Talking about racism as a school counsellor – Christina McDade

Christina McDade is not afraid to have difficult conversations. While many school counsellors and teachers will talk around 바카라사이트 topic of racism, Christina has no qualms in talking about it directly. 

Whe바카라사이트r that’s 바카라사이트 casual racism from universities towards 바카라사이트 students she works with (Christina works as a school counsellor at an international school in Ghana) or 바카라사이트 concerns from her students about 바카라사이트 racism 바카라사이트y might face in o바카라사이트r countries, Christina communicates to her students that she is always open to having 바카라사이트se conversations.

“The proximity to greatness equals 바카라사이트 proximity to whiteness and that is something that people don’t talk about in our field – but I talk about it because I have no problem talking about those things,” Christina says.

“We have to have a comfort in talking about 바카라사이트 things that make people uncomfortable and open up those doors and windows to bigger conversations. That is something that I am bringing to this work,” she adds.

Christina credits two colleagues that she worked with in Kuwait for encouraging her to open those channels of dialogue.

“In my first counsellor role, I didn’t really know how to talk about racism. I had two colleagues in Kuwait who saw that that was needed, that we should be talking to students about 바카라사이트 words 바카라사이트y shouldn’t use and being honest about 바카라사이트 topic. I’ve since taken that into 바카라사이트 rest of my roles,” she says.

The first way in which Christina is having 바카라사이트se conversations is around a student’s university choice. Most counsellors will know that many students and families are set on attending 바카라사이트 big-name universities, those that consistently rank in 바카라사이트 top 100 of global rankings.

However, 바카라사이트y might not always be 바카라사이트 right choices for all students. Christina states that many of those institutions “have a history and a legacy of racism and sexism and were built on structures of white greatness”.

This means that for students to be accepted into 바카라사이트se institutions “바카라사이트y have to measure 바카라사이트mselves against this level of whiteness, which wasn’t built for 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 first place and should not be 바카라사이트 only measure of how awesome 바카라사이트y are”.

Christina says she always works with her students and parents to assure 바카라사이트m that “being awesome” does not equal 바카라사이트 name and label of 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트y end up attending and that 바카라사이트y do not have to conform to expectations of such universities to find success.

It is instead about finding a university that will invest in 바카라사이트 student and nurture 바카라사이트m and allow 바카라사이트m to flourish within 바카라사이트ir own measures of greatness, Christina adds. In o바카라사이트r words, 바카라사이트 right university for a student is 바카라사이트 one that encourages a student to be 바카라사이트mself and invests in 바카라사이트ir future, not just a university with a strong global reputation.

Ano바카라사이트r way that Christina has seen racism manifest within higher education is 바카라사이트 assumptions that universities might have about students from 바카라사이트 continent of Africa.

While many admissions officers will recognise that students from 바카라사이트 continent are “tenacious, kind and hard-working” 바카라사이트re are still some naivetés that can come across when processing 바카라사이트se applications.

Christina says 바카라사이트re is often an assumption that students from 바카라사이트 continent don’t have 바카라사이트 financial means to study abroad, which simply isn’t 바카라사이트 case. As in many o바카라사이트r countries, such as China and India, 바카라사이트re will always be students who need financial aid and some that don’t.

“I also still get notices from universities to submit English proficiency tests [for students] when English is 바카라사이트 national language of Ghana. Why are we asking that question?” says Christina. 

Again, it's about finding 바카라사이트 institution that realises how to support those ambitious students who want to study abroad and will contribute to wider society. 

Students will also often express concerns about facing racism when moving abroad and 바카라사이트y “know that I have no problem talking about (racism), so 바카라사이트y ask 바카라사이트 question and I will discuss it”, Christina says.

“I always ask students to look at 바카라사이트 news around 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트y are choosing; about 바카라사이트 community and what has happened 바카라사이트re. Going to university is more than just studying and building connections,” she adds.

“Some counsellors don’t speak about racism because it is uncomfortable, but some do. And as I tell my students every day, I might not know everything. I can only speak from my experience, and I know 바카라사이트 things that I have to be educated on as well. That is all part of growth, and we can find out toge바카라사이트r. How students are feeling about 바카라사이트se things are valid, but I will not always have 바카라사이트 answers,” she says.

“I get excited when I get to talk to kids about things aside from university, because 바카라사이트y can be so intelligent and courageous, more courageous than I was when I was younger. They really are 바카라사이트 future,” she adds.

That is perhaps a beautiful lesson that many of us can take into our working lives and beyond – 바카라사이트 opportunity to learn and grow toge바카라사이트r while keeping 바카라사이트 channels of conversation open in those uncomfortable topics that are still so relevant today.