Idea: break through the ethnic bubble of students with conversations
Pupils from the Corderius College, a Protestant Christian school in Amersfoort meet weekly to discuss discrimination. This ensures a connection between different ethnic groups.
Image: Angeliek de Jonge
It started two years ago when a clumping group of 'colored' students caused a nuisance in a narrow passage to the lockers. Sometimes they called after someone or someone was tackled. “People complained about that,” says counselor and music teacher Esther Ocheng. A girl asked if she could move a locker away.
Ocheng stepped towards it. 'Oh dear, trouble!', Imran (4 mavo) thought when he saw her coming: 'We had already been sent away from two other places.' Instead of lecturing the students from different departments and grades, Ocheng asked if she could have a break with them, which led to a discussion about discrimination: "Aren't you afraid of Moroccans?" Imran: "Madam did not reject us. She asked what it was like for us to be sent away all the time. That triggered something."
Are you not afraid of Moroccans?
Ocheng presented the documentary with a number of 'white' students White is also a color to watch. A documentary about the better social starting position of people with a white skin color. After a few days Imran came back to it himself when he saw his teacher in the hallway: "Madam, that with that documentary, are we going to do that?"
She planned the 'citizenship' lesson on a flex hour. After the film, the students talked to each other. In the beginning it was a bit difficult, say Elif (3 vwo) and Stella (3 havo). “It is already becoming more open now. You already know each other a little better. It's nice that you recognize each other in the hallway. ”
Prejudices
In the evaluation of the first meetings, the students wrote: "That you easily develop prejudices, but that they are by no means always true." And: "That a prejudice about one person can determine your opinion about a group."
The following year, more examples of discrimination came up. Esra, a girl of Moroccan descent, received a VMBO-BBL advice with a cito score of 538. Elif told how she was treated by the manager of a drugstore store. 'You're going to pay for everything you take with you, right? I am watching you.'
Tarmina (3 havo) said that her parents are discriminated against at work. Whether she was afraid that the same would happen to her, asked Anniek (3 MAVO). “The parents encourage her to get the highest possible diploma,” says Ocheng. “She understands that, but she does feel under pressure. Lecturers often do not know that there could be such a story behind it. ”
Out of your bubble
Also featured was Sait Cinar, the hateful vlogger who recently riddled a photo of Geert Wilders in front of the camera. Ocheng: "What was striking was that the white Dutchmen had never heard of him, while the rest all knew him."
The citizenship meetings, called 'Duo Penotti', took place both during and outside school hours. Preference is given to the former. “Otherwise you will over-question students. It is exciting enough for most to look beyond the boundaries of their ethnic 'bubble'. ”
It's like talking to friends
She notices from the interest that students want this. Seventy students and twenty teachers are now participating. The core group includes Semra Acifovic who teaches German. Semra is Muslim, Esther is Christian.
“We want to break through and connect the bubbles that we both represent. There is a need, but it does not happen automatically. These students would never have spoken to each other if we had not facilitated this. ”
Committed
Genuine interest is the basis. Plenty of subjects, such as the teacher who was threatened by a cartoon depicting an Islamist terrorist. What could the student have done differently instead of threatening his teacher? For Yinte (5 havo) it was violent to hear that peers are sometimes not allowed in public transport. “That the bus continues and you are not allowed in because of your appearance or origin. That comes in when you hear it up close. ”
Ocheng: “The involvement of Dutch peers amazed students of different backgrounds. And they are all surprised that they can talk so well with each other. ” Imran: "It's like talking to friends." Ocheng: “If you cannot live together, what good is a diploma? Our dot on the horizon is a 'new us' that everyone can join from recognition. ”
Mail Esther Ocheng if you want to learn more about this citizenship class: ochenge@corderius.nl
