Bennie Kara FCCT
@benniekara
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Mama • TF’03 • Speaker/Trainer/Consultant • Author ‘Diversity in Schools’ • @DiverseEd2020 Co-Founder - bookings below. 🏳️🌈 RLE Coach • she/her
Derby, England
Joined April 2009
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Today we became a family of four. Our adopted daughters moved in with us today, after two years of waiting and planning. Let the new adventures begin. We are now mums.
@emmaeswift
♥️
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A year ago today, two little girls visited our house for the first time. We adopted them and we have recently had our court order saying they are ours forever. How much change in a year?
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Seen on FB and now I feel emosh, so I’m taking you all down with me.
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I know there are lots of posters for BHM floating around, but I do love this one by Karen Hallion:
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I’ve seen this reading chair and it’s beautiful and too expensive and I don’t actually have anywhere to put it so now nothing will ever be right ever again.
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Maybe we could cancel the coronation day because that’s also disruptive to children’s education. I mean if you’re really set on maximising days in school, Gillian.
I am disappointed the NEU is taking action despite our continued engagement. I’ve written to teacher unions calling on them to ask their members to inform schools if they intend to go on strike (1/3)
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Schools don’t have to pander? Yes, that’s true. They don’t pander. They love, they care, they safeguard, they make comfortable, they check in, they validate and they behave like decent organisations for their students.
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As a teacher who constantly queried the use of ‘can I?’ with a smug ‘I don’t know, CAN you?’, I really wish a student would have replied with the response below 😆
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A toast to all the teachers who have done hours of duty this week, moved from classroom to classroom across the school site lugging trolleys and backpacks; a toast to everyone who took their shoes off today and saw their feet had worn down into nubbins. Happy Friday.
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I am an Asian woman. I am the child of first generation immigrants. My skin is brown. I live here. I work here to educate children, to teach them about English Literature. I was born here. I am English, Jean.
#davidlammy
#iamenglish
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I know the old ‘school has rules’ brigade will step in, and normally I’m one of them, but I CANNOT understand why we are policing black children’s hair. Or anyone’s hair to be honest. Tie it back in DT and Science and that should be it.
My child is banned from the school playground/canteen for her hair, its neatly braided in a natural colour, I gave them a lesson on the history of black womens hairs cultural significance of braiding, they chose violence,
@BishopChalloner
has a racist hair policy!!!
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Subject leaders, I’ve been working on ways to evaluate Schemes of Work (especially when trying to update them) and have written thisQA framework. More to be added, and certainly not a tick box, but it’s a useful starting point for discussion.
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Can we stationery-lovers take a moment to mourn the loss of Paperchase?
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If you build it, they (crazy cat lady book hoarders) will come. Thank you St Pancras. It’s never too early for a book Christmas tree.
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I hope you found my Diversity in the Curriculum Padlets useful. Now you can find them all in one place here:
The images are clickable on the PDF
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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I’m proposing 30 mins reading to the class time at the end of each day with all books paid for by the government and then given to the kids to keep.
#30mins
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I’ve started to collate resources for promoting diverse content in different subjects. The first one is Maths:
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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This is a headteacher. This is beautiful.
The statement by the headteacher of Brianna Ghey whose twitter I will not be linking so as to delay the time before it is descended upon by the cult o9f rabid transpohobes that infest this place.
It's beautiful and it changes what we were told by the transphobic press about her-
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I’ve probably missed some big summer Edutwitter bingo moments, but this might come in handy in the next six weeks.
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EXCITING NEWS KLAXON. I wrote a tiny book about diversity in schools. I’ve just signed a contract to write a big book - and this time it is on creating a knowledge rich diverse curriculum. This baby is due in Feb 22. I am thrilled! Thank you
@SAGEeducation
!
@DiverseEd2020
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If it is so easy to overturn women’s rights there, it’s going to be easy here too. That’s why it should matter to us. Women everywhere have to raise their voices. I’m not shocked. I’m appalled and sad and angry.
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I’ve been in hospital since Monday with pneumonia. Still not sure if it’s
#coronavirus
related. What I do know is this. 1/ I have been tested, monitored, observed, questioned and cared for by a veritable army of nurses.
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Brilliant thread 👇🏽👇🏽 I’m now headed to my ancestral lands (Leicester) to have a traditional meal (Nando’s) with my family in celebration of Raksha Bandhan.
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I got to 10k followers today which feels more significant than it should. Women of colour find it much harder to have their voices heard. But believe me when I say, we have a lot to share. I appreciate the follows, the amplification and the allyship. 😘
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So, just a little excited here. My book published by
@SAGEeducation
is available for pre-order here. It covers so much of my thoughts on diversity in schools!
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Twitter buddies. I did this and it has made me so happy. Bespoke shelves and books finally out on display.
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It’s our 1st anniversary today. I still think she’s awesome. Happy anniversary
@emmaeswift
xx
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I’m interviewing an English candidate later today, dressed as Bellatrix Lestrange. The panel will be made up of Dolores Umbridge, me and Professor McGonagall. 😳
@HeyMrsClark
@TheHopefulHT
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Love this poster - all schools should have a version of this up for the boys. Via
@GottmanInst
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Just finished putting together a collection of resources to help decolonise and diversify science. Hope this Padlet serves as a starting point. More to follow as I find resources.
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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Ugh. Just because Rosa Parks and Mary Seacole are mentioned in the primary national curriculum does not mean the curriculum is diverse!
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Just going over my CPD plans for next year and I’m so proud of the offer we have
@BemroseSchool
- Masterclasses by strand, in house experts, mapped against ECF for our new starters.
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It’s amazing how the govt were obsessing over the widening of the disadvantage gap when bleating about ‘reopening of schools’ and now are happy to reinforce, consolidate and entrench disadvantage through cocking up grading systems this year.
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A-Level results are more than just a piece of paper. For some students they represent a legit chance to leave home - to go to university, to live *somewhere else*. Especially life changing for LGBTQ+ students and those with difficult family lives. We see you xx
#ALevelResults
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Went into work to finish some bits before Monday and found this left on my desk from a student. Made me weepy. Bless him. Makes it all worthwhile.
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Lovely way to end the day! Actual copies of my book and an unexpected bottle of champers from my person.
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Pride Club
@BemroseSchool
helped to make this guide for teachers on how to be LGBTQ+ allies - such little stars! 🏳️🌈
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Bennie Kara's Book Launch
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Beyond blown away at
@Tate
Modern today seeing this exhibit by
@SHONIBARESTUDIO
- 6000 books bound in beautiful fabric with the names of first and second generation immigrants AND those who opposed immigration.
#art
#modernart
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English is my subject so this was much harder to put together! A Padlet on diversifying and decolonising English Literature. All suggestions welcome!
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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Twitter, can I just say again how much I love Christmas? My house is now wearing its Christmas outfit.
#joyful
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It’s cold, I still have to go to work for another two days but I have decorated my front door for Christmas now, so that must mean I’m getting a break soon. Same as last year but fills me with absolute joy to come home to.
#Christmas
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Shout out to the teachers with colds, as you take tests and stay at home til the PCR test comes in. Shout out to the staff at home with their kids who are poorly. Shout out the teachers with Covid battling through. Shout out to those having vaccines and feeling rubbish. 1/
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Getting more and more upset by the Diversity kerfuffle. It’s a horrible reminder of how racism works. Black or Asian performers, reporters, actors are ‘accepted’ and even admired until they open their mouths to hold an opinion of their own. To be liked, they have to be mute.
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I live in a household where I taught my partner about the difference between less and fewer. Now if I ever get it wrong, she roars with delight. I have created a monster.
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If we teach BAME history solely through the medium of civil rights, we still have a one dimensional narrative, that of the disobedient ‘other’. It needs fleshing out, with an eye for nuance and an absolute awareness of the narrative of cultural connections.
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Did I miss the memo that if you have short hair as a woman then you have to use different pronouns? What kind of feminism is this?
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This year I took on the challenge of learning how to be a timetabler. I would never have said “I am someone who likes timetabling.” Today I saw a nearly finished timetable for next year that works. I had to sit back and marvel at the fact that I DID THAT.
#mybaby
#newtimetabler
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I have discovered that painting stones is the perfect recovery activity. My hands are busy but my mind and body are at rest. Go me!
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GlueGun Gate continues to haunt me. That poor woman. We can’t win. I can’t help but think about how many contradictions there are for teachers - THREAD
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You can dislike the history and actions of the monarchy historically and in the present, and still mourn the loss of a remarkable woman. There will be a time to unpick, or to criticise or to analyse. Now is not that time.
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The Leicester lockdown is really difficult to hear about, especially since I was born in Leicester as part of the East-African Asian community, and my family still live there. Thread to unravel my thoughts. 👇🏼
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2/ I forget that families don’t often see women of colour in leadership roles in my local area. I’m proud to represent and to show that my school is diverse and inclusive. And I’m proud to be a role model for my students.
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Seating plans. Except schoolchildren are easier to arrange. Wedding guests not so much.
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Barring any disasters, I will be speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row tomorrow night at 7pm on the English Literature texts and diversity. No heckling folks!
@BBCRadio4
#diversity
#education
#teamenglish
😱
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Feeling more than a little sad at the passing of Prince Phillip. When all is said and done, he was by the Queen’s side for 73 years. I can’t imagine what that loss feels like.
#PrincePhilip
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Give us PPE. Screens around desks. Temperature checks at the door. Temporary classrooms to spread students out. More duty staff so breaks and lunches can be staggered. Wider corridors. Bigger classrooms. Money for more cleaning staff to wipe every thing down. No?
Monday's Times: "Teachers spread virus more than their pupils"
#BBCPapers
#TomorrowsPapersToday
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😍😍😍 apologies for the Kamala spam, I can’t help it.
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The nursery I send the girls to have focus weeks that give us updates on their play, socialising, creativity etc. they sent us an update that said our eldest made pictures of her mama, mummy, her sister and herself and called it her family.
#adoption
🥰🥰🥰
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1/ First face to face parents’ evening. Talked to a south Asian family who, when we finished talking, spent a little too long looking at my name and job title. You’re the deputy head of the whole school, they asked. Yes, I said. They looked at me again, as if impressed.
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Found this on FB. Wanted to share it as legit advice on how to fascinate a woman.
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For everyone who requested access to the global literature guide posters I designed, you can now find them here for free ink PDF form!
Cinderella:
The Epic Hero:
The Trickster:
#teamenglish
#diversity
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Shakespeare knew about Twitter. Happy William St Shakespeare George’s Day.
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Pleased to say that my Diversity in the Curriculum Toolkit on the Diverse Educators website is now live. It’s a resource bank - will be updated regularly if new things crop up. By no means exhaustive!
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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Really pleased and proud to announce that I’ve been working as a specialist adviser with
@bbcbitesize
- brilliant discussions about texts. So excited that organisations that work with teachers across the UK are working with BAME teachers to explore how to create diverse content.
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A whole list of literary periodic tables - including one on world literature!
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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This is a difficult thread to write. I have been working on diversity in the curriculum for years now. I have immersed myself in the field. I have listened to all voices. It is becoming increasingly problematic how many times in the last few weeks I have faced vocal antipathy/
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Saw this elsewhere - true for adults and children alike.
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My sales report came through for the little green book. 2500 copies sold in the last year. That’s 500 MORE than the year before. Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy. The royalties are small but my heart is bigger now! ♥️♥️
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If somebody had told me that I had to do Maths A-Level, I may not have done A-Levels. Are they deliberately trying to reduce the number of post-16 scholars?
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Mum has a whole suitcase full of old photos. I volunteered to sort it. What do I find first? Me as a tiny person.
#vintage
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This 15 mins is gonna feel even longer than the last fifteen minutes of Period 5 on a Friday. Even longer than break duty in the rain.
#ENGDEN
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Oh dear. I’ve just seen this. Teachers prioritised children not starving over remote learning for all. It’s twaddle. Schools provided food parcels and remote learning. How about a well done guys, that must have been tough?
#Ofsted
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It’s still November. It’s been November for five years. I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t November.
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Look at what
@Tate
Britain did! This is a Diwali celebration by Chila Kumari Singh Burman has transformed Tate Britain's iconic facade.
Chila’s tribute to her Punjabi and English heritage is a great way to mark Diwali's celebration of light over darkness.
#tatebritain
#Diwali
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So, finally in a position to say I’ve signed my contract with
@SAGEPublishers
to write a book on diversity in the curriculum. Really looking forward to working with them and sharing the end product with you!
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Calling all PE teachers! Want to know how to diversify and decolonise the PE curriculum? I’ve collated a Padlet of resources for you. Any suggestions welcome!
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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Pleased to have collaborated with
@mrs_darl
to curate a set of resources to decolonise and diversify art, music and DT. We will add more as we find more! Padlet here:
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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I am taking a huge step in setting up an LGBT+ support group for young people at my school. Feels like a moment. Fortunately I have allies in the staff body who are more than willing to support.
#Pride2021
#diverseEd
@DiverseEd2020
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When I go back to school, I categorically do not want someone to ask me ‘what colour is your heart today?’instead of ‘how was your holiday?’ I just want to tell you it wasn’t bad, thanks… could have been longer, you know…
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I think I died and went to heaven and there were books.
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Saw this shared on FB. Too joyous not to share with you.
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A rather disappointing tweet led me to an account that is followed by quite a few teachers who follow me. A selection of screenshots to demonstrate why I would rather you unfollow me if you stand with this kind of tweeting.
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First Jameela Jamil, then Meghan Markle and now Naomi Osaka. I just can’t put my finger on the reason why Piers Morgan doesn’t like these women...
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For the word lovers - this was posted as part of Roma Holocaust commemorations last week - shows the connection between Sanskrit, Romani and Western European languages. Love talking to my Roma student about this! Via Starkey Comics.
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Books to Change the World: 6th May 2021
Accessible and engaging, ‘Why I am a Hindu’ by Shashi Tharoor is a good first intro to some of the tenets of the religion.
@DiverseEd2020
#DiverseEd
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For those of you unfamiliar with the work of J*rdan P*terson, a thread. Start here:
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