Talking about Race and Racism

In collaboration with parents and the wider school community, we are looking at ways to further support conversations around race and racism, in school and at home. We would love you to attend the ARISE (Anti-racism in Schools and Education) webinars which are booked for the summer term. You can come and join us in the art studio or join online at home.

Summer Term Parent Workshops

Session 1 – Thursday 25th April at 9.30am 

Child-friendly ways to talk about race and racism

• Addressing difficult and sometimes awkward questions that children ask and the answers you can give
• Acquire the knowledge and confidence to use the right vocabulary, say the right thing and move conversation forward

Session 2 – Date TBC

Diversity, inclusion and belonging at home

• Books, activities and tips
• Empower your children to love themselves and value others

Session 3 – Date TBC

How to deal with racist incidents

• What do you do if your child is the victim of racism?
• What do you do if your child is the perpetrator?
• How do I teach my child to establish boundaries, report bullying, authentically apologise, and safely stand up for others and for themselves?

Resources to Share with Children

It is never too early to talk to your child about race and equality – and to introduce difference and diversity into their lives. To help start these conversations, please see below a list of resources you may find helpful.

The Book Trust – a great selection of books to support conversations about race

Racism can be a difficult topic to know how to approach with children – but with the #BlackLivesMatter movement fighting against the injustice faced by Black people across the world, it is more vital than ever to begin those discussions to ensure a fairer future for all. Here is our pick of the top books that examine the structural oppression experienced by the Black community, aimed at inspiring and empowering young children to talk about anti-racism.

National Literacy Trust – books to help celebrate Black History Month at home

Teaching and learning about Black History Month:

• Shines a light on wonderful and inspiring individuals, from the past and present day.
• Understanding black history will help your child understand the world and society we live in today.
• It can help your child to understand lives, cultures and experiences different to their own.

It is important to note that we celebrate different cultures and diversity throughout the year and Black History Month is an extra special time to do so.

(3 min watch + listen) Horrible Histories – Rosa Parks

Resources for parents

NSPCC – Talking to Children about Racism
If you want to chat to a child or young person about racism, you might be worrying about how to start the conversation. You might worry about saying the wrong thing. Or you may want to shield a child from difficult issues. However you are feeling, we have got advice to help start the conversation. This page is for parents and caregivers who want to understand what racism is, how it affects young people and what they can do to be anti-racist.

Black Lives Matter – Parent Guide
Perhaps race has always been a topic of regular discussion in your family, or perhaps you feel unsure about how to approach the topic of race with your family. Perhaps you grew up never talking about race, or perhaps you regularly face discrimination. This guide aims to provide resources, advice, and tips to ensure everyone is aware of racial inequality present in modern-day society, as well as to share tools and knowledge to combat racism today.

Women’s Hour – How to talk to your children about race and racism
Parenting comes with plenty of awkward conversations but race and racism can be one of the more sensitive areas to navigate. Regardless of your own ethnic background, your children will no doubt ask questions – but how to answer them? Entrepreneur, blogger and mum Freddie Harrel and Behavioural scientist and diversity consultant Dr Pragya Agarwal, share their personal experiences and tips.

BBC Bitesize – Not racist v anti-racist. What’s the difference?
There is a big difference between being not-racist and being anti-racist. It does not seem like it. Both these things seem equally as good, but they are not. John Amaechi is a psychologist, a New York Times best-selling author and a former NBA basketball player.

Educate Against Hate – Articles and videos
Helping to make the internet a safe space for children. Protecting your child from radicalisation or extremism and reporting hate crime.

(20 minute listen) Talking race with young children
Even babies notice difference like skin colour, eye shape and hair texture. Here is how to handle conversations about race, racism, diversity and inclusion, even with very young children.

(12 minute listen) How white parents can talk to their kids about race
Discussion includes ‘The Talk’ – the conversation parents have with their child about how to avoid altercations with police or what to do and say if they are stopped.

The Conscious Kid
An education, research and policy organisation: supporting families and educators in taking action to disrupt racism, inequality and bias.

If you know a great website for information, podcast to follow, article to read or book to share with primary-aged children, please let us know by contacting admin@williampatten.hackney.sch.uk

Message from our Parent Committee 

We are starting an exciting new committee to celebrate and explore the different cultures and races within our wonderfully diverse school! We want to encourage conversations about race, ethnicity, culture and identity in ways that are sensitive, gentle and age appropriate and we would really like you to be involved!

Maybe the issues like race and cultural diversity are already topics of discussion with your children; or perhaps you feel unsure about how to approach it? Perhaps you grew up never talking about it; or maybe you regularly face discrimination and it’s painful to talk about. For some families, discussions on prejudice and inequality may feel like fairly new territory.

The aim of this new group is to look at ways of supporting parents – whatever your experience and background – to talk with each other and our children, discuss our differences and commonalities, celebrate our cultures, but also touch on inequalities and prejudices (and how to combat them) in ways that feel thoughtful and age appropriate.

We really hope you will choose to be involved in this new group as we form a strategy that speaks for everyone. If you are interested in being a part of the committee, please contact Annabel through admin@williampatten.hackney.sch.uk