Another Look at the Africentric School

and Curriculum-Vibes from the Diaspora Youth Conference 2008 at the University of Windsor.

From Joe Kingsley Eyiah, Windsor-Ontario, Canada

A 2-Day Teachers’ Workshop was run simultaneously with the African Diaspora Conference held at the University of Windsor in Canada from May 11 to May 13, 2008. About 200 students and 50 teachers from Toronto, Windsor and Detroit-Michigan were in attendance. It was during this conference cum teachers’ conference that the proposed Black Focus School for Toronto came under another searchlight. Professors and advocates explained their position convincingly on the proposed school. Teachers listened to a panel of students on the need for Black role models in education. Students presented skits throwing more light on the benefits of Black Focus School.

The conference/workshop began with a visit to the Charles A. Wright Museum in Detroit, Michigan where participants were taken through the chilling story of slavery recaptured from the slave ship that docked at the coasts of West Africa. The conference also ended with a visit to Buxton National Historic Site and Museum, where the first Black slaves who escaped from USA in the 1800s settled in Ontario-Canada (see pictures attached to story). The experience was phenomenal!

During the introductory session Drs. Finney Cherian and Andrew Allen of the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor walked teachers through their role of working with students of the African Diaspora. Dr. Cecil Houston, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Windsor who initiated the Diaspora Youth Conference 3 years ago gave an overview and history of the Diaspora Conference. Then came the electrifying speaker, Dr. Richard Douglass-Chin of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences who expounded on the rationale for a Diaspora curriculum using the social issues and Themes students have raised in past Diaspora presentations (skits). He cited five areas: 1. Treatment by police and school system. 2. The ‘gangsterization’ of young men of African descent. 3. Misogyny and maltreatment of young women of African descent. 4. Societal assumption of criminality. 5. Perceived as non-achievers, low expectations-expected them to be stupid or stage Blacks, jocks, rappers, and so on. He questioned how teachers could help students to understand that Black Canadians have succeeded in more than the stereotypical models of sports and entertainment. And, where can teachers find stories and resources to make classroom programs more representative of a diverse range of people of African heritage?

The keynote speaker at the conference/workshop was Dave Watkins, a veteran teacher and motivational speaker cum youth organizer from Toronto. He is a strong advocate for the Black Focus School. He dwelt on history as the facts of the past, the present and the future to make a strong argument for the proposed Black Focus School. “Let’s look at who/where we are now as African Diasporas and question what has changed so that we can deconstruct the present to take back our pride, identity and values as people of African heritage”, he vehemently urged all people of African descent. A panel of 5 university students presented to educators present at the function what they want from teachers, administrators, the curriculum and schools. The panel included a Ghanaian, Ellen Nyarko, a business student at the University of Windsor.