An anti-racist approach to teaching Awareness Days

Introduction

Remembrance Day (11th November) is marked in schools across the country through special assemblies and classroom sessions. This important event provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the realities of war and its ongoing impact. By providing a more holistic understanding of poppies and their symbolism, this resource helps young people take lessons through their remembrance and be empowered to make change in their world.

For more practical steps on embedding anti-racism into your practice all-year round, see Building your anti-racist classroom (maslaha.org).

The Need

The current Eurocentric curriculum leaves students with an incomplete understanding of history and fails to reflect the reality of contemporary society.

We hear from educators who want support to link learning to the world around them and to the interests of their students, in meaningful ways. We also hear from young people and families who want an education that is relevant to their identities, nurtures spaces where they can bring their whole selves and better prepares them for the world we live in.

An anti-racist curriculum is responsive to the experiences and backgrounds of students and more accurately reflects the reality of the world we live in. This approach supports young people to think critically and understand the social and political structures that shape their lives. It turns education into “the practice of freedom” (as described by philosopher and educator Paulo Freire) and equips them with the tools to transform the world around them.

What We Did

This resource helps educators to deliver Remembrance Day activities using an anti-racist lens.

Anti-racism is not the same as celebrating diversity. Diversity describes the presence of different things - it does not necessarily translate to equity. While it is positive to appreciate our differences, anti-racism looks at the root causes of inequalities, with the purpose of changing the systems which maintain it.

These learning prompts can be easily adapted to a range of year groups.

With thanks to Sandringham Primary School for partnering with us on this resource.

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