It Takes a Village to Help a Black Child Succeed in the Classroom

Episode Summary

In this episode, Grace Oyerinde and Sandra Sinclair talk about the Accoutre Centre for Learning in London and how it brings children from the black community together to elevate their skills and their understanding of who they are as children of color in Britain.

Highlights

·       George Floyd was the catalyst for the school. 

·       Accoutre means “To provide with equipment or dress, especially in a military setting.” 

Accoutre’s aim and ambition are to clothe young black people with the skills that they need in order to be successful citizens in life.

·       Accoutre Centre is a non-profit.

·       The Centre started in May 2020.

·       Sandra sees children/students that are unprepared for education and employment. 

·       Grace sees something that happens in the primary school system that she calls unconscious bias that takes students, particularly boys, and labels them as troublemakers.

·       Black students are not encouraged to take the opportunities for professional careers. And the bias in the system also has them behind so the idea of becoming something exceptional is difficult to see.

·       Accoutre believes that black British people have contributed much in making Britain what it is today but their stories are often not told.

·       Accoutre deliberately targets teachers that are compassionate, encouraging, and positive.

·       Launched in August with 8 children but now have over 60 students.

·       Black History course is fundamental and required. At Accoutre, they focus on the history of the wider Black British community. They explore the diverse social and political histories of the Black British diaspora and wider connected histories to the Caribbean and Africa

·       Monuments that represent a history of racism should not be destroyed. They should be removed and placed in a proper place where history is recognized and not lost.

·       White people actually want change also and they want everyone to move forward together.

Meet Grace and Sandra

Grace Oyerinde is the founder and CEO of Accoutre Centre for Learning. A school for children between 6 and 16 years of age. Grace is a finance director and an accounting consultant and has over 30 years of experience in finance.  Wife and mother with 3 children and resides in London, England.

Sandra Sinclair a lecturer in English at South Thames College. She is a graduate in Youth Community Social Work and Education Studies. Sandra is the Secretary of Accoutre Centre for Learning as well as one of its teachers. Sandra is married with 2 children and she also resides in London, England.