Patrick Henry Teacher Focuses On Creating Safe Space For Students

CHICAGO — When Alexandria Hollett stepped into her classroom at Patrick Henry Elementary School, she was determined to not just help her students become better readers and writers: She wanted to help make them more accepting people.

Hollett, who teaches sixth grade at Patrick Henry, 4250 N. St. Louis Ave., wanted her students to learn about gender roles, acceptance and questioning the status quo because she's "trying to do more than just teach tolerance."

In recognition of her efforts, Hollett received the Alan Wardell Inspiration Award, which is given by the Chicago Teachers Union to a person "who has helped foster a safe and healthy learning environment for all students through the positive teaching of tolerance."

"My class was much more than a reading class this year," said Hollett, 28. "It was also a character-building class."

Hollett taught units that focused on marginalized voices, sexual identities and gender roles. She introduced students to the work of poets like Andrea Gibson, who writes about gender norms and sexual identity, with slam poetry lessons. Hollett chose slam poetry because it has a "rich history" within Chicago, and because it is a medium that gives a voice to minority groups.

"I teach primarily minority students. [Slam poetry] is something that is really representative of their experience," Hollett said. "[It's] not just a bunch of old white dudes talking about the way the world is or was."

The poets whom the class studied — Nate Marshall, Adam Gottlieb, Taylor Mali and more — were selected by Hollett because she wanted her sixth-graders to learn about "poets from all areas." The students latched onto Gibson in particular, asking Hollett to write to the poet and see if she would visit their class.

Hollett's ultimate goal was to make her students feel safe and comfortable while learning about diverse perspectives. At the beginning of the year, Hollett said she informed parents that she had no agenda beyond creating a safe space for children.

"We really dig deep into why kids harm each other and what the usual insults are, and then that leads us into having conversations about gender, sexuality and identity," Hollett said. "The rash of teen suicides — the insane amount of bullying that we hear that's happening to queer kids, specifically — is out of control. I just let the parents know that I commit myself to helping create a safe space for everyone."

Hollett said she learned as much from her students as they did from her, as she believes they taught her "how to be a good person in the world."

"They just became really good people, people I would want to hang out and be friends with, people I respect," Hollett said. "I have a good relationship with all of the kids.

"My only goal is to create safe spaces for all kids, and that's why I do what I do."