Staff Training to Raise Awareness of Unconscious Bias

Staff Training to Raise Awareness of Unconscious Bias


Jeremy Turner
Jeremy Turner
Staff Training to Raise Awareness of...
Last week Deputy Headteacher Ms de Groot led an informative and thought-provoking staff training soundbite session covering the hugely important topic of unconscious bias.
She reminded all staff that how a person thinks can depend on their life experiences. She explained that sometimes people have beliefs and views about other people that might not be right or reasonable and that this is known as ‘unconscious bias’. Her training covered the important fact that unconscious bias includes when a person thinks:
  • better of someone because they believe they’re alike
  • less of someone because that person is different to them, for example, they might be of a different race, religion or age

She reminded us that this means someone could make a decision that is influenced by false beliefs or assumptions and that everyone can think in a way that involves unconscious bias at some point.

Her training reinforced the understanding that it’s important to be aware that bias could be affecting our behaviour or decisions. She also provided some good tips to manage this in the classroom and in our daily lives to mitigate any negative effects on others around us.

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