How do you Decolonise the Curriculum?

In March, we were honoured to be joined by Liberty Melly, Head of Learning at the Migration Museum, and Alex O’Halloran, Head of History, from St. Olaves Grammar School in Orpington. Both were speakers for the second Medway & Kent PTI Hub, run by Fortis Trust. 

Liberty helped teachers to develop their engagement when teaching the theme of migration within a classroom setting. A part of the day was to look at approaches and pedagogies on how to approach and educate on difficult conversations about migration within the classroom. A part of this was encouraging teachers to use the theme of migration to build connections and storytelling, to help combat myths and other persuasive narratives about migration. 

Alex provided a session on how to decolonise the classroom, within History lessons.  This session ranged from discussions of definitions, curricular aims, and the issues educators may face or experience when trying to ‘decolonise the classroom.’  One of the core areas was the difference between diversifying and decolonising the curriculum and what those differences mean. Alex shared his own research and practical examples on how he has integrated this into his classroom. He noted that the work is difficult to navigate and the teaching staff need to be motivated and knowledgeable in teaching it. He affirmed that perfectionism is not something educators should chase; instead, it should be about doing something positive.

In partnership with The PTI, the Fortis Medway & Kent Hub aims to ensure that teachers and leaders have the confidence and knowledge to go into their own provisions and begin developing their own curriculum on this subject. Alongside this CPD session, the teachers will have access to online resources to support their implementation. 

The most recent session saw the largest growth in confidence, from 33.33% feeling uneasy to 100% feeling comfortable or confident. The session also received a 100% feedback score in all areas on the set-up and content of the courses, with one delegate saying that “This workshop was very engaging and informative. It developed my critical thinking skills in my own practice…” 

The Fortis Medway & Kent PTI Hub works with a range of schools across the county to help educators develop their skills and knowledge in the most practical and accessible way possible, whilst ensuring a limited cost to schools. 

This year, we have launched a new scheme that provides access to in-person sessions on a pay-as-you-go basis. This gives more teachers and schools the opportunity to get a taste of the unique methods of the sessions, whilst not tying themselves into a contract. 

To find out more about the Fortis Medway & Kent PTI Hub, visit: https://fortistrust.co.uk/our-services/medway-and-kent-pti-hub/