BME STUDENT ATTAINMENT CONFERENCE COVENTRY UNIVERSITY, 8 TH JULY 2010 WORKSHOP PRESENTATION: Reflecting on different perspectives and their implications.

BME STUDENT ATTAINMENT CONFERENCEBME STUDENT ATTAINMENT CONFERENCECOVENTRY UNIVERSITY, COVENTRY UNIVERSITY,

88THTH JULY 2010 JULY 2010

WORKSHOP PRESENTATION: WORKSHOP PRESENTATION: Reflecting on different perspectives and their Reflecting on different perspectives and their

implications for pedagogical strategies.implications for pedagogical strategies.

Dr Gurnam Singh, PL in Social Work, Co-Director Applied Dr Gurnam Singh, PL in Social Work, Co-Director Applied Research Group in Social Inclusion and National Teaching Research Group in Social Inclusion and National Teaching

Fellow (2009)Fellow (2009)Coventry University.Coventry University.

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BME student under-attainment BME student under-attainment – why?– why?

Traditional (‘commonsense’) view – They lack ability, their Traditional (‘commonsense’) view – They lack ability, their culture is detrimental, their lifestyle is relatively culture is detrimental, their lifestyle is relatively dysfunctional/chaotic, they have problems with authority, dysfunctional/chaotic, they have problems with authority, generally they have lower ability and tend to segregate generally they have lower ability and tend to segregate themselves off from other students, they need to change. themselves off from other students, they need to change.

Liberal view – BME students experience more disengagement, Liberal view – BME students experience more disengagement, alienation, lack confidence and self-esteem, experience alienation, lack confidence and self-esteem, experience negative attitudes from some staff and student and they negative attitudes from some staff and student and they possess low levels of social and cultural capital. I am possess low levels of social and cultural capital. I am prepared to help them if required.prepared to help them if required.

Radical view – Racism, , eurocentric curriculum, low teacher Radical view – Racism, , eurocentric curriculum, low teacher expectations, treated more harshly than white students, expectations, treated more harshly than white students, ghettoisation/segregation/streaming of students along ghettoisation/segregation/streaming of students along ethnicity, labelling/‘othering’, poorer material conditions, ethnicity, labelling/‘othering’, poorer material conditions, symbolic suffer violence, their capabilities are not recognise. symbolic suffer violence, their capabilities are not recognise. The pedagogy needs to change.The pedagogy needs to change.

Question – Which one of these perspectives best reflects your:Question – Which one of these perspectives best reflects your:

1.1. personal viewpersonal view

2.2. Institutional viewInstitutional view22

What can we do What can we do as educators?as educators?

Understand our sphere of influence in tackling Understand our sphere of influence in tackling institutional racism as individuals and as members of institutional racism as individuals and as members of collectivities.collectivities.

Reflect on our own commitment to change – Reflect on our own commitment to change – How seriously do I take the issue?How seriously do I take the issue?

How seriously does my course team, department, faculty, How seriously does my course team, department, faculty, university take the issue and how is it framed (Distraction, university take the issue and how is it framed (Distraction, Problem or Scandal)Problem or Scandal)

Do I lose sleep over my students performance levels?Do I lose sleep over my students performance levels?

In annual quality returns simply note BME attainment levels and In annual quality returns simply note BME attainment levels and record concern, or do I identify actions taken/need to be taken? record concern, or do I identify actions taken/need to be taken?

Recognise our own contradictions i.e. In what ways do Recognise our own contradictions i.e. In what ways do our actions and aspirations reflect and contribute to a our actions and aspirations reflect and contribute to a reproduction of a racialised view of Higher Education reproduction of a racialised view of Higher Education Institutions (i.e. Do we publically say one thing but Institutions (i.e. Do we publically say one thing but do/believe another?)do/believe another?) 33

5 Key Tips for 5 Key Tips for TeachersTeachers

1.1. Understand the Understand the power and power and dynamics of self-dynamics of self-imageimage

Subtle messages can have Subtle messages can have more impact than dramatic more impact than dramatic overt ones.overt ones.

Avoid at ALL costs giving Avoid at ALL costs giving any signals to BME students any signals to BME students implying they may be implying they may be deficient.deficient.

Considerable evidence that Considerable evidence that positive self image is positive self image is associated with higher associated with higher attainment.attainment.

Enable students to Enable students to feel/experience success feel/experience success early on in their course.early on in their course.

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2. Recognise that teacher bias 2. Recognise that teacher bias is real and take steps to is real and take steps to

reduce/eliminate thisreduce/eliminate this““There are many determinants of a teacher's There are many determinants of a teacher's

expectation of her pupils' intellectual ability. expectation of her pupils' intellectual ability. Even before a teacher has seen a pupil deal Even before a teacher has seen a pupil deal with academic tasks she is likely to have some with academic tasks she is likely to have some expectation for his behavior. If she is to teach expectation for his behavior. If she is to teach a 'slow group,' or children of darker skin color, a 'slow group,' or children of darker skin color, or children whose mothers are 'on welfare,' she or children whose mothers are 'on welfare,' she will have different expectations for her pupils' will have different expectations for her pupils' performance than if she is to teach a 'fast performance than if she is to teach a 'fast group,' or children of an upper-middle-class group,' or children of an upper-middle-class community. Before she has seen a child community. Before she has seen a child perform, she may have seen his score on an perform, she may have seen his score on an achievement or ability test or his last years' achievement or ability test or his last years' grades, or she may have access to the less grades, or she may have access to the less formal information that constitutes the child's formal information that constitutes the child's reputation. (Rosenthal and Jacobson, 1968 p. reputation. (Rosenthal and Jacobson, 1968 p. viii).viii).

• Try to maximise ethnic mix in teaching and Try to maximise ethnic mix in teaching and assessment teamsassessment teams

• Invite reflection on potential teacher bias (e.g. Invite reflection on potential teacher bias (e.g. Through peer review, external examiners, Through peer review, external examiners, student feedback)student feedback)

• Diversify assessment methods.Diversify assessment methods. 55

3. Counteract the ‘inverse 3. Counteract the ‘inverse support law’support law’

Provide proactive Provide proactive support for students.support for students.

Consider Consider technological technological solutions e.g. Video solutions e.g. Video capture, module capture, module guides/readers guides/readers provision ICT provision ICT equipment.equipment.

Manage make-up of Manage make-up of group work projects group work projects to avoid segregation to avoid segregation in class.in class.

Do not substitute Do not substitute excellent pedagogy excellent pedagogy with how to do with how to do guides.guides.

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4. Develop inclusive student 4. Develop inclusive student mentoring support services mentoring support services

Avoid any suggestion Avoid any suggestion that academic support that academic support is only for ‘failing is only for ‘failing students’. students’.

Recruit and train Recruit and train mentors from different mentors from different backgrounds.backgrounds.

Most effective mentors Most effective mentors are ones that facilitate are ones that facilitate best academic best academic practices.practices.

Use mentors to inform Use mentors to inform your pedagogical your pedagogical strategies. strategies.

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5. Avoid ‘dumbing down’ at all 5. Avoid ‘dumbing down’ at all costs.costs.

Do not take BME (or any Do not take BME (or any students) students simply to students) students simply to ‘make-up the number’‘make-up the number’

Celebrate the intellectual Celebrate the intellectual achievements of ALL achievements of ALL communities.communities.

Develop an inclusive curriculum Develop an inclusive curriculum that doesn't simply represent that doesn't simply represent BME’s as victims .BME’s as victims .

Nurture critical thinking through Nurture critical thinking through a repertoire of dialogic, didactic, a repertoire of dialogic, didactic, problem based and conceptual problem based and conceptual pedagogical strategies.pedagogical strategies.

Reclaim intellectualism – develop Reclaim intellectualism – develop your identity as critical your identity as critical transformative intellectuals.transformative intellectuals.

Try to develop guided Try to develop guided questioning strategies that questioning strategies that engage students. engage students.

See teaching as a performance See teaching as a performance that seeks to inform and inspire, that seeks to inform and inspire, not impress and frighten.not impress and frighten.

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