We hosted a cultural awareness day at Peele primary with the following aims: to encourage learners to reflect on their identity and to display the work collated by all classes to parents and the school community. As part of my anti-racist education work, I believe that it is important to celebrate and represent different voices, especially those which sometimes slip through the cracks. The wealth of cultures and languages that exist in our community is huge; the event was a way to recognise that we are proud to be part of such a diverse community.
"The wealth of cultures and languages that exist in our community is huge; the event was a way to recognise that we are proud to be part of such a diverse community."
Why we did it
From a very young age, I have been passionate about learning about different cultures and languages. Being in this privileged position as a teacher, allows me to come up with ideas and implement them in a sustainable manner. I was given the opportunity to organise the cultural awareness fair for my school this year. I reflected on the wealth of cultures and diversity that we are surrounded by in our community and wanted to organise an event that allowed everyone to participate and contribute.
As I sat down to organise this event, my aim was to ensure that this would not be just a one-off box ticking exercise. I wanted to create a sustainable culture within the school where everyone is seen, valued and respected for their authentic self.
What we did
The event in itself was the culmination of fantastic learning from across the school showcased in a display of work from P1 to P7. The learners in P1 and P2 focused on drawing flags using a pictograph, these flags represented the origins of the different learners in the school. In addition to that, learners in P2 created QR codes welcoming parents in different languages. Further, up the school in P4/5, learners created diversity quilts, which focused on their identity, and the various things, which make them who they are. In P6, learners analysed the school lunch menu and wrote a letter to West Lothian council with some recommendations on how they could make the menu more diverse to reflect our community. Finally, in P7, learners researched historical figures, wrote poems about diversity and reflected on how the protected characteristics could affect their future aspirations.
All learners prepared their tasks respectively with their peers and these activities were varied and diverse just as our school setting. Learners and staff members came dressed up in traditional clothing, the school beamed with a sense of pride and belonging on that day. Pride, not only for belonging to our roots, but for being part of a school that values, respects and sees everyone.
"My aim was to ensure that this would not be just a one-off box ticking exercise."
The impact
Most parents and learners attended the fair after school and enjoyed seeing their children’s work. This was also an opportunity for them to leave some feedback on what is going well and what more the school could do going forward. One of the parents said, “Being exposed to different cultures has made my son a better person”. I believe that the impact the event has had on our school community is more than I can express. Seeing learners, parents and staff members being empowered to share a part of themselves is invaluable.
Next steps
The most sustainable way to evolve the work that I have started doing in the community is to create an environment where the people in the community can take up more of an active role in sharing their stories and skills with everyone. The school is the heartbeat of our community, creating that culture where everyone feels valued and seen is a step forward towards building a bond that nobody can break.
"The most sustainable way to evolve the work that I have started doing in the community is to create an environment where the people in the community can take up more of an active role in sharing their stories and skills with everyone."
As an alumni of Education Scotland’s Building Racial Literacy course, I have a duty to keep encouraging my learners, parents and colleagues to be anti-racist. Going forward, I am hoping to create a whole school anti-racist pledge with my learners and formally share the work that I am doing with the school community. After completing the Building Racial Literacy Programme, I created an action plan, which I am progressively implementing, and engaging my school in events such as the cultural awareness fair was one of them.
My thought process is one that believes we must continue to make progress and that can only happen by taking action and being part of the solution to the problems that we face in our society.
Find out more about the Building Racial Literacy Programme and Anti-Racist Education in Scotland
