My positionality
Introduction
The 23/24 Pg Cert ‘Inclusive Practice’ unit 2 has created a safe space for students to openly talk freely and explore three themes that affects us, socially, politically, and racially. They are, Disability, Faith, and Racism. With the references to Crenshaw, K (1991) on ‘intersectionality’, Aziz, R (1997) ‘Feminism and the challenge of racism’ and Brown, C (2023) ‘Empowering Voices on Disability’. These initial articles and videos have had a powerful influence on how I view my teaching practice. It has forced me to re-evaluate my students needs in how they engage with the performance and stage design subjects that I teach in support of the ‘Performance Programme’ curricular at Central Saint Martins. It has made me see the importance of ‘inclusivity for all’ a term that I have phrased within my PgCert blogs that I now make a principle I will try to adhere to; to try to ensure that I support all my student needs. With closer attention to the intersections that Kemberly Crenshaw has made us aware of, with her written articles and films, that gender, sex, mental health, disability, faith, racism can be challenges for students.
There are students who will not reveal their disabilities publicly and cause ‘barriers to inclusion.’ -preventing them to fully engage with their course and receive total support from their tutors. Without vocalizing their difficulties, these ‘unseen’ student issues can cause future difficulties for individuals and can be detrimental on their education.
We, as teachers, move among the student community and are not aware of the ‘unseen’ issues that students are facing. I would like to address this ‘unseen’ barrier that is preventing us for ‘inclusivity for all’ students. I intend to pursue this with vigour with the use of a ‘teaching tool’ that will aid a student to reveal their unseen disability in an environment that does not cause embarrassment but with the aim to help and support them at Central saint Martins.
With reference to my ‘Micro-Teaching Part 2 ‘Reflection on my teaching and presentation of subject’ Blog (posted on 21st March 2024). I would like to develop a physical tool in which the students can explore through touch and manipulation to reveal the ‘unseen’ disabilities they are facing and to encourage discussion within the student body; hopefully allowing those students the confidence to reveal their unseen disability and get the teaching support they need to complete their course with confidence.
image. 1
image. 2
image. 3
Context of my teaching
Reflection on my teaching and presentation of my subject.
Reflecting on my teaching practice and my positionality on inclusivity for all, to support the unseen student disability. I want to create a teaching dialogue that encompasses these aims.
I will manufacture a cube made up of 8 x wooden blocks 5cm x 5cm, hinged together on certain corners and hand manipulated by a student to transform it into different configurations- please refer to image.2 and Image. 3.
This is an exciting opportunity for me to try a new teaching process with reference to Willcocks, J & Mahon, K (2023) ‘in commerce the potential of online object-based learning activities to support the teaching of intersectional environmentalism in art and design in high education’ and (Ade Adepitan (-2021) ‘Disability and Race’. I hope that the student will be influenced by the cube that they are holding in their hands which will allow them to express their thoughts; to write on the blank surfaces of the cube, of the ‘unseen’ parts of themselves that intersect with the visual disabilities that can be seen by the student, college community.
image. 4
image. 5
This is important because of the following:
The ‘unseen’
As I have mentioned earlier, there are ‘unseen’ external forces that impacts on a student’s learning. They are:
Disability, Faith, and Racism. A student may not want to inform their course or tutor of their disability, for example mental health can be an unseen disability that impacts on a student’s life. Where the outward appearance of a student, whose interaction with the student community are normal in public but inwardly, they are suffering from mental anxiety or academic work-related stress. These outward signs are not always visible, or the symptoms easily recognizable i.e. suffering from a medical condition like cancer. Christine Sun Kim in “Friends & Strangers” (2023)
Diagram. A illustrates the intersectionality and ‘unseen’ forces that may affect a student’s well-being.
INTERSECTIONALITY
diagram, A
image. 6
It is important for to me to try an alleviate these unseen forces on my students. With reference to Walmsley, J (2010) The Normalization Emancipatory Research and Inclusivity’ focuses on disability, accessibility studies and delves into the complexities of academic research to use ’plain language’ in publications but acknowledges that theories, concepts, and social realities can be difficult to unravel. To give space for the disabled community to criticize academic publications and have a stronger narrative role to question and challenge this type of academic research/development on disability support. Walmsley article resonates strongly with me, as I want the cube to ‘emancipate’ the student voice, to express their disabilities on the blank surfaces and state any social or political views that they want to be known.
The cube (image .1) will be used as part of a lesson to present intersectionality and how it influences a student’s learning. Written on each wooden block surface the obvious disabilities that we can see or informed by a student. They can be the following examples: mental health, politics, ethnicity, culture, education, gender, rich, poor, social class.
Images, 4,5 shows the blank surfaces where the student has re-configured the cube to write their unseen disabilities.
Image. 6 shows new intersections when the cube has been re-configured into another form.
What am I planning to do.
To do further research on the cube design and the various possibilities in how students, technicians and academic staff can use it to support their teaching practice. To get further feedback from fellow technicians in it manufacturing and use. To create a teaching environment and questionnaire for the classes that I will deliver.
Feedback on cube design, function. This data to improve concept of cube.
My peer-to-peer meeting
My IP Group; Eilis Searson, Yasi Tehrani, Michelle Ussher, Sidney Hope and Dayna Tohidi’s. have contributed their thoughts, ideas, and critical assessment of my intervention. They have helped me to focus my thinking on the concept of the cube and question my ideas, directing me on its design. Does it service the students’ needs realistically?
Below is a summary of the meeting:
To remember teaching theories, the text of articles and books, visual audio media. All these ideas must be used in a student’s memory or have the learning materials close to hand for reference. To have all these ideas and concepts made available for the students in a simplified format made manageable/readable within an object that can be manipulate the CUBE. To stick – paper stickers or QR codes on to the blank surfaces; your ideas visible, to discuss your ideas in the open. Can the cube do that?
Add pictures or colours to enhance surfaces.
What is the context?
Resources on inclusivity
How have I reflected on my intervention?
My conclusion
I feel that I have received positive feedback on the concept of the cube to reveal unseen disabilities that students may have. It is important that the intersectionality of disabilities can make a student’s educational journey difficult. It is my aim to make inclusivity available for all students and in student community and societies (Chay Brown 2023)
Value of my conclusion; what are my next steps.
It is important as teachers that we design safe educational environments so that all types of disabilities, physical, mental and the ‘unseen’ disabilities welcomed and supported. To be aware that the intersectionality of Disability, Faith, and Racism has a corrosive effect on student’s well-being if there are no systems to combat them, especially If they institutionally embedded in the fabric of the institution. This reflects the actions and awareness in Sabah Choudrey document ‘Inclusivity-Supporting BAME Trans People’. (Choudry Sabah 2016) which highlights how to improve awareness of ethnic communities.
With inclusivity in mind, I will create an action list to investigate and explore these issues I will face when presenting this teaching method/tool to student groups.
My action
Create a safe environment for student to reveal their disabilities.
Create a list of questions to encourage open debate on disabilities, intersectionality, and inclusivity.
Record and observe how students use the teaching material.
Did the student understand the aims of the class and learning outcomes?
Do further research in how UAL supports students with disabilities, especially those students who suffer from anxiety and study work related stress.
Appendix
Additional information that I was unable to add to blog but want to show my thinking and influence in supporting ‘unseen’ disabilities.
I am strong believer in ‘object-based’ learning, and it is clear to me that by delivering my lessons through ‘doing, making and demonstration’ I can stimulate student discussion and creative imagination through the ‘doing and making’ process. This will reinforce the understanding of technical skills in the manipulation of material, the use of tools in construction. Sharing ideas within the student group, stimulate new ways of thinking and looking.
Through my journey on this PgCert course, and the wealth of reading material (the depth of readying can be overwhelming) and workshops I have attended, has revealed to me an element in the educational environment that we as teachers are not fully aware of and I am keen to explore and dear I say champion in how we can improve on some of the scenarios that some students face.
The ‘hidden disabilities’ that Chay Brown reveals through her experiences where, race, colour, gender intersects. Chay feels that her colour and race give her an advantage. As teachers, we must be ‘attuned’ to the ‘unseen’ disabilities and in some cases the advantages which can be a great challenge for us if the student does not make us aware of their supportive needs. Please find attached below paper cut out – Georgia Meacham-Metro news Paper, Thursday, May 9, 2024.
picture. 1
Additional feedback information on cube design, function and intersection from teaching colleagues, CSM technicians; to be used as data.
Feedback from Shani-Louise IPU Tutor
Michael treats the cube like an artifact there are several questions several things you have got to note:
Proportionality.
Communication
Knowledge
Realization
Reflective report
Can you enhance the cubes functionality/?
Can the intervention generate multiple artifacts i.e. can my cube be replicated repeatedly and again and again?
Independent reflection this is important Michael. Respond to the set themes disability, faith, racism,
These five headings must be within the blog make sure that all references are Harvard reference use the books journals they have suggested look at the reading for my artifact look at the bibliography to help my references create a messy document with all my references that is fine.
Feedback from Orientation session IPU
The cube is designed to help unseen disabilities – associate the word with the cube/image.
On one face of the cube; disability; second face of the cube: racism, third face faith, fourth gender.
Reference costume team meeting on the 27th of the 6th, 2024 PG- feedback the cube could be used as a health and safety tool with traffic lights headings. Use good graphics and QR codes as forms of communication to show information about disabilities.
UAL Education Conference 2024
I attend the UAL Education Conference 2024. Ideas in how to use large monitor screens to capture student’s experiences. Possibilities to find an app to combine with the cube to collect data in how students use the cube -to create visual information through graphic pictures, written headings. Can the cube be used to support autism and deafness? Can it be adapted to create a ‘visual language’ that is inclusive for all student diversities. Please refer to* references to see talks that I attended.
Feedback from theatre technical team
Comments from:
Michael Breakey, Luke Cunningham and Dimitrios Coumados
The cube can stimulate innovative ideas and ways of thinking; to touch your written thoughts to create new concepts in learning. Through ‘object-based learning’ – giving your ‘written’ thoughts and ideas to someone else; passing those ideas around the table group (students) interaction of ideas; manipulated and ‘taken apart’ and disassembling and reassembling the cube again. Intersecting disabilities as the cube goes through several trans configuration’s -intersections creating new ideas new ways of looking at a problem revealing to the student’s possibilities, creative interaction with fellow colleagues. Inclusivity is a key thing that the institutes and universities want us to encourage so that no student is left behind in their learning.
Incredible learning opportunities
Construction teaching
Construction learning
Object learning through construction.
Construction learning through object-based materials.
Complex ideas can be explained by using words written on the cube.
Encourages new ways of thinking… really?
Feedback from Theatre costume team
Verity Cleary and Florence Meredith
1 The encourages collaborative work.
2 A good tool to demonstrate risk assessment induction for staff and students.
3 Can cross all barriers and scenarios on difficult subjects??
5 Gives genders a voice.
6 express who they are, staff student and opportunity to be positive.
7 it’s a good tool.
9 Creates an ‘identity’ with a cube so that the unseen can be shown without putting pressure on the person to reveal themselves publicly.
Favourite quote from:
Kathleen M. Brown (2004) Leadership for Social Justice and Equity: Weaving a Transformative Framework and Pedagogy Educational Administration Quarterly Vol. 40, No. 1 (February 2004) 77-108
Awareness Through Critical Reflection
“Once a mind is expanded by a better idea it can never return to its original form” (Oliver Wendell Holmes).
References
Wong B (2020): Is race still relevant? student perceptions and experiences of racism in higher education-Reham Elmorally, Maggie Copsey-Blake, Ellie Highwood, and Joy Singarayer.
Cleary V (05 July 2024) Thinking through making: What kinds of learning take place when HE students engage with creative arts technicians?
https://doi.org/10.1386/adch-00087_1
Verity Cleary has asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work in the format that was submitted to Intellect Ltd.
Art, Design & Communication in Higer Education 2024 intellect Ltd Article English Language. https://doi.orgy/10.1386/adch_00087_1 Receieved 19 December 2023: Accepted 4 narch 2024; Published Online July 2024
‘What is autism?
Search for: Is autism a learning disability in NHS?
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Kimberle Crenshaw: What is Intersectionality?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc
946,575 views 22 Jun 2018
Search for: Is autism a learning disability in NHS?
Crenshaw, K (1991) Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics and Violence against Women of Color, Source: Stanford Law Review, , Jul, 1991, Vol. 43, No. 6 (Jul.1991). pp.1241-1299
Aziz, R (1997) Feminism and the challenge of racism: Deviance or difference? In Black British Feminism, ed. Mirza, H. S. London, Routledge, pp. 70-77.
Choudrey, S. (2016) Inclusivity-Supporting BAME Trans People [Online]. Gender Identity Research & Education Society, 14 February. Available from:
Orr, S, & Shreeve, A 2017, Art and Design Pedagogy in Higher Education: Knowledge, Values and Ambiguity in the Creative Curriculum, Taylor & Francis Group, Milton. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [1 January 2024] Created from ual on 2024-01-14:50:26
Willcocks, J & Mahon, K (2023) ‘in commerce the potential of online object-based learning activities to support the teaching of intersectional environmentalism in art and design in high education ’.’Art, Design & Communication in Higher Education’, (Volume 22) p. 187-207
Sam, C (2016) ‘How do art design technicians conceive of their role in higher education’ Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal Vol 1 / Issue 2 (2016) pp. 62-69
Willcocks, J & Mahon, K,-‘The potential of online object-based learning activities to support the teaching of intersectional environmentalism in art and design higher education’
Brown, C (2023) ‘Intersectionality in Focus: Empowering Voices during OK Disability History Month 2023’ (2023) web: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yID8_s5tjc
Choudrey, S. (2016) Inclusivity-Supporting BAME Trans People [Online]. Gender Identity Research & Education Society, 14 February. Available from:
Citation: Thomas, Cate. 2022. Overcoming Identity Threat: Using Persona Pedagogy in Intersectionality and Inclusion Training. Social Sciences 11: 249. https://doi.org/10.3390/ socsci11060249 Academic Editor: Nigel Parton Received: 25 March 2022 Accepted: 30 May 2022 Published: 2 June 2022
(Disability and Race Ade Adepitan (-2021) web: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAsxndpgagU
Christine Sun Kim in “Friends & Strangers” (2023) web: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpRaEDlLsI
Chay Brown Intersectionality in Focus: Empowering Voices during OK Disability History Month 2023 (2023) web: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yID8_s5tjc
Walmsley J (2001) Normalisation, Emancipatory Research and Inclusive Research in Learning Disability, Disability & Society, 16:2, 187-205, DOI: 10.1080/09687590120035807 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/09687590120035807
Brown M. K (2004) Leadership for Social Justice and Equity: Weaving a Transformative Framework and Pedagogy Educational Administration Quarterly Vol. 40, No. 1 (February 2004) 77-108
*UAL Education Conference 2024 Central Saint Martins
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