09 Nov Celebrating Black history month
This October marked our 2nd annual Black History month celebrations at Noor Ul Islam Pre-School. Black history month helps us to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people across the world, and puts the spotlight on Black history, heritage, tradition and culture. Given the current climate, the need for this celebration and the introduction of this into the pre-school curriculum was an easy and clear decision to make.
Though celebrating similarities, differences and cultures is an integral part of every day life in the Pre-school, it is essential that those who have so often been denied a voice get a chance to share and express their experiences.
The aim of the early year’s curriculum is to help children to think about diversity in their community and encourage them to question representations and their own aspirations for the future. As Dr Ger Graus OBE states:
“Children can only aspire to what they know exists.”
Our children’s every interaction and early experiences – including the endless hours spent on the tablets – shape what they imagine to be possible for people who look like them, live where they live, or come from where they came from.
Children determine what they can be based on the examples around them. Seeing a character that looks like you may be a luxury for some but having these images in a book, film or on television can have enormous and everlasting impact on a young child.
Last year, alongside some exciting crafts, food and games from different cultures, the children were excited to learn about the history of Bilal (RA) and were fortunate enough to get a visit from our imam who performed the adhaan. We also had mothers come in and share videos, pictures, and read stories from Black cultures.
This year the children explored clay work, different cultural prints, jewellery, even hairstyles!
Needless to say the celebrations at the pre-school were a huge success and I want to thank the parents, teachers and staff who enabled my aspiration to make this Black History curriculum a reality yet again this year.
Fauzana Haque
Assistant Manager, Noor Ul Islam Pre-school
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The Prophet (Pbuh) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small.