Teaching in Diverse Classrooms

In recent weeks, the Black Lives Matter movement has brought the violence and racism experienced by Black people to the forefront of global attention. Many corporations and small businesses have positioned themselves in alliance with the movement, wishing to position themselves on the right side of history. It is a revealing time, as social media has levelled the playing field for many who have remained silenced until now. It has also forced brands to look inwards and realize that they have not always been as inclusive as they would like to be.

Our school is also a brand. We sell hair education. And although we don't have racially diverse educators at this time, it is something that would benefit our students. We work in a teaching team already, so I was pleased to read about the many positive aspects this provides for students.

After reading Brookfield's Teaching in Diverse Classrooms chapter, along with spending the last couple of weeks immersing myself in new content produced by people from the Black community, it is apparent that we have the opportunity to make a positive impact though our curriculum. Unfortunately most hair education is based around Caucasian hair texture. As professionals, there is no reason that we shouldn't be capable to confidently provide services to clients with all hair textures. So by intentionally working to include a high level of education in regards to educators teaching diverse hair skills, we will be able to attract more diverse students and clients to the academy.

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