Wellbeing

Olivia and Sia

Cultural Understanding PART 3

Schools play an important role in addressing all forms of racism and consider attitudes and practices that can be a barrier to providing a culturally safe environment for all students and families.

What are the key terms we are talking about when we consider racism and attitudes?

Representation: The description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way.

Bias: A feeling, attitude or belief towards something or someone that can be conscious or unconscious.

Stereotype: An exaggerated belief, image or distorted truth about a person or group – a generalisation that allows for little or no individual differences or social variation. Stereotypes can be positive, negative or neutral.

Prejudice: An opinion, prejudgement or attitude about a group or its individual members. Prejudices are often accompanied by ignorance, fear or hatred and aimed at an “out-group.”

Discrimination: Behaviour that treats people unequally because of their group membership – can range from slights to hate crimes. Discriminatory behaviour often begins with negative stereotypes and prejudices.

Respectful Relationships promotes positive relationships, respect for others and gender equality. Having an open mind and being respectful of people’s cultural backgrounds creates connection and understanding.

Our RRR curriculum provides numerous opportunities to build positive relationships and attitudes towards each other. Some examples of activities that students engage in are:

In year 1 and 2 the activity ‘labels are for jars not people’ allows children the opportunity to share what makes them who they are.
Activities in the 3 and 4 year level are around the ‘many facets of me’ which allows students to talk about the differences and similarities between each other
In years 5 and 6 activities around human rights and celebrating the differences in cultures around the world.

How can you support at home?

Acknowledge that conversations about racism can be uncomfortable and awkward.
Offer suggestions on how to phrase and respond to challenging or potentially controversial comments in a useful way to ensure that conversations around race remains open and respectful, such as:

“From my experience/perspective as [identity…]”

“I’m not sure if this will make sense, but…”

“Can you help me understand what perspectives might be missing in my thinking right now?”

“I see it differently …”

“I’m uncomfortable with your choice of words ...”

When watching or discussing events represented in the media linked to race, encourage critical thinking in your child by discussing, whose perspective is being told? What information might be missing?
Check your own unconscious bias. What can be done to reduce unconscious bias?
Model acknowledgement of different perspectives and experiences.

Resource share – An exploration on perspective