5 minute read
UNDERSTANDING US By Sherfieldann John
UNDERSTANDING US
By Sherfieldann John
Iam a Canadian-born educator and product of the Caribbean diaspora, who seeks to address the rooted problems of racialized discrimination and social inequality that exist within the educational system.
By the age of seven, I was equipped to understand the different social barriers that existed between my white classmates and myself, which led me to pursue a career in education. At a young age, I was – and still am – exploring multiple ways to help boys and girls, like myself, who require a bit more love and attention from their superiors (teachers, social workers, administrators, etc.). However, I didn’t realize the challenges I would experience being a young Black teacher.
In September 2018, I began my studies at OISE, in Adult Education and Community Development. I wanted, and needed, to understand more about the two communities I was born into: the Black community, and the low-income community. The biggest lessons I learned were about the importance of having anti-oppressive practices within the school community, and learning how to teach a child holistically. We need to teach the students, and not to the curriculum. I strongly believe that educators have the power and control to inflict positive social change in all of our students’ lives, and while we cannot save them all, we sure can try.
One size does not fit all The educational system is designed as a one-size-fits-all model for both the staff and students. This does more harm than good for students from the Black and/or low-income communities. Educators from all cultural backgrounds tend to expect their students to act and/or behave like they did when they were in high school – or like they do now as an adult. As a student I was asked to speak, write, dress, wear my hair, act, and advocate for myself in a particular way that wasn’t normal for me, but was normal for the socially dominant race of our society (which are people of European descent).
I come from a low-income, single-parent household, in an “inner city” neighbourhood. We have our own distinct cultural norms and values, which are near and dear to most people from these neighbourhoods. However, I was verbally asked, from my subordinates and/or co-workers, to forget these practices in order to land an LTO or a permanent job. In essence, for an entire calendar year, I could only be myself for the two months when school was out for the summer. This put an immense level of stress on my mental and physical health.
My journey in education has led me to value the importance of staying true to my talents. I don’t want to change, or be forced to act, speak, dress, walk, or talk like the socially dominant race. To be honest, I’m scared to advance higher in the school board, because I want to stay true to my cultural roots. I do not want to have to further assimilate into a person I don’t recognize because I am trying to be an administrator.
Addressing equity and trauma There are a lot of equity issues in school boards across Ontario. I have witnessed teachers label Black students as drug dealers, hoodlums, jailbirds, and/or wastes of space. These educators and their school boards are creating a school-to-prison pipeline without even realizing it, while many “educators of colour” watch it happen and don’t feel their voices will be heard or their opinions will be appreciated in matters that affect our Black students. This, in turn, further traumatizes us, because we know there is no “real” solution to helping our Black students deal with the trauma brought on by systemic racism or systemic violence. Instead, we watch as Black students get kicked out of the mainstream schooling system and are placed in an alternative school, because many of the teachers and administrators are too exhausted or overworked to practice the proper progressive discipline protocol.
Furthermore, the educational system and society as a whole pigeonhole Black people as all the same. Just because one Black person was able to overcome the social barrier that is bestowed upon them at birth, doesn’t mean everyone should have to – or is able to – do it too. I naturally became a prototype, the “model Black” student/teacher, for other Black students/ teachers to mimic. That isn’t fair. Black people are not all the same, nor do we think or act the same. We all carry the trauma of years of slavery, which many of our elders/ancestors haven’t dealt with, or we experience the trauma from the wounds of
the structural barriers we encounter inside and outside of our school community.
Teachers of all races should not focus on changing a Black person’s cultural behaviours. Rather, we should focus on finding ways to get students to deal with their trauma, while recognizing that people deal and cope with their trauma differently – for example through playing basketball, competing in track and field, acting, drawing, or painting. Moreover, teachers should not use these students’ outlets as punishment for misbehaving – by kicking them off the basketball team, track team, or out of the school play or talent show – as it only traumatizes them further. Black kids, or any kids, who are acting out, are doing so as a cry for help, not seeking punishment. This is where transformative lesson plans and assessment are important to teach the child holistically. And have a variety of options with your assessments, because, again, a one-size-fits-all model does not work for any child, of any race, who is experiencing trauma.
We have to re-examine how we are dealing with those students who are “inappropriately” asking for guidance, help, and support. The reality is that some educators are not able to control their emotions and their biases toward some students. We ask students to develop their growth mindset and emotional intelligence, but most teachers need to do the same. Marginalized individuals should not be forced to reconstruct their cultural norms to fit in. Rather they should be taught to be self-actualized, respectful, and open to new teachings that don’t strip them away from their personal identity. As educators, we have the opportunity to empower, inspire, and motivate our students – especially those from the Black and the low-income communities – and we must use this power wisely.
Sherfieldann John is a member of the Toronto Secondary Unit.
