TDT was formed in May 2022 after several Year 8 girls from Montpelier High School in Bristol felt teachers at their school could learn more about Black culture. They noticed, for example, that some teachers mispronounced students’ names, and unintentionally made some assumptions due to unconscious bias.
The girls wanted to do something about it and so talked to their tutor, Jess Bray. Miss Bray helped them to organise themselves and act.
The TDT group – also known as The Dream Team- put together a presentation for the whole staff at Montpelier High School, which was so well received that they were subsequently invited to speak to staff in other Bristol schools too, and the group grew.
Miss Bray, herself an alumna of the University of Bristol PGCE programme, got in touch with Dr Lorna Smith, Senior Lecturer in Education (PGCE English) at the University of Bristol, to suggest that they work with the University’s PGCE student teachers as well, and Dr Smith was delighted to make this happen.
TDT students Cymora, Adama, Sasha, Danitor, Alexia, Ayesha – along with their teachers, Jess Bray and Amy Mayne, visited The School of Education, University of Bristol, on Recall Day in early March, when the PGCE student teachers on school placement come back into University for one day.
The English PGCE Tutors had already identified diversity and decolonisation as the theme for the Recall Day, building on their own research, and wanted to spend the day focusing on ways to enhancing students’ experiences of English through enriching the range of literature used in the classroom - so including TDT fitted in perfectly with these plans.
The young people from Tackling Diversity in Teaching answer questions in a Q& A panel with University of Bristol PGCE students
In advance of the day, the TDT team put together a short presentation about themselves, and the English student teachers came up with a range of questions for TDT. TDT then worked out responses to the questions and prepared the presentation for the event.
There was also an unexpected moment on the day for the student teachers: being taught the Candy Dance at the end of the session, which was a joyful surprise for all present!
After the session, one of TDT said “It was quite emotional”.
Dr Lorna Smith, on thanking the TDT and their teachers, said of the event: “ TDT made a fantastic contribution to our Recall Day. They spoke from a real position of expertise and experience, sharing their suggestions, strategies, and advice with honesty and grace. They gave us all plenty to take away into our teaching practice, and we all loved learning the Candy Dance.”
The University of Bristol PGCE students all said they got so much out of the event. One student, Faith, enthused: "Hello TDT! I just wanted you to know how impressed I was with your grace, knowledge, humour, and confidence. Thank you for taking the time to come in and speak to us. I may have decided to teach students as a career, but I have realised that there are numerous opportunities where students can teach teachers! I wish you all the very best in your future endeavours."
Dr Smith also put the group in touch with the PGCE EPS coordinator, Carmen Meira-Garcia, and they have made a video for the PGCE diversity training, which is used across the whole PGCE programme.
'Tackling Diversity in Teaching' - The Dream Team - lead the PGCE students in a lesson on the Candy Dance
School of Education PGCE Programmes
To find out more about the School of Education PGCE programmes, visit our website: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/education/study/initial-teacher-education/
Black Bristol PGCE Scholarship programme
The University of Bristol are committed to addressing the lack of representation of the Black heritage community in teaching and higher education across the UK.
It will annually fund up to 4 Black and mixed-Black heritage students at the University of Bristol, enrolled on the School of Education’s PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) Initial Teacher Education programme.
Find out more, including details and eligibility, about the scholarship programme for additional funding for Black and Mixed-Black Heritage UK applicants, which goes toward the cost of undertaking a PGCE course starting in 2023-24.
Get into Teaching South-West Event
Meet and chat to Initial Teacher Education (PGCE) staff from the University of Bristol at The Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel on 20th March, 5.00-8.00pm, and find out more about a career in teaching.
More details about this event are on our website: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/education/events/2023/get-into-teaching-south-west.html