An investigation into the experiences of African and African-Caribbean students whilst on teaching

159 Pages·2017·1.14 MB·English

An investigation into the experiences of African and
African-Caribbean students whilst on teaching
practice in South London primary schools.

Veronica Poku

University College London/Institute of Education
Thesis
Doctor in Education
Submitted May 2017
Contents
Abstract 5
Abbreviations 6
Declaration 7
Acknowledgements 8
Reflective Statement 9

Chapter 1 Introduction 14
Backdrop 14
Prologue: Institutional-Focussed Study 15
Contours of Racism 17
Impetus for the thesis 20

Chapter 2 Literature Review 24
Introduction 24
Black students and Teacher Education 25
Critical Race Theory (CRT) 28
Racism 31
Whiteness and White supremacy 32
White privilege 33
Microaggressions: Symptoms of Whiteness 34
Institutional racism 37
Institutional policies: Acts of ‘Interest Convergence’? 39
School Policies 40
Storytelling: Legacy of the griot(te) 45
A Black feminist perspective on Teacher Education 46
Conclusion 49

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Chapter 3 Research Methods 50
Introduction 50
Research Questions 50
CRT and Narrative Inquiry: Storytelling and tackling the ‘master narrative’
with counter-narratives 51
Sun, Moon, Power and Whiteness 51
The setting and participants 56
Impact of Pilot study 59
Methods for data gathering 60
Focus group interviews 61
Individual interviews 63
Ethical considerations: ‘Positionality’, bias and Insider-Outsider 64
Data Analysis 68
Value of the study 69
Conclusion 70

Chapter 4 Findings and Analysis: Managing a Black
identity in White spaces or Strategies for ‘becoming’ White 71
Introduction 71
Who am I? Where do I fit in? 72
Fitting in and ‘acting White’ 77
Fitting in and ‘acting White’: Cultural identity 81
Misrecognition and identity 83
Misrecognition and Microaggressions 85
Gravity of Whiteness and the markers of cultural identity 90
Survival strategies: Fictive kinship and Withstanding the gravity of
Whiteness 93
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Conclusion 100

Chapter 5 Discussion and Conclusion 102
Introduction 102
Epilogue: Sankofa 104
Why does ITE matter? 106
Re-encountering the Research Questions 109
Key Finding 1: Unconscious Bias and Emotional Work (RQs 1, 2 and 3) 111
Key Finding 2: Minstrelsy, wearing of masks and de-centering (RQs 1 and 3) 115
Key Finding 3: Places of sanctuary, safe spaces and coping strategies (RQ 4) 116

Chapter 6 Final Thoughts: More things change, more things stay
the same 120
Contribution to professional practice and implications 121
Reflections and Adaptations 126
Quo Vadis? 127

Bibliography 128

Appendix 1 150
Interview consent form
Appendix 2 151
Interview schedule
Appendix 3 153
Table 1: Thesis participants
Appendix 4 154
Table 2: Pilot study participants
Table 3: IFS participants

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Appendix 5 155
Focus group schedule

Footnotes 156
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Abstract

This study investigates the experiences of racism of Black student teacher Post-graduates
whilst on teaching placements as part fulfilment for their degree. Places on the Post-graduate
Certificate in Education (PGCE) course are highly sought-after at this London University
where the student body is predominantly White. The research highlights the fact that the
PGCE course is predominantly female so a Black feminist discourse is used in tandem with
Narrative Inquiry (NI) to bring their stories to the fore. Critical Race Theory (CRT) is used
as a framework to provide the tools and aid in the articulation and translation of the students’
testimonies. CRT moves to identify how Whiteness is embedded in schools, which are
identified as microcosms of society, and helps to throw light on the more covert and subtle
manifestations of racism evinced in the students’ narratives.

The study explores the psychological and emotional burden the students are subjected to due
to an unspoken external pressure to ‘fit in’. The notions of ‘microaggressions’ and ‘double
consciousness’ are explored in terms of how the students experience being surveilled but
also engaging in self-surveillance so as not to be seen as disrupting too much the status quo
of the White somatic norm encountered in schools. It highlights the level of resilience the
students have in managing to complete their school placements, a compulsory component for
successful completion of the course as well as the safe spaces they have to resort to.

In terms of professional practice, the study concludes that the need to continually educate
teacher trainees about the discourse of Whiteness and racism is an on-going Sisyphean task.

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Abbreviations

BME Black Minority Ethnic
CRT Critical Race Theory
CBT College-based tutor
CPD Continuing Professional Development
IFS Institutional-focussed study
ITE Initial Teacher Education
NI Narrative Inquiry
PGCE Post-graduate Certificate of Education
RQs Research Questions
SoE School of Education
TDA Training and Development Agency
HEI Higher Education Institution
TA Teaching Assistant

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Declaration

I confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been
derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis.

Word count: 45, 658 words (exclusive of abstract, acknowledgements, reflective statement,
appendices and bibliography).

Signature:

Name:

Date:

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Acknowledgements

I am very glad to have arrived at the stage where I can finally hand in my thesis. It has been a
long and winding road and I am very grateful for the people who have kept me company
along the way. Thank you very much to the students who willingly gave up their time,
wanted their stories to be heard and trusted me to make that happen. I am very grateful for
the support I have had from colleagues and my grateful thanks go to my institution which
financed a significant portion of my EdD.

I have had a number of tutors over the years and have learnt something different from each
of them; all of which has stood me in good stead. I am, however, eternally grateful to
Professor Heidi Mirza and Dr. Denise Hawkes. Without their patience, input, belief, cajoling
and laser-eyed critique, this thesis would not have happened.

My final thanks go to my partner, Stuart, who has supported me unstintingly, acting as a very
responsive sounding-board along the way and my son Merlin who has shown a great deal of
patience when waiting for access to my laptop.

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Reflective statement

The following statement is an outline of my progression on the EdD (Home) programme. It
has been a long and, at times, arduous journey to get to this point, having first registered for
the EdD in 2006. This statement will reflect on the modules I participated in as well as an
evaluation as to how they have acted as stepping-stones along the path to my thesis. There
were times when it was not always clear how what I was reading or learning could further
my desire to complete my EdD. However, in retrospect, I recognise that the process was
wholly transformative in the way I now view the world, my role as an educator and my
position in both.

‘Foundations of Professionalism (FOP)’ was the first module on the EdD course and was an
engaging and involving immersion into the programme. The essay linked to this module
considered ‘To what extent has the increased profile of teaching assistants, since 2003,
impacted on the professional status of primary school teachers in the U.K?’ The tutors
encouraged the creation of a discursive space where I enjoyed the opportunity to reflect on a
topic that I rarely had the opportunity to discuss in my daily lecturing role.

Having worked as classroom teacher with teaching assistants (TAs), of varying levels of
capability and of involvement, for 10 years before becoming a lecturer, I considered it timely
to be undertaking a course that questioned the notion of whether teaching was actually a
profession or a semi-profession. The assignment looked at the policy proposals that were to
be implemented to increase the level of Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs). I
concluded that such a move could have a potentially divisive effect amongst the TAs with
their former colleagues, whilst at the same time causing friction with classroom teachers.
The premise being that the introductions of HLTAs was a way to de-professionalise teachers
by stealth with their qualifying standards being almost identical to those of qualified
teachers.

As enjoyable as engaging with the relevant discourse and literature surrounding this topic
was, an area of development noted in my feedback was a further need to acquire fluency and
utility with the requisite academic language when writing at this level.

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