A new locally-created course is not only for Black students to see themselves represented in what they’re learning but for all students to make connections in media and literature from Black directors and authors.
The first Africentric course is coming to the Upper Grand District School Board this semester. It was developed by Guelph CVI teachers Natalie Brown-Lahey and Sarah Bolton. They are also staff leaders of their school’s Black student union.
The Grade 12 English course starts on Feb. 3 with 28 students registered.
It’s been a year in the making. The teachers went to see the Toronto District School Board’s Africentric secondary program in action to get inspiration. The data from TDSB's program showed students who chose to be in the program thrived, said Bolton. This is why she wanted to bring something similar to Guelph.
She wanted a Black educator to teach the course. Brown-Lahey and Bolton connected on their approaches to learning and centring student voices. Bolton saw Brown-Lahey’s passion for Africentric teaching and knew she’d be the best fit to teach the course.
“I really want them to be able to see themselves reflected in the literature and know that they are a part of this because they’re often removed from it,” said Brown-Lahey. Although other English classes include books by Black authors, this course centres around it.
Student suggestions were put into the development of the course like some of the books on the reading list. The class will read two books from Black authors who are either Canadian, American, African or Caribbean. They will also read the play Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Throughout the semester guest speakers will join to speak about their experiences and the work they’ve created.
One of the assignments is for students to create a walking tour for the Guelph community about local Black history. It helps students discover the wealth of knowledge in the community and realize they don’t have to go elsewhere to find it, said Brown-Lahey.
The course is open to all Grade 12 students and can be used as the required English credit needed to graduate. It's the first Africentric course at the school board, said Bolton.
What guides the curriculum are the seven Africentric principles. One of the principles is uijma, meaning collective work and responsibility. Uijma is grounded in community “and the Afrocentric idea of eldering, that me as the teacher is not the only expert in the room, and I cannot be the only expert on the Black race,” said Brown-Lahey. This is where guest speakers come in and giving students the opportunity to become their own experts.
Brown-Lahey put her identity and life into the course. “I’m reflecting on what I needed in high school,” she said. She needed materials to look like her and to relate to her experiences so she could better analyze the things she was learning. She went to a predominantly white high school in Waterdown and the first book she read by a Black author was The Book of Negroes in Grade 12. Her great grandmother’s story follows a very similar one of The Book of Negroes, with her connection to Nova Scotia. The book is part of the course curriculum.
The students will view the movie Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele to learn about tropes in horror movies. Brown-Lahey wants students to learn the techniques Peele uses to manipulate the audience and how he communicates what microaggressions feel like. Through the comparative essay assignment she wants to see what connections students can make between the film and the book When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole, about fears of gentrification.
It was important for Bolton and Brown-Lahey to include literature and media from different eras in history and now. This is so students know Black people were and are involved in all forms of art, books and media.
“It's going to be a different experience for them. They're going to come out feeling inspired, empowered,” said Bolton. Brown-Lahey wants students to feel proud and see Black joy.
Since this is a pilot course the hope is it will continue to be taught at GCVI and down the line it could expand to other schools