Repeated 7 October at 10am
An evening that combines tribute to Beryl Gilroy and a celebration of the republication of her classic memoir Black Teacher.
Beryl Gilroy's memoir which was first published in 1976 and has been out of print for many years recounts her experiences as a young teacher who left British Guiana to study in London in 1952, only to be faced with a racist post-war society. Gilroy nevertheless forged a revolutionary career as one of Britain's first Black headteachers.
The evening features Darla-Jane Gilroy, Yansé Cooper and Hannah Lowe (Chair) who will read from Gilroy's work and talk about her impact and legacy. The panel, which includes one former high school teacher (Lowe) and a teacher who advocates for equal representation of BAME leaders in education, will also share insights on changes in education and teaching practice over the years. This includes progressive approaches to child-centred learning that were pioneered by Beryl Gilroy, who wrote “The pace, the temperature and the pulse of the classroom had to suit each child,” and “I turned to art and drama to help them towards an awareness of alternatives and to set new boundaries of their thinking.”
The evening culminates in a short talk and performance from writer and playwright John Agard whose poems have been studied and appreciated by GCSE students for decades.
The event is presented as a Renaissance One and Faber partnership. This event is part of THIS IS WHO WE ARE, a project by and for women of colour as part of the British Council's UK-Australia Season 2021-2022.
Photo credit: the Beryl Gilroy Estate
Bios
Darla-Jane Gilroy is a Reader in Knowledge Exchange and Programme Director in the School of Design Technology at London College of Fashion. A former fashion student at Central Saint Martins, she went on to build a successful fashion label and to forge a career spanning design, strategic and brand consultancy, cultural analysis and education. She has contributed to fashion exhibitions at the V&A, participated in the ICA’s Talking Clothes fashion seminars and been a keynote speaker at the Louise Blouin Foundation. She is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman to The Worshipful Company of Curriers.
Yansé Cooper has taught across London primary and secondary schools since 2010 and has been working as an Initial Teacher Educator since 2016. She sits on several advisory boards and committees, including the Shadow Heroes board of advisors, Amos Bursary and Music Masters, and advocates for the equal representation of BAME leaders in education. She is currently a school leader in London, with responsibility for Languages department and the school's early career teachers.
Hannah Lowe is a poet, memoirist and an academic who lectures in Creative Writing at Brunel University. Her first poetry collection Chick won the Michael Murphy Memorial Award for Best First Collection. In 2014, she was named as one of 20 Next Generation poets. Her family memoir Long Time, No See featured as Radio 4’s Book of the Week. Her second collection, Chan, was published by Bloodaxe in 2016, and her third full poetry collection, The Kids, will be published in September 2021.
John Agard is a popular poet and playwright who writes books for children and adults. He has won numerous prizes and awards and is a recipient of the prestigious Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. Many students study his poems for their GCSE qualification and his poetry books for younger readers are enjoyed by primary schools and families. He has travelled to festivals around the world to perform his poetry. He is a former Writer in Residence at the Southbank Centre, and he was the first Poet in Residence at the BBC.
