Decolonising the curriculum

[Mumknowsbest101]

Hi, I just want your thoughts on the subject as I feel that if there were more diverse material included that this could help the underachievers especially black children maybe as I’ve seen a lot of research done where Eurocentric education does not necessarily help black children achieve?

[Comefromaway]

For secondary history I think there is a lot of leeway in what topics teachers choose. The primary curriculum hasn't been in for very long and lots of teachers complained it was boring and irrelevant to that age.

Music (which is what I know more about) is of course only those who choose GCSE but what I would term world music is a fairly important part of the GCSE curriculum.

[Comefromaway]

Checkin out me history is ds's favourite poem!

[Asdf12345]

Whilst i am sceptical that it would improve the grades of black kids, I worry it would then devalue their education once in the work place.

Studying the same things as previous generations gives us common ground for discussion at work and with family. My early hands up in my career came because I could discuss a little Shakespeare and Chaucer, the boss (very into both) preferred that chit chat to what my competitors could offer. On another couple of occasions the rhyme of the ancient mariner did the trick. Education is more than grades, it provides individuals with the tools to interact with each other for life.

[Piggywaspushed]

I am not sure everyone has such an intellectual boss!

You are arguing for cultural capital there, on the 'trad' end of the current debate. And many would agree that cultural capital is important for the disadvantaged. But I do think a proper, rigorous history education would examine more critically the part Britain played in slavery, for example.

In terms of the history GCSE it seems to me all the students I know are now locked in at GCSE and A Level to the Tudors, the world wars (especially 2) and the Cold War. There is a wider choice than that but it seems to be avoided, which I am sure is for myriad reasons.

[Piggywaspushed]

Was some sort of clarification issued re World Music? I seem to remember reading something about music teacher protesting in some way about the reformed spec?

[cakeisalwaystheanswer]

GCSE History is a huge syllabus and the school chooses which 4 modules the pupils sit. DD did China 1900 to now, Russia 1918 to about 1980, American Civil Rights 1950s/1960 and Medicine from all around the world from Big Bang to now. The size and scope of the modules is ridiculous. Civil Rights was by far the easiest because it's more contained and relatively straightforward but it was the least favourite of the History teacher who loves Russia and China. She also would have preferred Germany post war to Medicine but it wasn't allowed by the exam board.
I think children need to be taught about the Peasant's Revolt and the part the plague played in freeing the peasants from the feudal system. But as a nation we were still pretty deferential until WW1, so maybe that's why history teachers find the whole 20the century so interesting.

[Comefromaway]

I don;t know piggy. Dh doesn't teach GCSE music now but I do have two children doing and done AQA syllabus and a couple of friends who are Heads of Music.

The two most popular specs seem to be AQA and Edexel. AQA have a choice of set works which they study in more detail. Clock Symphone is compulsory then there is a choice of various other genres (Beatles is popular but the other choices are Santana and Copeland. Howver for the listening paper students will be given extracts from and must be familiar with all four styesAreas of Study of Western Classical (oratorio, symphony, romantic piano & requiem, Popular Music (Broadway, rock, film/gaming & 90's-present pop), Traditional Music (Blues, African/Carribbean, Contemporary Latin & British folk) & Modern Western Music since 1910.

For Edexel students have to study eight four set works, one from each of the areas of study of Western Classical, Vocal Music, Stage & Screen & Fusion. The Fusion set works are Afro Celt Sound System & Esperanza Spalding.

[marytuda]

I used to think (still do) that our primary school reading resources were very geared towards white middle class kids. Horrid Henry for example - How would the majority of 1st gen immigrant kids in DC's primary school class respond to jokes about overdosing on TV junk food and tomato ketchup and The boringness of Books!? The default ethnicity of almost every children's book hero/heroine is white . . But I can also see that consciously including books about black boys and their issues is not necessarily the answer to disengagement (although books about Black Sporting (and other) Heroes might be!)
The immigrant families I know are at pains to acquire as much British " Cultural Capital" as they can. They already know more than they want to about issues immigrants face.

[Comefromaway]

One of the first books dd read in secondary was a Benjamin Zephaniah one. (The other book she read was Skellig. I think ds read one of his at school too called Terror Kid. (I remember they both enjoyed them (well as much as ds ever enjoys reading anything).

[WhyAmIPayingFees]

It's an interesting question as to whether this is an issue only for the humanities. As a mathmo myself I've always had the view that the maths and science side is not affected by these issues, but that view is not universal at all.

www.nationalreview.com/2017/10/math-racist-university-illinois-professor/

My initial reaction to this story was Bol**s, but I started to wonder about it. There are interesting books on African, Egyptian... maths which are worth folding in to discussions when appropriate. There was also that infamous "Men of Mathematics" poster which irked me every time I saw it.

[Singletomingle]

Rather than the subject matter can it be that black children learn differently to others. I have read a few articles recently that claim that the reason boys are failing in school is due to teaching methods being tailored towards girls so is it the same thing?

[noblegiraffe]

Pretty sure that’s bollocks. Boys don’t learn differently to girls.

[OrangeCinnamon]

I agree there needs to be more diversity in the curriculum in relation to race AND class (and of course the two are not mutually exclusive). 'Whataboutery' is not helpful here people just because one may be concerned about decolonising history, does not mean they can't be concerned about white working class boys too. From my experience when people study inequality in education they try to challenge all forms of inequality and look at all concerns.

OP you may be interested to know that there is some really good work being done in this area e.g

www.younghistoriansproject.org

Lots of brilliant research I know of being undertaken regarding white working class males.

The problem is getting the government to listen and act on these findings

[Singletomingle]

noblegiraffe do you have anything to show that? I just googled it out of interest and can't find anything other than than countless studies to support that boys and girls learn differently.

[Piggywaspushed]

Are they up to date ? A lot of learning science is debunked almost as soon as it is declared.

Saying black people learn differently sounds dangerously close to eugenics to me...

[noblegiraffe]

Boys and girls both learn best when there is explicit instruction, practised thoroughly and revisited regularly.

There are differences in socialised behaviour in the classroom, that’s not the same thing.

There are also differences in development stages, especially in primary, but again that’s not the same thing.

[Singletomingle]

noblegiraffe and yet boys struggle far more? In terms of expulsions in the UK 81% of expulsions are male while 84% of black expulsions are male. No eugenics it comes down to boys being failed by the school system. If its not teaching methods why are 64% of university students female?

[noblegiraffe]

If boys were as diligent as girls, they’d do a lot better at school. To make a massive generalisation.

But it is a huge issue with boys’ socialisation, not their ‘learning style’.

[Piggywaspushed]

And emotional maturity and amygdala.

[Singletomingle]

But why aren't boys as diligent as girls if they are the same? Why don't they socialise the same as girls? Why aren't they as mature as girls? By the time they start school the average boy is already behind the average girl so the question is how, if there is no biological reason for this, is this changed?

[noblegiraffe]

There’s a difference in fine motor skills when they start school that affects the ability to write.

But dear god boys get excused a lot of crappy learning behaviour under the headline ‘boys will be boys’.

It’s not cool for boys to read, or study. They’re competitive but any win can’t be down to effort.

[Piggywaspushed]

Read Boys Don't Try, an excellent book which debunks so many myths!

[Piggywaspushed]

There are biological and neurological differences (mainly to do with later development of decision making centres of the brain iirc) but that doesn't mean they learn differently.

In English, I have tolerated years of pandering to boys with text choices, boy centred exam papers, all boy groupings etec etc. None of these sticking plaster approaches has narrowed the gap. The 'problem with boys' is a wider issue than an educational one.

[winewolfhowls]

I wish in general, schools would apply common sense and look to their own students. If you have a cohort this year with certain characteristics, then think of what would suit them. As people, not male female or black or traveller. Small tweaks in content and delivery rather than changing topics or exam boards.
People need to be less concerned with the latest research or fad and be more discerning, you wouldn't order the whole menu on a night out: you pick what applies to or suits you.

[Mumknowsbest101]

If there are any teachers here, I’d like to know if & how they have used culturally relevant material & to what success?