1. BME STUDENT ATTAINMENT CONFERENCE COVENTRY UNIVERSITY, 8 TH JULY 2010 WORKSHOP PRESENTATION: Reflecting on different perspectives and their implications for pedagogical strategies. Dr Gurnam Singh, PL in Social Work, Co-Director Applied Research Group in Social Inclusion and National Teaching Fellow (2009) Coventry University. 1

2. BME student under-attainment – why? Traditional (commonsense) view – They lack ability, their culture is detrimental, their lifestyle is relatively dysfunctional/chaotic, they have problems with authority, generally they have lower ability and tend to segregate themselves off from other students, they need to change. Liberal view – BME students experience more disengagement, alienation, lack confidence and self-esteem, experience negative attitudes from some staff and student and they possess low levels of social and cultural capital. I am prepared to help them if required. Radical view – Racism,, eurocentric curriculum, low teacher expectations, treated more harshly than white students, ghettoisation/segregation/streaming of students along ethnicity, labelling/othering, poorer material conditions, symbolic suffer violence, their capabilities are not recognise. The pedagogy needs to change. Question – Which one of these perspectives best reflects your: 1.personal view 2.Institutional view 2

3. What can we do as educators? Understand our sphere of influence in tackling institutional racism as individuals and as members of collectivities. Reflect on our own commitment to change – How seriously do I take the issue? How seriously does my course team, department, faculty, university take the issue and how is it framed (Distraction, Problem or Scandal) Do I lose sleep over my students performance levels? In annual quality returns simply note BME attainment levels and record concern, or do I identify actions taken/need to be taken? Recognise our own contradictions i.e. In what ways do our actions and aspirations reflect and contribute to a reproduction of a racialised view of Higher Education Institutions (i.e. Do we publically say one thing but do/believe another?) 3

4. 5 Key Tips for Teachers 1.Understand the power and dynamics of self- image Subtle messages can have more impact than dramatic overt ones. Avoid at ALL costs giving any signals to BME students implying they may be deficient. Considerable evidence that positive self image is associated with higher attainment. Enable students to feel/experience success early on in their course. 4

5. 2. Recognise that teacher bias is real and take steps to reduce/eliminate this There are many determinants of a teacher's expectation of her pupils' intellectual ability. Even before a teacher has seen a pupil deal with academic tasks she is likely to have some expectation for his behavior. If she is to teach a 'slow group,' or children of darker skin color, or children whose mothers are 'on welfare,' she will have different expectations for her pupils' performance than if she is to teach a 'fast group,' or children of an upper- middle-class community. Before she has seen a child perform, she may have seen his score on an achievement or ability test or his last years' grades, or she may have access to the less formal information that constitutes the child's reputation. (Rosenthal and Jacobson, 1968 p. viii). Try to maximise ethnic mix in teaching and assessment teams Invite reflection on potential teacher bias (e.g. Through peer review, external examiners, student feedback) Diversify assessment methods. 5

6. 3. Counteract the inverse support law Provide proactive support for students. Consider technological solutions e.g. Video capture, module guides/readers provision ICT equipment. Manage make-up of group work projects to avoid segregation in class. Do not substitute excellent pedagogy with how to do guides. 6

7. 4. Develop inclusive student mentoring support services Avoid any suggestion that academic support is only for failing students. Recruit and train mentors from different backgrounds. Most effective mentors are ones that facilitate best academic practices. Use mentors to inform your pedagogical strategies. 7

8. 5. Avoid dumbing down at all costs. Do not take BME (or any students) students simply to make-up the number Celebrate the intellectual achievements of ALL communities. Develop an inclusive curriculum that doesn't simply represent BMEs as victims. Nurture critical thinking through a repertoire of dialogic, didactic, problem based and conceptual pedagogical strategies. Reclaim intellectualism – develop your identity as critical transformative intellectuals. Try to develop guided questioning strategies that engage students. See teaching as a performance that seeks to inform and inspire, not impress and frighten. 8