I am a white, cis, heterosexual male with no physical disabilities; however, this process has definitely highlighted I more than likely have characteristics of neurodiversity. Throughout the course I have found it hard to organise my time, follow instructions and finish any of the tasks set – perfectly in line with the NHS ADHD guidelines (NHS, 2025). Similarly coming from a background of unpredictable socio-economic status has also had an effect on my submission. I will be honest I am writing this report with 2 days left to go as taking on paid freelance work has had to take a priority due to the precarious nature of my finances.
However, something that’s come to my attention in the reading is how the concept of ‘racelessness’ (Le Bourdon, 2022) is definitely ‘how my whiteness showed up’ (Le Bourdon, 2022). For better or worse, it has outlined the privilege I have due to the majority of my positionality characteristics. I definitely came into this process believing my creative knowledge and experience was the bulk of what I needed to consider as an educator but this made me realize the ignorance in that approach. Recognizing I can choose things I believe are most important about my identity has illustrated how I’ve really not considered my positionality and privilege adequately up until now.
I believe these realisations have been key in addressing flaws in my teaching practice. As a practitioner and as an educator creating lessons and outcomes influenced from a diverse background isn’t something I have ever seen as a challenge. For me the broader the reference base the more interesting the end result. Although I am careful to navigate my own and students work in a way that avoids cultural appropriation, having discussions about positionality in relation to practitioners and artworks from different backgrounds isn’t something I speak on enough. So, I identified a workshop I’ve delivered in a number of different contexts that could do with a rework (here). I believe it already has the bones of a well-informed activity highlighting diverse practices. However, having read Anne Schiffer’s essay around positionality (Schiffer, A. 2020). I realised this could be an exercise in that as well. It also ties in nicely with the excellent Shen and Sanders essay about the importance of a social practice for students (Shen and Sanders, 2023).
For context I am 0.6 permanent year 1 lecturer on Illustration at Camberwell. It is also worth mentioning the course itself is undergoing a number of changes that has made planning for this submission tricky. The activation of my intervention at this stage isn’t 100% guaranteed as I don’t have an indication if the workshop will still be taking place in the same way it has previously. Unfortunately, concrete planning for the year ahead isn’t yet in place at the time of writing this report. Previously it took place as part of a poster project on unit 2. Intended more as an illustration of quick idea generation, the original workshop took place over one afternoon. Ideally the new version would be extended over a full day – as a result, timings are approximate or omitted on the revised pdf. Also, there would be room for class conversation throughout I haven’t detailed within the slides. This scaffolded approach hopefully addresses the potential risk of the workshop taking place over an unspecified time. Additionally, if the session can’t be used in its original context, I can perceive it still having benefit as a stand-alone session elsewhere. Part of my role is being a ‘transition’ tutor between years so introducing this as a cross-year session could help spark relationships at another point.
The premise of the original workshop was students are invited to reflect on things that matter to them individually, then collaborate in small groups to create posters with a combined list of actions to aid their collective concerns. The references shared are the Black Panther ten-point programme (Teaching American History, n.d.) through the lens of Emory Douglas (San Francisco Public Library, 2017), A White Pube poster project (The White Pube, 2021) expressing ideas about art and some Japanese posters about public transport etiquette by Yumiko and Takahiro (Johnny, 2017) in the style of Ukiyo e prints (Victoria and Albert Museum. 2018). The aim of day is to create collaborative, meaningful pieces of work in a short amount of time that can be designed in line with issues raised. My intervention will be to redesign the session around positionality as well as responding to some of the things I have learnt since. That said I am aware positionality by definition is more often than not concerned with researchers so I have tailored the approach to better include illustration students.
Having done the lesson online for a micro teaching session, with year one illustration students and with college aged students for an insights summer school it has had varied results. Undoubtedly the best results have been with the year one students however the main issue were some students being slightly too silly with their results. For example, one group made a poster about banning a smelly fruit. In doing it online students weren’t given enough time to produce anything worthwhile. Finally, in introducing it to summer school students not all students engaged the themes with depth ending up with some posters being merely a collection of keywords with negative connotations. I would argue on the whole however the in-person sessions have been successful in instigating important conversations and creating a positively collaborative atmosphere.
To combat the pitfalls and introduce a more solid theme of positionality I’ve added more time for discussion around it and ideas relating to it as well as a simple visual exercise. However, in keeping with Shen and Sanders idea of Promoting “full engagement rather than emphasizing full disclosure” (Shen, Y. and Sanders, E.B.-N. 2023). I introduced a ‘creative’ positionality section particularly inspired by the persona exercise they included. From experience not all students are comfortable talking about identity so giving space for personal interests could give additional room for less intimidating and inclusive conversation.
Referring to its original iteration I believe one issue was the seriousness of the language of the Black Panther ten-point programme and how I handled it. After reading out parts of the it I said to students ‘…without underplaying the importance of these statements, please don’t feel you have to create something as serious as this.’ In hindsight I realized shying away from the seriousness of the text actually worked to discourage meaningful engagement. Although I am sure my ‘white fragility’ (Diangelo, R. 2018) was everything to do with being uncomfortable talking on issues of racial suppression, that isn’t my reasoning for rethinking the approach. In addition, a black student earlier this year complained to staff about an over-use of themes around racism, so I am also conscious of the course not being perceived as tokenistic. I decided, the White Pube poster campaign is actually a more useful starting point around broader contemporary themes that students could relate to more universally. The language used is less rigid so without converting ideas into actions or demands more simple statements would make for a more dynamic exercise with similar issues still embedded. For example, students creating work around statements like “if I were the Tate, I would simply remove my racist paintings x” feels more straight forward.
Another change was in my original conversation with Victor I’d intended the final works to be part of an exhibition. However, after conversations with my blog group they all agreed making the posters public facing would be a better outcome for the session. Interestingly I hadn’t mentioned this was the original intention of the workshop to the group so it was a great confirmation of my earlier convictions.
As with all workshops I would gauge it’s success by the quality of its outcomes and the level of student’s engagement. The main goal of the workshop is for students to create outcomes based on collaborative themes so seeing evidence of student’s communication in the work would be the best indicator. Similarly in allowing time for conversations about the work at the end of the session I can offer students an opportunity to evaluate the process. You can view the revised workshop here
In conclusion I believe I could have definitely been more engaged in the process of the course up until now however the timing of it and my own commitments have been less than ideal. More generally there has been a deeper experience to the process. I have definitely come to realise through the learning and my own observations I have put too much emphasis on my experience and subject knowledge in my teaching. In reality on a course as broad as mine my experience in illustration is not going to be relevant to all the students I teach, anyway. Being a fractional lecturer, particularly on first year there is a bigger pastoral approach I should be engaging with much more in order to improve my practice. By pastoral I don’t mean student services – I mean creating a reflexive approach less about what I can teach but more about how students can best learn.
References:
NHS (2025). ADHD in adults. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/adhd-adults/.
Le Bourdon, M. (2022). Confronting the Discomfort: A Critical Analysis of Privilege and Positionality in Development. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21(21), p.160940692210813. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221081362.
Schiffer, A. (2020). Issues of Power and Representation: Adapting Positionality and Reflexivity in Community‐Based Design. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 39(2), pp.418–429. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/jade.12291.
Shen, Y. and Sanders, E.B.-N. (2023). Identity discovery: Small learning interventions as catalysts for change in design education. Journal of Design Business & Society, 9(1), pp.127–144. doi:https://doi.org/10.1386/dbs_00049_1.
Teaching American History. (n.d.). Ten Point Program. [online] Available at: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/ten-point-program/.
San Francisco Public Library (2017). Black Panther Graphic Artist Emory Douglas at the San Francisco Public Library. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14rtW69Gqys [Accessed 15 Jul. 2025].
The White Pube. (2021). ideas for a new art world. [online] Available at: https://thewhitepube.co.uk/blog/ideas-for-a-new-art-world/ [Accessed 15 Jul. 2025].
Johnny (2017). Ukiyo-e Inspired Manner Posters for Seibu Railway. [online] Spoon & Tamago. Available at: https://spoon-tamago.com/ukiyoe-manner-posters-seibu-railway/ [Accessed 15 Jul. 2025].
Victoria and Albert Museum. (2018). Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) · V&A. [online] Available at: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/japanese-woodblock-prints-ukiyo-e?srsltid=AfmBOooptZmJxqukpXXnCR8G6qmquUKRYRUp8Udj5eWj3BErI_8eBw87 [Accessed 15 Jul. 2025].
Diangelo, R. (2018). White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism. Boston: Beacon Press.