Classroom Leaders

11 Oct 2007

Hackney Gazette

At the time of going to press I, along with my office, was in the midst of making final preparations for the second annual London Schools and the Black Child Achievement Awards. The Achievement Awards recognise the young Black students from London who are achieving very high academic grades. Many of the students have overcome barriers such as racism, poverty and starting life in a new country.  The awards are presented during a ceremony at the House of Commons and the winners receive prizes such as lap-tops, ipods and the chance to take part in work experience days at UBS bank and Turner Broadcasting.

Last year the Awards were a great success. They were held as part of the London Schools and the Black Child initiative which I started some years ago to address issues of underachievement in education. The initiative aims to find solutions to the barriers that can face young Black people in the education system. There are two very important points that have come out of the initiative over the past years. The first is that negative stereotyping of young Black people has an effect on the way in which their teachers treat them, and the way young Black people feel about themselves. Although teachers are not often outwardly racist, what we have found during talks with parents and students is that they may have pre-conceived ideas that Black students will not do as well as their White counterparts. Teachers who have lower expectations of their Black students will not push these students to achieve the most that they are capable of. Equally, students who are being taught by teachers who do not seem to hold high expectations of them will perhaps not feel as motivated to try hard. That is not to say that there are not good, motivational teachers in London, for there are many. And I will be awarding these teachers during the London Schools and the Black Child Conference in December.

The second important point to come out of the London Schools and the Black Child initiative is that Black students, when faced with negative stereotyping in the press or when faced with teachers who do not seem to have much faith in them, very much need to see successful, positive role models. Role models who can give them a sense that with hard work and determination it is possible to achieve goals and dreams.

This year it has felt even more important to highlight the successes of our young Black students. The summer has seen the press overflowing with reports of gangs, guns and violence. Time and time again the newspapers have been splashed with images of young Black people (particularly young men) in trouble with the police. Imagine how that feels for the majority of these young people who are not involved with criminal activities of any sort. Like most young people they are trying as best they can to make their way in the world, whether that means studying for GCSEs and A levels, or taking part in apprenticeships, or starting out in a job, but the only time they see themselves reflected in the press is when a crime has been committed. This year I wanted the London Schools and the Black Child Achievement Awards to contradict these negative stereotypes by showing the world that young Black people are worth more than the headlines on gangs, guns and knives suggest they are.



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