A National Anti-Racism Framework for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) has been launched in Scotland, so what are some of the key aims and messages?
Ultimately, the framework is driven by the target of seeing minority-ethnic teachers make up at least 4 per cent of the teaching workforce in Scotland’s schools by 2030.
It has several objectives, including work towards: “the embedding of antiracist practice in ITE, from marketing to learning and teaching and support for the probationary period”; helping “ITE staff to better support BME [Black and minority ethnic] students”; and helping “ITE staff to reflect on the importance of antiracist practice with white students”.
The framework was commissioned by the Scottish Council of Deans of Education and written by Dr Khadija Mohammed, associate dean for equality, diversity and inclusion at the University of the West of Scotland.
It states: “In order to develop and sustain a diverse teaching force, ITE programmes, local authorities and schools should acknowledge the many different ways that racism manifests in the day-to-day interactions in and around university campuses and school sites, and move to proactively becoming antiracist.”
The framework cautions against a frequent “assumption that where student teachers are unlikely to meet ethnic diversity in their university and/or school placements, there is ‘no problem here’ and, therefore, there is little need to critically reflect upon diversity, ‘race’ and racism”.
It adds: “There is a need to move beyond the simplistic view, which focuses on individual racist incidents and far-right ideologies. It is essential that all student teachers understand the role of education in disrupting racist discourses.”
The framework, which includes a selection of testimonies from BME teachers, also stresses that it is not only student teachers who need help in getting beyond simplistic views of racism, but also the experienced teachers and academics who work with them.
It states: “Teacher educators involved in designing teaching across ITE programmes and undertaking observations of student teachers need to be supported in developing a more sophisticated and nuanced understanding of how race impacts in school settings every day.”
In explaining the idea of “developing racial literacy”, the framework offers a definition from the American professor of sociology France Winddance Twine, as “acquiring knowledge and understanding of how racial microaggressions operate in the everyday school setting”.
Suggested areas for action include:
- Establish secondary school collaborations to encourage BME students to consider a career in teaching, similar to approaches used to attract students to science, technology, maths and engineering subjects.
- “Proactively diversify” ITE staffing by “recruiting teams of teacher educators and school mentors who are racially, culturally and linguistically diverse”.
- Make sure policies and practices that “directly address racial inequity within ITE courses, in school placements and between students and/or staff are communicated clearly”.
- Consider working with organisations such as the Scottish Association of Minority Ethnic Educators to identify BME teachers who could take part in selection panels for prospective student teachers.
- “Prepare all student teachers to deal with racist incidents in school and to support all children to speak up against racism.”
- Help class teachers and school leaders recognise the assets that BME students can bring to their schools.
- Ensure that, during school placements, student teachers are confident enough to address racist incidents and are familiar with the process for doing so.
- Ensure clear, transparent processes are in place to deal with complaints of racism during placements.
- Provide support to ITE tutors, associate tutors and class teachers involved in school placements, making it clear who they should go to for advice.
- Signpost schools and local authorities that provide support and have support networks, including antiracist forums, counselling, grassroots organisations and teacher trade unions.
