Diary of an NQT
TACKLING PREJUDICE TACKLING PREJUDICE
Will you sign my wall?
IT FEELS like I have negotiated the final corner GCSEs or A levels. A welcome chance to right my
When a series
and I am now on the home straight for the year, wrongs I guess.
dashing towards the finish line, which is now clearly I need to check these thoughts though as it is only of shocking
in sight. May and I feel that I am letting myself wash my
This week I am saying goodbye to hands of the current lot too quickly – shame
statistics
my year 11 and 12 classes, and we all on me. Having said that, revision is all tied
seem to have mixed feelings. up and the ball is firmly in their court for
They are obviously happy – it the upcoming sociology exam.
came to light
was fun being that age wasn’t it? We have been lucky with the date
However, from my point of view, – for most of the pupils it is their last
regarding the treatment
it is a shame to be losing some exam and they have a six-day break
really nice classes with which I before it, which isn’t a bad result at all.
of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
have started my teaching career, I do worry that revision is not on
and with which I have built up an their minds in these final few days
and transgender people
excellent rapport. Of course it will of their compulsory education. It is
be a welcome change, but I really do the standard procedure of year books,
not want to see the back of them. pictures, and shirt-signing.
in Scottish schools, action
Despite this, I am looking forward to However, it gives a nice feeling to
starting afresh. It is clear to me now just be asked gleefully to sign various had to be taken. Jackie
how much your confidence and class memorabilia, even if I was in “report
management grows within your first mode” for the first few. I soon got
Cosh explains
year at the chalkface. the hang of making a laugh and joke
In hindsight, I do feel that I in my written farewells.
started off being a little too lenient All this has got me thinking that
and turning a blind eye to minor we didn’t do year books when I HEN A LGBT (lesbian, gay,
behavioural issues with these left school – just the plain old shirt-
classes. signing. It would be interesting to go
Obviously looking back on this and dig mine out and remember my
now, it is clear that overlooking these final school days and the people in my year.
problems has had a knock-on effect. I have Unfortunately, Facebook has taken away
certainly learnt that once you start down that some of this reminiscing. Maybe my year 11s W
bisexual, and transgender)
Youth Scotland survey found
that 66 per cent of its service
users said that Scottish
schools were not safe places
for LGBT young people, 72
road, the seemingly small problems become should have done the modern thing and just per cent had been the subject of bullying, but only 15
inbuilt as part of the dynamic of a class if you written on each other’s “walls”! per cent had reported it to school staff, none of whom
don’t stamp them out early doors. were satisfied with the outcome, it was definitely time
On the plus side, I feel like this year’s experience • This year, our weekly NQT diarist is Charles to take action.
means that next time around these kind of issues Aubeeluck, a qualified citizenship teacher who Four years of research later, and following
will be easily swept under the carpet with new teaches sociology and health and social care at consultations with LGBT youth and school staff,
classes, especially ones just starting out with their Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls in west London. a new toolkit, Dealing with Homophobia and
Homophobic Bullying in Scottish Schools, was
launched at the LGBT Youth Schools Conference in
February. The conference was the first ever schools
Teach it like Torno!
conference in Scotland to focus on homophobia and
homophobic bullying.
With funding from the Scottish government,
The parent trap
the toolkit was developed by LGBT Scotland and
Learning and Teaching Scotland. Respect, Scotland’s
anti-bullying service, worked with LGBT Scotland as
a conference partner, supporting and promoting the
“Parents who are afraid to put their foot down usually This announcement comes alongside changes toolkit itself.
have children who step on their toes.” Chinese to the way that the contextual value-added (CVA) The toolkit was sent out to secondary schools and
proverb. measure is carried out, which will undoubtedly local authorities, as well as to the 180 attendees of the
Last week, I issued school reports to my year 7 disadvantage struggling schools. conference. The emphasis is on encouraging schools to
form. Being the proud tutor that I am, I was delighted From this year, CVA point scores will be look at homophobia as part of their anti-bullying policy, as saying ‘that is so gay’. It is about having the
to read the many positive comments and was pleased strengthened by every English and maths qualification. to see if it is sufficiently covered, and if it provides confidence in information-sharing and about getting
to see that most students were regarded very highly The Department for Children, Schools and Families teachers with the tools to act. parents and carers on board.”
by their teachers. predicts that most secondary schools where fewer Schools are aware of the importance of equality, and Prior to the launch, the toolkit was piloted in five
I was slightly taken aback when one pupil said: than half of pupils gain five A* to C GCSEs including LGBT Scotland has always received ad-hoc enquiries schools, and these have been the basis of the good
“Good, that’s 50 quid I have got now.” As a result English and maths will end up with lower CVA scores from schools, but increasing press coverage has brought practice case studies. One school hosted an S1 and S2
of a further conversation, he told me that his father than previously as a result of the new measure. the issue to the fore for many. More and more schools “market place” event, inviting a range of youth and
had promised him £10 for every positive report he How on earth this will benefit the morale of are realising that this is an issue which cannot be equality-focused organisations to run information stalls
received. staff in these schools one will never know, ignored. and speak to students.
What shocked me was not so and God help us when the “Mum’s Army” Sara O’Loan is research manager at LGBT Scotland. The toolkit also suggests ideas for events for
much the response of the individual, finds out. They will have us teachers She told SecEd: “Previously it was lower down schools’ raising awareness of LGBT issues alongside other
but the number of other students strung up from the highest rooftops. priority lists, and there wasn’t any material like this equalities issues, such as hosting diversity days or
who had been making deals with The point I am making is that available. school assemblies where parents and carers are invited,
their parents in the event of good schools now need to go “I have been involved in the project for the and where information and discussion about diversity
reports. What has happened to through an era of increased last four years, and in that time there has been an takes place.
the desire to achieve as a sense of trust. We have had a increased level of coverage in the educational press, The separate lesson plan in the toolkit is
personal pride? generation of inspections, as well as invitations for us to speak to schools. The comprehensive, providing teachers with plenty of ideas
Without wanting to be seen as a constant curriculum level of enquiries has built up and where we are on how to cover the issue. Group work and open
spoilsport, it would be fantastic to changes, and accusations today is light years away from where we were four discussions are central to the lessons with pupils
see increasingly more students who that we have been years ago.” encouraged to voice their thoughts and experiences,
were keen to do well without the need failing students. The last The toolkit comes in two parts – the teachers’ toolkit rather than being lectured to, and the ideas are creative
for monetary incentive. The reason I thing struggling schools and a series of lesson plans. The teachers’ toolkit acts rather than prescriptive.
am ranting about this is because there need is “expert” parents as a sort of prerequisite to the lessons, acting as an Teachers are not expected to know all the answers,
are too many youngsters whose early demanding inspections if introduction and giving guidance on how to tackle and a lack of knowledge in this area is actually
enthusiasm fizzles out when money their children are not up to homophobia in school policy. used positively to encourage pupils to have the
is no longer a motivating factor to scratch. They need to play It explains how it relates to the new Scottish same openness and honesty about gaps in their own
them. Surely what these students their part by spending more curriculum, a Curriculum for Excellence, and in knowledge.
need is praise and recognition time with their youngsters and particular to the achievement of the four capacities LGBT teachers are encouraged to view homophobia
from their parents, rather than not leaving schools to fill the void highlighted in the curriculum. as an anti-bullying and discrimination issue, about
materialistic offerings. they leave. It also aims to answer questions staff may have, respect and equality, with their sexual orientation not
I will never forget the time I Our daughter, Amy, has just begun providing practical guidance and giving examples of coming into it.
was visited by a fairly anxious her key stage 2 SATs and, like all parents, good practice – meeting teachers’ requirements was The cross-curricular aspect is highlighted and fits in
parent a few years ago in an we are anxious for her to do well. However, very much on the agenda. with a Curriculum for Excellence, and the toolkit can be
attempt to correct her son’s regardless of whether she achieves her “Teachers have told us that they want clear fitted into several subject areas – health and wellbeing,
behaviour. He had achieved desired levels, I will not be holding the guidance,” Ms O’Loan continued, “so we have built religious and moral education, social studies, and
relatively well at the end of key school accountable. The teachers at Boreham this into the toolkit. It discusses how they should English.
stage 3, but his progress had declined Primary in Essex have done all they can to help not be scared of saying the wrong thing, how there The message is clear – that this is a topic for all
markedly by mid-year 10. her succeed, and much of the responsibility are different types of homophobic bullying and how teachers to be concerned with, not just guidance
“I can’t understand it,” she said, “I rests on us to instil good habits with homework to challenge it. Some forms are very subtle, such teachers.
bought him a £200 mobile phone at the and expectation. I appreciate the pressure that the Tools such as The Prejudice Tree are introduced – a
end of year 9.” teachers are under and recognise the commitment concept which illustrates how prejudices can grow, and
Despite many meetings with the boy’s of the staff.
mother over the course of the next year, At the same time, we are trying to encourage
she did not seem to understand that giving him time Amy to take pride in what she does and to strive to
was a much more valuable commodity than anything achieve without the need for financial incentive.
she could buy. Parents need to be supportive of schools and work
On the subject of parents, I note that Gordon together to create a fruitful partnership. Only with trust
‘
The level of
how our actions can affect others. Throughout many of
the lessons, students are encouraged to think about the
consequences homophobic comments and bullying can
enquiries has built
have on others.
Feedback so far has been positive, with schools
Brown wants to give them more of a say in the way between both sides can we hope to build a society that
up and where we are
receptive to the toolkit and keen to take it on board.
They are also keen for further awareness training.
their children’s schools are run. Last week, the prime is based on mutual respect. Have a good half-term!
minister announced plans for local authorities to be
today is light years
Ms O’Loan added: “We have four training
sessions planned this month – in Glasgow,
forced to act if there was widespread parental concern • David Torn is professional tutor and an advanced Edinburgh, Stirling and Aberdeen – in conjunction
with schooling in their area. skills teacher at St Edward’s Comprehensive School
away from where we
with the positive behaviour team. These will be
This is all very well, but some schools in deprived in Essex. He is the London Secondary School Teacher one-day sessions and will be more of a ‘train the
areas need as much support as they can get, and the of the Year 2007 and is passionate that the purpose of
last thing they need is so-called “parent power”. education is to change lives. He returns on June 11.
were four years ago
trainer’ days, rather than holding five hundred or so
’
training sessions.”
While LGBT admits that it is still early days, it is
8 SecEd • May 21 2009
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