‘They do not relate to Black people like us’: Black teachers as role models for Black pupils

Abstract

Growing concerns about the experience and achievement of Black pupils (especially Black males) underpin calls for more Black people to serve as teacher and lay mentor role models in schools. Calls for increased numbers of Black teacher role models assume firstly, that Black teachers regard themselves as role models and want to perform such a role in school. Secondly, that Black pupils will automatically see Black teachers as role models for Black pupils and make a connection between the behaviour modelled by Black teachers and their own behaviour, aspirations or achievement. Thirdly, that Black teachers are the most appropriate role models for Black pupils. This article draws on empirical data to explore these assumptions and to illustrate the ways in which they are flawed.

Keywords:

• role model
• role theory
• Black teachers
• Black pupils

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions to the research made by the project team: Professor Alistair Ross, Dr Nicola Rollock and Katya Williams at the Institute for Policy Studies in Education at London Metropolitan University.

I am particularly grateful to Professor Becky Francis and this Journal’s anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions for this article.

Notes

1. Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is the UK government department responsible for English education policy. DCSF was formerly known as the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

2. REACH (2007) is an independent report to the government on raising the aspirations and attainment of Black boys and young men.