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Lesson ideas

Inner-city youth define racism

Students question, challenge and evaluate cultural assumptions which contribute to racism. Students analyse the interaction of the wider Australian community with minority groups.

Turn it Up on Anti-Racism is an anti-racism radio show written by a group of young people from the inner city Sydney suburbs of Waterloo, Alexandria and Redfern. The original material was created, and the radio show produced in 1999, as part of a series of workshops by youth workers from South Sydney Youth Services and staff and students from the former Cleveland St High School. The year 9 and 10 students were from diverse backgrounds, with a high proportion of Aboriginal and Pacific Islander students.
This lesson explores the way a group of inner-city students define racism. The rap song The Branches of Racism expresses how being victims of racism makes them feel. The words for the rap song were inspired by the brainstorms that were part of the series of workshops. The activities suggested are to replicate those brainstorms after listening to the stimulus material. Once the class has created its own brainstorms the definitions given by the Cleveland Street students are listened to, compared and discussed. The class could then embark on their own project to counter racism.

1. Listen to the introduction to the radio show, Turn it up on Anti-racism:Track 1 and the rap song, Turn it up on Anti-racism: Track 4.
2. Give students about 5 minutes each to discuss (in pairs) the meaning of racism, especially in relation to what it is, its roots and branches and any experiences of racism the students may have had.
3. Draw an outline of a tree, large enough to write some 20 words in the branches part and the roots part of the outline. Write the word RACISM in the middle of the trunk of the tree, and invite the class to reflect on how it manifests.
4. Brainstorm the way racism manifests. Students call out words and a scribe writes the words in the branches of the tree.
5. Brainstorm the roots of racism, what causes racism to manifest.Students again call out words which a scribe writes on the roots of the tree. 6. Repeat the brainstorm for a second tree with the words COUNTERING RACISM written on the trunk.
7. Discuss the two brainstorms as a class, with an opportunity for students or the teacher to ask each other for clarification on words they put forward.
8. Listen to Track 2 or download Transcript Track 2 and consider the definitions of racism given by the students on the CD and compare with the ones developed by the class brainstorm.
9. In another session or for homework write a short essay or speech on your views of racism and how it relates to the class's view and the views of the students on the radio show CD.

1. Design a project (in small groups) to counter racism.

2. Write a play showing a racist situation that students have observed, experienced or read about.

3. Design a questionnaire to find out the views of other students in the school or members of your family on the issue of racism.
Consider questions like: What do you understand by the word racism? What are your views of racism? Is this an important issue in Australia today? Have you ever experienced racism? If so, what happened? What needs to be done about racism?

4. Research the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission web site page on Racial Discrimination and consider what are the issues that are currently being presented.

5. Consider the lesson on the Racial Discrimination Act

Turn it Up on Anti-Racism was produced by South Sydney Youth Services in conjunction with the former Cleveland St High School (now Alexandria Park Community School) as part of a DIMIA, Living in Harmony Project.

HEALEY, Justin,(ed), Issues in society: Racism in Australia, The Spinney Press 2003, Rozelle, NSW

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission