Consultation has been at the heart of Understanding Slavery. From its inception the partner museums have been in conversation with cultural, formal learning and community sectors to inform the development of the project resources.

Initial Consultation

Initial research findings revealed that students are ready to engage with the history of the transatlantic slave trade and keen to understand it from both historical and contemporary perspectives. They want to learn about the experience of enslavement and debate the ethical issues. Students showed a particular interest in learning through narrative – role-play, actor interpretation, storytelling and the use of objects to depict individual life stories.

Teachers seemed less confident and tackled the subject in various ways, if they opted to include it in their schemes of work. A number of teachers in the research sample expressed concerns, particularly with regards to the sensitivities related to discussing race and identity. Understanding Slavery used these findings to develop initial resources to support the teaching and learning experience.

Evaluation Report: how the resources are being used in the classroom

Once the Understanding Slavery resources were available to schools they were evaluated to determine their uptake and impact. The evidence showed that all the resources were widely used and well received, but that further work was needed to ascertain their effect on students’ learning. Modifications to museum sessions were subsequently implemented from the evaluation.

Teachers’ Workshops: issues in the classroom

Understanding Slavery continued to consult with teachers and educators once the resources were available and new findings supported the previous feedback. There was a real commitment to teaching the subject effectively, but also consensus regarding concerns regarding terminology and issues of identity and cultural diversity. There were geographical differences, particularly between rural areas and urban centres.

Landmarks community DVD

Landmarks is a short film which documents how personal journeys by 16 residents of London, Bristol and Liverpool have intersected with the transatlantic slavery walks in their cities. Three workshops took place in the spring/summer 2005 at the partner museums. Participants mapped the walks and their personal routes on paper, to see where they connected. They then walked to their chose sites, pausing to talk about the significance of the locations for them. The film is a powerful series of personal commentaries, which reveal a range of thoughts and concerns about the history and impact of the transatlantic slave trade.