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Pack cover
Integrating Global and Anti-Racist Perspectives within the Primary Curriculum (GARP)
Nottingham City Council (2006)
This resource (published in June 2006) marks the culmination of a two-year initiative supported by the DfES, the East Midlands Network for Global Perspectives in Schools, City of Nottingham EMAG team and MUNDI.
The purpose of the project was to demonstrate that global and anti-racist perspectives can be integrated into daily teaching and learning activities, in the course of delivering the National Curriculum and National Strategies.
The basis for the work embodied the following principles:
- The cultural diversity of Britain and the world should be reflected across the curriculum
- The achievements of individuals and cultures are universal and not only Western
- All children need to be able to talk about and challenge unfair generalisations and racism, as well as to examine prejudices and different perspectives.
The pack contains a curriculum map for the whole of the Primary National Curriculum, linked to QCA units, which identifies global and anti-racist perspectives within every unit, and includes a list of suggested resources and websites. In addition, there are sections of 'case studies and bright ideas', advice on how to avoid reinforcing stereotypes, information for global linking and a list of educational suppliers, along with a foreword from Doreen Lawrence, OBE. (Taken from GARP publicity materials)
The pack consists of a ring-bound file divided into Foundation Stage, the primary National Curriculum subjects, and additional sections on assemblies, ‘bright ideas and case studies’, global partnerships, working with artists, and general resources. Each curriculum subject section is colourfully presented with an introduction and then links to QCA Units and further resources. The ‘Bright Ideas and Case Studies’ is a particularly valuable section in that it provides practical and manageable examples. In addition to the file are two CD-roms - both report local initiatives and provide a wealth of ideas and activities for use with adults and pupils:
- Global Citizen Resource pack - produced by the East Midlands Network for Global Perspectives in Schools
- Anti-Racist Maths Project
The pack is an extremely useful resource for anyone involved in primary education in any capacity.
In terms of ITE, it addresses a gap often identified by student teachers/trainees – a paucity of practical ideas when translating the rhetoric of global and anti-racist perspectives into the realities of the classroom. Until now, if addressed at all, this is often likely to be done by individuals responsible for particular subject areas – a time-consuming and often limited approach. This resource offers an alternative to this and succeeds in demystifying the ways in which global and anti-racist perspectives can indeed be integrated into the daily teaching and learning within all primary schools. It clearly illustrates the potential of such an approach, providing a wealth of lesson ideas, teaching strategies and resources. What student teachers/trainees will still need, however, is an understanding of why such an approach is so fundamentally necessary, and such an integral and important part of their roles as teachers, regardless of where they might be teaching or the make up of their classes. This needs to be addressed elsewhere on ITE programmes, but this pack could play an important role in then ensuring that student teachers/trainees are equipped and supported, and therefore more likely to adopt this approach in their own future work. (See link below for further ideas how the resource could be used with student teachers/trainees)
The pack could also be used for Partnership Development/Mentor Training sessions and would be welcomed by all schools endeavouring to ensure their compliance with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000).
Finally, for practising teachers, it represents an excellent reference point and source of ideas for those committed to challenging inequality and to reflecting diversity through the curriculum that they plan and deliver.
The following quotation was included in the publicity materials for the resource. I can only agree!
'At long last – a comprehensive, cross-curricular resource covering all the primary age range. There’s now no excuse for the curriculum not to reflect the diversity of the children in our schools. A major step forward in the fight against racism.'
(Nottingham Headteacher – GARP publicity materials)
Sample pages from GARP are reproduced with kind permission of the authors (see below). The GARP resource can be purchased for £55 (exc p&p). Details are provided in the attached order form and also on the GARP website.
Jane Daffé (EMAG, Nottingham Local Authority) and Stella Nickolay (Radford Primary School, Nottingham) of the GARP project lead a workshop on the pack at the Multiverse conference on 5th May 2006. Click on attachment below to view workshop report.
Jane Davies
University of Sunderland