This lesson introduces students to John Agard’s poem, Checking Out Me History while also addressing deeper social issues. These include Eurocentrism and potential gaps in the education system.
By the end of the lesson, students should think about the wider world and things they don’t know about. They should also have the freedom to consider both Agard’s and their own identity.
Does Agard have a point? You may be surprised at how many students leap to the defence of the English education system. But at least they will have thought about what school is like for children born to a non-Western culture.
What is Checking Out Me History about?
The British-Guyanese poet John Agard wrote the poem Checking Out Me History. It explores themes of identity, history, and the power dynamics inherent in historical narratives.
The poem focuses on the speaker’s desire to learn about their own history and heritage. This has been overlooked or marginalised in traditional historical accounts.
Why teach this?
Students are constantly told that what happens in school is done with their very best interests at heart. While this is true the majority of the time, this lesson about Checking Out Me History provides an alternative viewpoint. Sometimes, education doesn’t provide you with what you need.
It also poses the question, exactly why do we learn what we do, when there is so much else out there?
Key curriculum links
Pupils will:
- Understand the significance and impact of writing in dialect for both reader and writer
- Evaluate the organisation of writing
- Justify their own point of view through discussion
Emily Ireland is an English and criminology teacher at Philip Morant School in Colchester, Essex.
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