In May, Gemma Barnes was watching the news about the death of George Floyd, when her 6-year-old daughter began asking questions about her own heritage.
But the mum, from Battersea, said she struggled to find the right resources to teach Afro-Caribbean history to children.
So, over-lockdown, the 32-year-old took up a new project – creating her own worksheets which made learning “fun but educational.”
Over the last three months Miss Barnes has created various tasks on different subjects, from geography, history, maths, and cooking.
A worksheet might ask children to link flags to the relevant African nations or find clues about black history in wordsearches and puzzles.
Miss Barnes also contacted friends from Jamaica and St. Lucia and asked them to share their favourite recipes, including jerk chicken, salt fish and jollof rice.
The former nursery schoolteacher believes there’s a gap in the curriculum.
“When I was at school I didn’t learn about black history. The only thing I learnt was slavery, we didn’t learn anything about all the positive role models and the inspirational things black people have done for the world.
“If we don’t teach our children who will,” she said.
After proving a hit with her friends and family, Miss Barnes has made her worksheets into a book, which will launch next Monday (21 Sept).
Several thousand workbooks have been printed, which can be pre-ordered on her website.
The book also has an ISBN code, in the hopes that shops, schools, and other social causes can use them.
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