We have a problem with race in our school. To be precise, we have a problem with racism. Just typing those words felt difficult (exhales slowly). But truth must be told, even when it’s difficult to swallow. Unfortunately, it has not been uncommon to hear the n word thrown about, the mimicking of Indian accents…
Read MoreHow to Discuss Challenging Issues in the Classroom
Having recently written a new curriculum for pastoral care, I’ve considered how we can raise difficult conversations in the classroom. These conversations could be related to race, social justice, ethnicity or class, and many more. As an educator, I think curricula should challenge students to think beyond their immediate circumstances and positions. This is particularly…
Read MoreNarrowing the Margins
Margins will always be with us. They exist in every facet of life. If we’re deciding on what car to buy, we’ll look at price margins to determine the best value for our budget. In sport, margins separate winners from losers, and to what extent the loser has been defeated. But education isn’t like sport,…
Read MoreChampioning the Educational Achievement of Black Boys
Recent protests against racial injustice have once again shone a spotlight upon disparities between different ethnic groups. Naturally, as an educator I found myself thinking about how issues of race play out in schools and what teachers and leaders can do to narrow such disparaties. I don’t claim to have all the answers, but as…
Read MoreTeaching in the Middle East
Top Seven things I’ve learned With it being the end of my first half term, I wanted to share my experience of teaching in an Arab nation. I’ve learned so much in 8 weeks of working alongside my colleagues and with the students. I’ve made some mistakes as well as achieved some successes. Those…
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