender students from different class or racial backgrounds are going to have different perspectives and life experiences, even though they have one identity in common. An intersectional approach attunes faculty and staff to the wide range of experiences in our student body, allowing them to better support students as they navigate their time at Mount Holyoke.
Campus Resources
Supporting Trans and Non-Binary Students
Learn techniques to use in the first five minutes of the semester, gender neutral/affirming ways to address your class and tips on correcting mistakes.
Accessibility
Mount Holyoke College is dedicated to ensuring that all students are equal and full participants in the college experience.
More Resources
General
- Inclusive Mentoring/Prof. Becky Packard
- Creating an Identity-Safe Classroom/University of Michigan
- Diversity in Teaching Resources/University of Toronto
- Strategies to Support Cross Cultural Group Work/University of Michigan
First Generation Students
- First In My Family/HigherEd Today
- Five Things You Can Do To Support First Generation Students/Education Post
Students of Color
- How to Support Students of Color/Chronicle (assuming white faculty member)
- Racial Disparities in Higher Education/Chronicle of Higher Education
International Students and English-Language Learners
- Teaching International Students/University of Michigan
- English Learners/Center for Applied Linguistics
- English Language Learners in Higher Education/Harrison and Shi
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