Don’t Divide Us—Education for Tolerance, Universalism and Equality
Teachers supporting Don’t Divide Us’s ethos have produced lesson content based on disciplinary subject knowledge that is compatible with liberal education. We hope the content, and the suggested pedagogy, of these lessons contribute to embodying in word and deed, the values of tolerance, universalism and equality. Making knowledge content central in our lessons helps the teacher create conditions for classroom conversations where pupils are encouraged to reflect on personal and societal views, and give and ask for reasons in a respectful manner. Such conversations are, we believe, crucial to help pupils develop their independent thinking and judgment and a respect for free inquiry.
These materials could be used as part of Black History Month or as part of the unofficial curriculum more generally. Each lesson is available as a downloadable powerpoint and offers content for 1-2 lessons and has information about KS and main teaching points/questions.
Coordinator and contributor Alka Sehgal Cuthbert. With many thanks to the following contributors: Louise Fahey (teacher), Adrian Hart (film-maker and youth-worker), Josephine Hussey (teacher), Mark McConnell (teacher).
Table of Contents
Lesson 1: The Battle Of Bamber Bridge
The Battle of Bamber Bridge, the story of white Lancastrians defending black US troops during the Second World War provides an opportunity to discuss the theme of racial prejudice and tolerance. Alka Sehgal-Cuthbert has created free teaching resources around this.
Lesson 2: Chandigarh: A City Both Modern and Traditional
Lesson 3 and Lesson 4: Only Human
Don’t Divide Us is delighted to present the updated Director’s Cut of Only Human, a film made by Adrian Hart in collaboration with Greenwich and Lewisham Young People’s Theatre and Essex County Council. The film is intended for KS2 lessons and considers difficult questions of race and racism through a liberal humanist lens. Mercifully jargon-free, Adrian’s thoughtful and sensitive exploration of issues through interviews with teachers and children allows voices to be heard that present a challenge to the idea that difference is the fundamental feature of people.
This is ideal teaching material for Black History Month.
The film is approximately 30 mins long and is organised into two lessons: one of approx 17mins and the second of 13mins.
Lesson 5: Frederick Douglass and Robert Burns
Frederick Douglass:-
“In a composite nation like ours, as before the law, there should be no rich, no poor, no high, no low, no white, no black, but common country, common citizenship, equal rights and a common destiny.”
Robert Burns:-
“To see Oursels as Others See us!”
Read more and download lesson material.
Lesson 6: Freedom and Hope: Lawrence and Lowry
Using two paintings from different artists, painted almost at the same time, we can consider how the artists chose to show people on the move locally, or nationally, in
order to work.
Read more and download lesson material.
Don’t Divide Us Reading List For Educators
The purpose of this reading list is to prompt further thought and discussion by providing readings related to questions of race from an alternative political or ideological viewpoint to that of Critical Race Theory.
Download the list as a Microsoft Word (docx) format document [449kB]
Download the list as a PDF [341kB]