A Salford teacher has been named as one of the UK’s top 100 inspiring teachers for introducing policies that tackle racism within education📚.
Dwain Brandy, a design and technology teacher from Oasis Academy, is determined to make his students become ‘global citizens of the world’.
Dwain, 36, said: “The educational system needs to be brought up to date to reflect the global audiences in which we have today.
“In terms of that reflection in needing change, this includes the curriculum, staff training in CPD (Continuing Professional Development) and understanding the differences in cultures.
“This isn’t just for children of colour or black and global majority students; this is for all kids because our ethos within our school is to make sure that our kids become global citizens.”
The mission to tackle diversity within the school curriculum was inspired by Dwain’s own educational upbringing.
He said that whilst at school, he and his peers struggled to connect with fellow teachers, and they could never associate themselves with anything that was taught.
Dwain added: “A lot of my peers ended up down a different path as they really couldn’t connect with the curriculum.
“There was a disconnect between the teachers and students, so it was quite a negative experience to be honest.”
Following a difficult start to education, Dwain began attending a supplementary school which taught him to realise his own self-worth.
This realisation is what encouraged Dwain to start helping others in a similar position to his.
The need to make a change is also something that runs through the family.
Dwain’s grandma, Locita Brandy, successfully campaigned to get racist literature removed from libraries around Manchester.
He said: “My grandmother has always been an activist in regards to making educational change.
“At the time she was campaigning, she managed to get many racist words removed from books which were being taught to children.”
Taking inspiration from his grandmother, Dwain’s mission into making a difference is one of the many reasons why he is being recognised as an inspirational teacher by The Guardian.
He hopes that the new policies he is implementing will allow for an anti-racist approach within the curriculum and that soon they will be handed out to the rest of the Oasis Academy learning chain.
Hello Twitter #BAME #DIVERSITY #LEADINGEQUALITY #SOCIALJUSTICE #myfirstTweet https://t.co/nBWhPJP6T2 pic.twitter.com/PASRBxUWvU
— Dwain Brandy (@LeadingEquality) April 25, 2017
“For me, these policies are to make sure that we can start impacting educational change, “ he added.
“It’s for other schools to start adopting these changes so they can make sure that various kids within their schools – especially for global majority communities – can actually feel proud of being in education.
“That they can feel proud for being in an English lesson and finally be learning about someone who looks like them.
“To be named as an inspiring teacher is fantastic, it means we are being heard and it means these policies are starting to make a change.”
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