Notes on: Smith, H. & Lander,
V. (2024) Leeds Beckett
University Anti-–Rracism Framework for
Initial Teacher Training.
https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/research/centre-for-race-education-and-decoloniality/anti-racism-framework/
Dave Harris
It was based on a research project commissioned by
the NEU [National Education Union ] supported by
Newcastle University, and Leeds Beckett. They did
a global literature review about antiracism in
teacher education in a survey applied to all ITE
providers. They worked with the Centre of Race
Education and Decoloniality, Show Racism the Red
Card, Universities of Sanctuary, BAME Ed Network,
NEU, NALDIC.
The background is a recent DFE survey saying that
only 53% of NQT felt well prepared to teach pupils
from all ethnic backgrounds, and 39% well prepared
to teach EAL. [They also use the term BGM for some
reason]. They are keen to stress: 'overarching
values and understandings; to offer a summary of
the global literature review; to discuss the
themes of pedagogy and curriculum, student
teaching placements, leadership in teacher
education, staff training by teacher educators and
school-based mentors, course evaluation processes'
(4). They also drew on the antiracist principles
and toolkit by Wellcome. there is also an
antiracism charter by the NEU.
Overarching values and
understandings. [Looks like a derivation
of CRT tenets — racism is real, takes many forms,
overt and covert, can be manifested through
missions and silences, interacts with forms of
oppression and so on. There is an emphasis on
being antiracist rather than nonracist which
requires 'vigilant action, prioritisation and
embedded practice… [Activity]' [based on Kendi]
(6). This is supported by a number of survey
respondents students stressing antiracism, active
teaching and the promotion of change.
So -- they do mean antiracism specifically in the
CRT sense?
Executive summary of the global literature
review. They looked at material from the
UK, US, Ireland, South Africa, Canada, Australia
and New Zealand, all of which apparently stressed
'the need to embed antiracist pedagogies in IT'
(8), although this is rare, and tends to rest with
one or two tutors. Support is specifically lacking
in England and not found in policies produced by
the DFE or OFSTED. The impact is found in
statistics about low admission and noncompletion,
the experience of BGM student teachers 'lack of
confidence and knowledge to challenge racism
and/or embed antiracist teaching'. The dominant
racial identity is still white in contrast to
increasing diversity. There are strategies
available elsewhere 'underpinned by knowledge of
Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Critical White
Studies (CWS)'. It is impossible to gauge the
long-term impact of antiracist pedagogies, but
committed tutors say it is important [well -- they
would] .
Themes [designed in the
form of sections on practice questions, things to
think about with links to the literature review,
external links and practice notes and examples].
For example:
Pedagogy and curriculum. Practice questions
include 'are you aware of the Equality Act on your
responsibilities… What does the legislation and
what do the policies mean in relation to the
understanding of race racism and antiracism on
your course?. Things to think about include 'what
is your understanding of racism… Manifested in
interpersonal interactions and systems, processes
and policies?' With reference to their examples of
racial realism, whether racially minoritised
people are involved, whether they have examples of
critical race counter narratives, whether they
drawn critical theory or have examined 'arguments
that Critical Race Theory in ITE is essential in
challenging racist norms in education'. External
links and practice notes and examples include
reading McIntosh on the invisible knapsack,
attending a session with staff from the Black
Curriculum [online] and referring to various other
examples, two of which mention CRT. One in
particular refers to a 'Talking
Race podcast from the Centre for Race,
Education and Decoloniality' (9) [large
collection]. Other activities include modelling
antiracist practice, with examples of
colourblindness discussions of meritocracy as myth
or reality, and further references to modules in
which race racism and antiracism are discussed.
There is a section on teaching students to
become antiracist educators, with activities
on countering student antipathies/fears of
uselessness, 'student denial, anger and
defensiveness. E.g. understanding racially coded
language… Sincere fictions and tools of whiteness'
[with references to the literature review].
Students might particularly object in terms of the
link between class and race. There is a warning
about 'white saviourhood', and remarks about
producing a safe environment, developing critique
without being critical, with reference to material
on a pedagogy of discomfort in the literature
review. Examples also include critical reflections
of whiteness. One item is Bhopal in the Guardian
on the Sewell report [rather thin paraphrase of Gillborn's
critique].
Black student teachers should not be expected to
bear the burden of counternarratives or
exemplification. There is a reference to an HEI
using 'laddering' to support 'the dialectic
between theory {in this case critical race theory}
and practice to support their development as an
anti' (12) racist teacher. A final section
suggests extension of the discussion to
Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, 'anti-Gypsy-ism/Roma
phobia'
There is a final section inviting self-evaluation
on what is being done well, what needs to change
what barriers emerge and so on.
The next section is student teachers and
placements. There is far too much to
summarise. In general, BGM students are supposed
to be properly supported and given confidence
especially if they report racism, and the survey
found a few examples of this. One specific example
is providing leave to celebrate Eid for a Muslim
student — most respondents said there was little
provision for any religious celebration.
The section on leadership in teacher education
asks about whether leadership is 'committed and
courageous… To advance antiracism', how it might
be embedded, how it's linked to the number of BGM
people in leadership positions and there is
reference to this issue and also retention. There
should be a policy which is well monitored,
including EDI — some respondents noted this did
not apply to specific departments. Gillborn's
article on genetics is one of the readings,
and there is advice on being an ally.
Staff training begins with 'Are the
ITE/T staff and partnership committed to
antiracism?', have they had suitable training on
antiracism and do they understand how racism
works? Do BGM staff leave this provision. Is it a
priority for management? None of the HEI's survey
said that it was. Another section asked for course
evaluation processes and the extent to which
antiracism teaching was evaluated, how colleagues
who taught it were protected against 'negative
student reactions', how placements for BGM
students were managed, and how racist incidents
were recorded, and student teachers trained to
recognise it.
The global literature review
is aimed to create 'an accessible and trusted
research informed antiracism framework for ITE… In
England' (25), aiming at UN supported sustainable
development goals — quality education, reduced
inequalities, peace, justice and strong
institutions. Racism reproduces itself, often
subtly. It is internalised by BGM in a form of
double consciousness [Dubois this time]. We need
to review the literature [not listen to counter
stories?]. Large-scale longitudinal evidence is
'difficult to source' partly because talking about
race and racism causes social anxiety. Many
antiracist pedagogies are new and there has not
been time to assess them. BAME itself is a
disputed term but they use it for consistency.
They also have their own commentary which uses
BAGM [even broader and more ambiguous, of course]
The literature review is preceded by a glossary,
very brief one, which includes:
'Institutional racism – racism, discrimination and
iniquities occurring within an institution, where
the inherent structure and organisation of the
institution is built to benefit white people and
marginalise BAGM people' (27) [tautology], or
'white privilege — privileges white people hold on
the basis of race'
[Qquite substantial commentary]
Statistics show that only 53% of NQT feel well
prepared to teach pupils, 92% of teachers in
England were white, only 3% of heads were ethnic
minorities, and the same in the USA and Australia
this reinforces 'the concept of power
inequities'(29). There are lower retention rates
and a semistructured discussion in a paper
'revealed micro-aggressions and overt racism from
white peers and stereotyping whilst on placement'.
Other sources include Joseph Salisbury on race and
racism in secondary schools, and the YMCA report,
leading to comment on discrimination on hairstyles
and the YMCA. Similarities are frowned with
studies in Australia. It all shows that
'antiracist pedagogy is an ITE/T are urgently
needed' (30), and Joseph Salisbury agrees [his is
a study of Greater Manchester. Other statistical
patterns can also be cited.]
Advocates of 'racial literacy ' include Afua
Hirsch. If we make antiracism part of a course it
will remove it from an individual choice [no
problems with compulsion?]. Freire would agree,
after they have added '[white supremacist]' to his
quote about the current system.
Turning to policy, you can still get an
outstanding grade from Ofsted without
demonstrating antiracist teaching [shock]. All you
need is an ED policy! So what incentive is there?
'Increase the low number of BAME teachers'
(31) [assume they will support it] and to support
antiracism more widely, as the recent race
equality legislation does. However, it is still
focused on policy rather than action, as Mirza
argues, and to developing policy. An OFSTED report
in 2005 displayed an absence of acknowledgement of
race equality guidance, seeing race relations
merely as a formal structure to do with attainment
gaps. However the proper tackling of
underachievement or the prevention of race
-related incidents, together with an
acknowledgement that school inspectors often
failed to recognise race equality is essential so
is the problem. So does OFSTED's policy of working
with the police, especially criticised by Joseph
Salisbury. Schools should not '"promote the
politicised multiculturalism which does not
encourage political literacy or critical
analysis"' [citing Osler] ( 32). The emphasis on
British values also minimises the focus on race
ethnicity diversity and inclusion. Wilkins
analysed OFSTED teacher education reports in 2013
and noted a commitment to put equality and
diversity at the heart, while displaying 'a
total absence of acknowledgement of race equality
or antiracism' in actual guidance or the
description of standards, nor did it mention much
'equality and diversity' and mentioned race only
five times. Instead, OFSTED follows the wider
public policy of using 'the "correct" words —
taking an ambivalent minimalist approach as
opposed to critical reflection of racial bias and
antiracism within a critical race theory
framework' (33) [the specific criticism seems to
be that OFSTED is more interested in meritocracy
and equality of opportunity]. Specifically, EAL
are often lumped together with kids in SEN.
Compliance with provision is lightly enforced.
Gillborn is right to say that race equality is
still a minor issue. At least, however, it leaves
the field for teachers to choose antiracist
pedagogy.
They then develop a rationale for
antiracist pedagogies, beginning with lots of
people who advocate them, including Arday and
Mirza. Bhopal says that teachers find it difficult
to teach students whose cultural values are
different from their own [!], That many have
negative stereotypes and little knowledge of the
culture of minority ethnic children and attribute
academic failure to their backgrounds rather than
to their own pedagogy. Lots more references
follow. Pollock is quoted to say that preservice
teachers should engage with every day racism and
antiracism, although this is complex. Lots of
other references thrown at the problem which is
that 'preservice teachers to become more
critically aware of the limited parameters of
their thinking… [So they need]… Continual
opportunities for dialogue and storytelling… About
themselves, their internalised ideologies, the
influence of White privilege and power' (35). They
need to develop racial literacy. They need more
sessions on race. Theses are often seen as scary
or threatening and can be 'derailed and denied '.
Picower is quoted
on the tools of whiteness which protect dominant
understandings of race.
There is 'an increasingly racially diverse
population'[so a need for antiracism and racial
literacy]. Lander defines racial literacy 'as part
of an antiracist framework' and it involves
'"appropriate language referring to a child's
ethnicity and to develop their awareness of race
issues in a predominantly white area… A positive
disposition to the presence of pupils from BME
backgrounds"' (36). A survey of courses in Ireland
found that racism was barely covered and then only
in lectures — the same goes for studies of white
supremacy. Nevertheless, the trainee teachers did
identify aspects of Irish post primary education
that were 'institutionally racist' and said they
were inadequately prepared to teach because their
own values were not sufficiently engaged (37).
Arday and Mirza [nothing more specific] found that
one student lacked racial literacy and antiracist
training and reported a baffled tutor. There was
fear and lack of knowledge, lack of expertise,
lack of time to develop antiracist pedagogy,
although the need for them is clear if
disengagement is to be avoided. There is a desire
for them as well, even among white tutors, say A
and M. The same heroes are quoted as defining
racial literacies referring to the material
background of the situation, '"the political
economic and social structures that produce
inequality"' which also have to be addressed if
BME situations are not to be reproduced — they use
CRT (38) at least a framework for analysis of
qualitative data which promoted storytelling. They
also discussed the need to assimilate to whiteness
which would support antiracist pedagogies and
encourage dropout. So what was identified as best
practice actually 'reinforce racism and racist
stereotyping' such as examples of Nigerian
students who were saved by white tutors who
individually supported them, all the tough love
given to a hijab wearing Muslim (38) [exactly what
Arday has done himself in his own career?][NB
A&M cited not contributors -- helpful. P.198
is the ref to one of the quotes tho --Hobson and
Whigham, specifically cited later] .
Critical self reflection on
whiteness, CWS, is needed as lots of
people have argued, including Hobson and Wigham.
There is the possibility of much anxiety, although
lots of white tutors want to do antiracism. [Lots
of references again to A and M in general]. Racial
literacy should particularly address the
embodiment of racism, and qualitative data using
CRT would be a good way to proceed, but no amount
of empathy will compensate for authentic lived
experience. There will always be 'resistance and
defiance' among white students and tutors must be
prepared for this and learn how to manage it.
Resistance might be combined with challenge, which
is more promising. Both require 'excruciating
honesty' and not all students will accept it, so
it is wrong to rely only on reflexive processes.
There may be particular problems with white
students who have experienced poverty grappling
with the concept of white privilege (39). However,
resistance only points to the need for more
antiracism.
We might have to reconsider tolerance
which can be 'a mechanism of avoidance… A
hindrance towards further racial literacy' because
'one can tolerate something without understanding,
respecting or valuing it' (39). There may be
pressure to reduce the reporting of racist
incidents, by not classifying them properly,
seeing them as, for example a joke. There may be a
push towards facing the issue, provided by
racially diverse schools, but this should not be
the only push. Instead, engagement with activist
groups is needed. Even then, teachers can see
themselves as white saviours, as some do in South
Africa. BGM voices are needed.
There are the usual patterns of underachievement
for BAME students in ITT, some of whom feel they
have to be tougher than anyone else. Some face
institutional racism according to one research
paper, others struggle to find work straight after
graduation. Racism needs to be addressed more
centrally, for example through a 'cross curricular
daily session [chcek] led by BAME teachers
from partner schools' (41). There may be covert
racism disguised as professionalism — one study
showed that indigenous students in Canada still
experienced 'racialised micro-aggressions'. Her
study used CRT to encourage storytelling, and her
graduates challenged white supremacist norms,
assimilating on the one hand but also trying to
embed indigenous knowledge and history into their
education.
One idea is to adopt 'a neo-abolitionist
pedagogy', to access BAGM peer networks
as long as they have the same professional
opportunities, working with counter storytelling,
describing pigeonholing and the experience of
racialism. Participants work together to identify
and dismantle whiteness and its 'dominant
narrative' (42). 'Critical race counternarratives'
might be used (43) to see how student teachers
manage conflict, for example in the teaching of
history which challenges dominant narratives,
again 'under a CRT framework' (43). Other
approaches might show the creation of race and how
it benefits whiteness, not to induce guilt but to
provide positive experiences for BAGM. BAME
teachers need to be 'recognised and accepted as
knowledgeable and skilled educators'. CRT and CWS
need to be considered as pedagogies in teacher
education — they are 'valuable antiracist
pedagogical approaches'.
Picower argues from a CWS perspective and so do
lots of other academics. Classically the topic of
racism is avoided and teachers are colourblind
which 'reproduces white supremacy through denial'
(44). Three 'discursive techniques' are
particularly employed — 'naturalisation, ex–
nomination and universalisation (Flintoff et al.
2014)' (45). [The only tricky one is ex-nomination
— where 'white ITE tutors ignore their racialised
selves'. Others have advocated a
'three-dimensional narrative inquiry space with
White preservice teachers', where they looked
backwards and forwards and inward and outward at
narrative threads, doing storytelling and
dialogue. They are not required to share their
perspectives or take on the tutors, but expand
their perspectives. Others have used CWS in the US
using '"a transdisciplinary approach"' [citing
Maitis and Mackay 2015] (45), which addresses
whiteness as an ideology which might be shared by
black people. The same authors address emotions
and theorise them [how?]. Some draw on their own
experiences.
There is also the issue of emotions and the
need to be emotionally prepared and secure.
Emotional expression has to be encouraged but
'within the CWS framework', which means choosing
emotional readings by POC and asking students how
they feel; organising community trips to areas of
high rates of deprivation compared with affluent
predominantly white areas and asking how students
feel, but they must be careful not to reinforce
the ideology of poor blacks who deserve their
inferiority. Finally they must encourage teacher
candidates to apply these concepts and develop '"a
more humanistic education"'. Emotional resources
might include 'social media, music and adverts'
with analysis on white supremacy. M and M ask
students to imagine what they might do to imagine
why a POC might experience the US differently from
a white person — students reported [lots of
knapsack things], and in some cases Facebook
deleted these comments, providing experience of
denial.
There were little games like 'the marshmallow
activity [building structures using marshmallows
and pasta] and the Chorizo test [a multiple
choice test paper with the questions are based on
nonwhite dominated cultures]' (46). Responses can
be gathered before and after the CWS aspect of the
course and M and M claim it as evidence of the
value of their course. Other work, including
Smith, and work by Mattias and Zembylas (2014)
involves stimulating emotion and critical
reflection and examining the relation between them
while viewing documentaries. The teacher had a
role in shaping the viewing process, apparently
and supporting critical reflections. The studies
also showed the deployment of tools of whiteness
including 'anger, sorrow and defensiveness'. Smith
urges some caution however since these emotional
responses might only operate at face value. (47).
Other emotional responses might include feeling
that opposition to antiracist pedagogy cannot be
expressed and we are reminded that not all teacher
students might immediately respond — 'it may take
months or years before they begin to accept,
understand, and work on undoing'.
There may be dysconscious racism 'an
uncritical acceptance of the status quo'. A
particular 'constructive – developmental' model
was applied to white students difficulties in
understanding racial dynamics revealing
difficulties in developing the ability to make
meaning: a key aspect apparently was "Subject –
Object distinction. Individuals can't think about
or control Subject because it is us. Object is
what we make meaning of, since we can think about,
control and act on Object"' developmental change
involves increasingly seeing bits of subject as
objects so that we can reflect on them [citing
Keegan 1980]. This apparently goes on at different
levels ending in being able to see yourself as
something influenced by external sources which
further enables the management of what you believe
to be true and evidence that counteracts it. It
was further developed in Puchner and Markowitz
(2014). It explains why it's possible to engage
with some aspects of antiracist pedagogy but not
others, being able to understand but not reflect
upon, for example. Thus resistance to antiracism
education might mean 'a lack of capacity to
understand any concept that requires
disassociation to self' [a clear attempt to
pathologise the resistors. I wouldn't be at all
surprised they were working class as well]
CWS and CRT are both fundamental to dismantle the
racist status quo and promote 'deep learning and
critical self reflection, including subconscious
internalisation of racism, leading to an
understanding of how racism is reproduced and what
actions need to be taken to end it'. However there
are multiple tenets of CRT so we need to choose
the most salient three — racial realism, that
racism is endemic, real; whiteness as property;
the challenge to objectivity colourblindness and
meritocracy [all this is based on Larkin et al.
2016]. CRT has been condemned politically, but is
the only effective intervention as pedagogy (48).
Teacher educators need to stress colourblindness,
cultural conflict, the myth of meritocracy,
deficit conceptions and expectations, through a
CRT lens combined with CWS.
Pollock et al. 2010 reviewed a mandatory
preservice teacher course called Everyday Anti –
Racism in the USA, where students were asked what
skills they might needs to negotiate racial issues
and how personal development experiences on
courses like this might be improved. Core tensions
were identified by the students about what they
can do, turning on the tension between abstract
theories of race and concrete examples of
practice. The professor divided the topics into
principles big ideas, strategies, and specific
solutions and encourage students to write weekly
reflections on their personal development. In
their reflections, students said they felt
overwhelmed with the totality of racism and
question whether they could change it — they were
'encouraged to understand that individual
antiracist teaching practices had the ability to
do both initiate change in themselves as
individuals and within institutional racism' (49).
They also said they needed to examine their own
personal thoughts. All this apparently fits with
CWS approaches by turning inwards.
Further developments of CWS might develop
racial literacy, but what of safety? Some
want to encourage white discomfort, apparently,
but Leonardo and Porter argue instead that
'"whites must take ownership feeling uncomfortable
in critical race dialogue… Judgement is practised
but one is never judged [so] discomfort can be
liberating… After many years of experience in the
University setting, we have learned that this
apostasy — of creating risk as the antidote safety
— leads to more transformative learning
opportunities. It humanises students of colour
because it legitimates their voice and affirms
Whites' incompleteness for it is guided by an
ethic of concern for and not for a desire to
expose whites as simply racist"' (50) [I wonder
what the students made it?]. There can be no
totally safe environment, however and indeed, the
same authors say that '"safety discourses on race
are a veiled form of violence and it will require
a humanising former violence to expose
contradictions in the discourse of safety'".
Others have said that it needs to hurt. However
this is '"humanising violence"', justified by the
need to dislodge racial violence in discourse.
Thus informed, we can go on to create antiracist
pedagogy [!]. There is no guarantee,
however, nor any guarantee that awareness of
whiteness will lead to different practices. Some
students see diversity as a problem, no doubt
because 'they have been taught to see racial
diversity as a problem, and not whiteness' (51).
This is distancing as a tool whiteness and it is
reinforced by the idea of a meritocracy, which in
turn supports a deficit model. A study in South
Africa gives an example of how this works —
teachers wanted to work with black students, but
denied that the racialised history of South Africa
had an impact, including only respectful behaviour
of the kids: this helped them appear as white
saviours. White teachers must examine whiteness.
Antiracism tends to be sidelined as a specialism
and this can produce particular difficulties for
POC tutors who tend to specialise in it. It
increases fear and vulnerability — one teacher who
used emotional counterstorytelling was aware that
it was possible that 'white students chose to
raise a complaint with the Dean of the
institution' (52). So going against white
supremacy is risky including detecting it. There
could be a place for white allies, which helps
make the point that antiracism is for everybody.
One teacher tried one hour of teaching a week on
indigenous people and non-Anglo minorities, for
example, another initiated small group discussion
about colonialism and encouraged storytelling,
another used BAME biographies [I still think the
Monash approache is best].
However there is still a difficulty when it comes
to considering students own positions, and it is
common to encounter fear avoidance anger and
denial. Again this can be traced to the
characteristics of whiteness, which is classically
unwilling to name racism or identify with the
racialised experience, or to do anything other
than minimise racist legacies. Preservice teachers
can avoid the topic interests of comfortable
experience. Race and racism might be placed in a
broader field. Personal experience of another kind
might be involved [class?] The 'black imagination
via counter storytelling' might be made central
(54) [and lots of official statistics presented?]
A three-year study by Harris (2012) in the UK
found difficulties but that the 'quality of
supervision and facilitation by the
...provider'was crucial (55). Some participants
have never seen racism, others have experienced
frequent micro-aggressions and othering. And that
is more common for BAGM. Some trainees used softer
terms, racial codes [hints of race talk] and were
reluctant to report incidents or to decide. They
used terms that involved some '"unspecified,
nebulous culture, race or religion"'.
Colourblindness is a 'sincere fiction… Supported
by the entire social fabric', appearing sincere
and preventing questioning. He goes along with
denial defence and distraction. Defence can
involve claiming that racism is a joke, or
distraction might be illustrated by the MacPherson
report which was a diversion. Other researchers
found tools of whiteness. Generally there is a
need to fully embed anti- racist pedagogy.
Effective antiracist pedagogy is finally
surveyed, using ‘a CRT framework combined with
CWS, counter storytelling, and the centring of the
black imagination’. It uses ‘video-cue ethnography
as a form of counter storytelling, claiming to
expose analyse and challenge majoritarian stories
as in Solorzano and Yosso. There are only
preliminary findings about the technique, however
but it is worth greater implementation. The
experiences of parents might also be used. There
is a claim that the technique reveals
‘participants “poor beliefs” through elicited
responses’ [a reference to Campbell and Valauri
2019] who have used student teachers in four
phases — (a) recording three parents of colour,
and asking them about how they address race and
how they feel the school addresses race; (b)
predominantly White preservice teachers were given
a parent transcript in groups and then discussions
ensued. ‘Anxieties and concerns from several
students were expressed’ these discussions were
transcribed; (c) the parents were given these
transcripts to discuss and provide feedback; (d)
the feedback from parents was given to the groups
of student teachers to discuss and they could then
make visual representations and share them.
Apparently the researchers detected two shifts in
their response: they saw the need to participateIn
racial conversations ‘to end racial oppression’
(57) and could not avoid race; they saw the
importance of challenging structural and
institutional equities, for example contradictions
in school policies over colourblindness or
critiques of the school curriculum. The technique
particularly allows POC to talk without fearing
voyeurism or having to relive racial trauma.
An Australian study identified resistance among a
long-term project with 3 ½ thousand preservice
teachers. They identified tools of whiteness and
tried to adopt an intersectional approach to
antiracism or privilege. They believe that
‘changing behaviours is more useful than focusing
on changing attitudes’ (58) [invites role-play].
They like intersectionality which is more nuanced
as an approach to oppression and it does reduce
resistance, especially when they discuss class and
gender. The students did not like ‘a one axis
approach’ And particularlyFound it hard to
recognise their privilege. However the risk is
that they will focus on the more comfortable
issues and avoid race. Rattansi argues that racism
is never simple but obviously exists with other
dimensions and requires a strategy to reduce those
inequalities as well [ambitious].
Some researchers think that we should work on the
recognition of privilege rather than
oppression[Although the quote seems to suggest
that they quickly get onto explaining suffering].
This team begins with apparently neutral construct
such as identity status and so on and then move
into class race and gender. They use the knapsack
and have additional examples incorporating class
gender religion and ability [I bloody thought
that]. Another approach involves theoretical
explanations of privilege mechanisms after
watching ‘a girl like me’ [documentary about the
lives of African-American teenagers].
Emotional reactions can produce ‘a significant
breakthrough in understanding’ [doubt it].
Harris has focused on curricular topics and the
rationale for teaching them ‘Using questions based
on scenarios that focused on an aspect of
diversity and history’ (59). He has identified
different stances which provide reasons for the
study of history — ‘”identification”,
“analytical”, and “moral response”’ and claims
that diversity is ‘incumbent’ in each of these —
we need to understand the past and the familiar
[slavery and colonialism, no doubt]. This claims
to offer common ground on diversity allowing for
different ideas about history, and offers a way to
accommodate different ideas ‘within their existing
beliefs’ [including racist ones?]. Harris thinks
it’s important to connect with police attitudes
and values and focus on purpose rather than adopt
confrontation [quite unlike the rest of this
article then]. His research [Harris 2012] found
that students who were initially engaged with
diversity remained committed to it, They were able
to challenge their preconceptions by reflecting on
their past, but they struggled to identify
purpose, sometimes with negative conclusions — it
felt like something non-essential. However, it did
reduce resistance and seem to offer a productive
way forward. History is particularly important
when it comes to decolonising, but these
assertions are worth reporting in other areas.
Conclusion [at last] [back
to orthodoxy] we ‘need to embed antiracist
pedagogies in ITE’ (61) especially as racial
diversity increases. ‘Tutors can and should use
critical race theory and critical white studies’
to do this, using the themes identified in this
review.
Harris, R., 2012. ‘Purpose’ as a Way of
Helping White Trainee History Teachers Engage with
Diversity Issues. Education Sciences, [online]
2(4), pp.218-241. Available at:
<http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.ncl.ac.uk/10.3390/
educsci2040218> [Accessed 3 March 2021]
Joseph-Salisbury, R., 2020. Race and Racism
in English Secondary Schools. [online] London:
Runnymede trust. Available at:
<https://assets.website-files.
com/61488f992b58e687f1108c7c/61bcc0cc2a023368396c03d4_
Runnymede%20Secondary%2
Matias, C. and Zembylas, M., 2014. ‘When
saying you care is not really caring’: emotions of
disgust, whiteness ideology, and teacher
education. Critical Studies in Education, [online]
55(3), pp.319-337. Available at:
<https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2014.922489>
[Accessed 1 March 2021].
Matias, C. and Mackey, J., 2015. Breakin’
Down Whiteness in Antiracist Teaching: Introducing
Critical Whiteness Pedagogy. The Urban Review,
[online] 48(1), pp.32-50. Available at:
<http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.ncl.
ac.uk/10.1007/s11256-015-0344-7> [Accessed 6
March 2021]
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