The development of A-RTL aims to specifically support UBC educators who wish to cultivate a teaching or facilitation practice that serves as a form of solidarity and is premised upon pedagogy in the areas of anti-racism, equity, and inclusion.
The beginning of Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning (A-RTL) programming stemmed from what was known as the “double pandemic” of COVID-19 and the continued systemic racism that culminated with the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Although we are well aware that racism has existed in time immemorial, the onset of these global crises led to the development of A-RTL with the hopes of cultivating educational practices that could contribute to localized change, starting with the UBC community. The development of A-RTL aims to specifically support UBC educators who wish to cultivate a teaching or facilitation practice that serves as a form of solidarity and is premised upon pedagogy in the areas of anti-racism, equity, and inclusion.
The program was originally named the Anti-Racist Teaching Series since it started with a series of 5 workshops, each focusing on a specific anti-racist topic:
- Identity Matters: Connecting Power, Privilege and Bias to Anti-Racism Work
- Anti-Racism and Solidarity in University Settings
- Unpacking Harmful Phrases and Behaviours
- Navigating Emotional Responses in the Classroom
- Exploring Complex Classroom Dynamics using Case Studies
Although the workshops were well-attended and contributed to UBC’s goal of increasing staff training and knowledge about anti-racism, the A-RTL planning team wanted to explore more impactful ways for UBC educators to engage in anti-racist education in an accountable, reciprocal, intentional, and sustainable way. This sparked the re-design of the Anti-Racist Teaching Series to become the Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning (A-RTL) initiative which has supported the team to embody a more integrated and iterative approach to anti-racist education. The intentional removal of “series” from this redesign also emphasizes that this anti-racism work extends beyond workshops and can exist in many different formats and spaces.
The release of UBC-wide strategic plans such as the Indigenous Strategic Plan, Inclusion Action Plan, UBC Strategic Plan (PDF), and Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence (ARIE) Task Force Report (PDF), have drawn attention to the need for elevating and deepening anti-racist and decolonial initiatives. A common theme and key priority identified in the ARIE Task Force 54 recommendations was a need for sustainable and accountable professional development and training for staff and faculty at both UBC campuses. The call to action to address deep-seated white supremacy and the need for anti-racist education that holds individuals accountable to committing to systemic change aligns with the vision of A-RTL and the program’s aim to provide learning opportunities for UBC educators that equips them with the knowledge, content, and context; experience and practice; and tools and techniques that are required to support intentional and sustainable change on an individual, learning environment, and institutional level. The A-RTL program also aims to support the ongoing work of campus partners who have been and continue to do this anti-racist work, by collaborating with these partners and elevating their endeavours where and when we can.
Knowledge, Content, Context
Experience & Practice
Tools & Techniques
Figure 2: A-RTL Areas of Focus
Purpose and Scope
Anti-Racist Teaching and Learning programming allows educators to cultivate teaching and facilitation practices that support anti-racist solidarity by providing them with anti-racist strategies, practical tools, pedagogies, research, and resources to embed within their educator roles. With the aim of creating equitable learning environments and caring classroom spaces where Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) learners can thrive, A-RTL helps staff and faculty foster a deeper understanding of anti-racism and anti-racist practices at an individual, learning environment, community, and institutional level. In order to bridge the gap between theory and practice, A-RTL encourages educators to explore beyond classroom management strategies by engaging in critical reflection, discussion, and activities to deepen their understanding of how anti-racism frameworks and pedagogies can be brought into their roles at UBC.
Institution
Learning Environment
Learners
Our Why
Figure 1: The A-RTL programming context
For more information about CTLT’s Anti-Racism Teaching & Learning Programming, please contact Shannon Robinson, Educational Consultant Anti-Racist Teaching & Learning.
