Thoughts on Teacher Diversity podcast
Just finished listening to this podcast on Teacher Diversity and here are my thoughts:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Ccu2IU8YIgyVuE0sppCKQ?si=ZUm_nuyLS6u9Aq9t64AqRA
It’s a very good summary of the issues that we know prevent diversity in our prevention and touches on the main issues, i.e. lack of role models, financial pressures, religion, Irish and so on.
I liked how it was identified that the issue is not simply about access but about all tiers, both pre and post training and employment.
I liked the longer discussion about why the Irish language is not the big barrier that many identify it to be and how it might even be patronising to say it is.
I liked that there was agreement that it is pointless fighting against diversity when the world relies on diversity. We live in a globalised world and we must embrace diversity in order to survive.
I had two minor jarring moments. The issue of religion was glossed over with "there are now options for teachers that don’t want to work in denominational settings." That hit me in the stomach a bit, because it isn’t true.
<4% of primary schools doesn’t really represent options, no more than 1% represents diversity.
One little irk was how schools would provide peer support for minoritised teachers. I think it’s a lot to expect for schools that have almost zero training. I know this might be hard to hear but I also don’t think there is much appetite.
I say this with only anecdotal evidence of the number of anti-racism and EDI training that is provided and has been taken up. I’d love to know the data on the number of courses and webinars offered in both and what the figures were like. I have signed up to 2 in the last year.
One was cancelled; one barely scraped the minimum of 10 people.
Internationally, there is more teacher diversity despite all the problems. We're not even getting access right.
I wonder what are the variables we have that other countries don't have, and is there a hypothesis there that while nothing is ever one issue, some issues may not be getting the attention they need?
Great interview and well worth a llisten.
