Clothing Based Bias

This is a great activity used to help your students discover their biases. It was copied from the Teaching Tolerance website, which is an awesome center with lots of great resources.
I used this activity in my class - and it was great - the students really discovered things about themselves of which they were not aware.

In this lesson, students will explore the way clothing can influence our perceptions of one another.

"Who you are is more important than what you wear."
— Kenneth Cole, designer
Objective:
Students will find they impose stereotypes based solely on how someone dresses.
Materials:

• Handout: See this website: Teaching Tolerance website

Step One: Split your class in half, with half facing one side of the room and the other half facing the opposite side. Give the first half the Santa cap image and the second half the turban image.
Step Two: Ask the following questions out loud and have students write answers on their handout.

• What kind of emotions instantly come to you when you see this picture?
• Where do you think you learned about this individual?
• Who taught you about this individual?
• What did they teach you?
• How has the media (TV, movies, books, stories) shaped your image of this individual?
• How long have you known about this individual?
• Have you ever personally seen this individual?
• Have you ever seen someone dressed like this individual?
• Have you ever personally known someone who looks like this individual?

Step Three: After students have quickly jotted down answers, have students to share their responses and record them on opposite sides of the board.
To help you do this, and to help differentiate the two groups' responses, have a volunteer from each side of the room come up to record answers on the board. One side will be all Santa hat responses and the other side will be all turban responses.
Be prepared for students to be confused at the bizarrely differing responses to the image they believe all students are sharing.
Step Four: Hand out the page showing both Santa and the man in the turban. Ask the following lead questions and allow for discussion:

• What is different in the two images?
• Looking at our responses we've recorded on the board, what is similar or different about them? Why?
• Does it matter that most of you have had some experience with Santa during your lifetime? Why or why not?
• Would your responses to the image of the turban change if you knew someone personally for many years that wore one?
• What do you think we can learn from what we've done here?

Step Five: What are other groups of people we judge based solely on what they might be wearing?

If an educational act is to be efficacious, it will be only that one which tends to help toward the complete unfolding of life. To be thus helpful it is necessary rigorously to avoid the arrest of spontaneous movements and the imposition of arbitrary tasks.

                                                                                                                         ~ Maria Montessori

James 1:2-4 ESV 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I humbly thank my wonderful family for their support in all that I do. Robert Robbie Cowan, Robert Drew Andrew Cowan, and Hunter Cowan Hartselle, Decatur, AL

Kiddie Klan - race relations activity

A great activity from the Legacy of Hate website

Objective: To use a visual image to inspire discussion about race relations

Audience: High school students and adults

Materials Needed: A large copy of the photo (or photo can be projected), copies of discussion questions, and writing utensils

Time Required: 30 – 60 minutes depending on length of discussion

Required materials are on the Legacy of Hate website

If an educational act is to be efficacious, it will be only that one which tends to help toward the complete unfolding of life. To be thus helpful it is necessary rigorously to avoid the arrest of spontaneous movements and the imposition of arbitrary tasks.

                                                                                                                         ~ Maria Montessori

James 1:2-4 ESV 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I humbly thank my wonderful family for their support in all that I do. Robert Robbie Cowan, Robert Drew Andrew Cowan, and Hunter Cowan Hartselle, Decatur, AL

Who wants to join the Klan?

A great classroom activity from the Legacy of Hate website -

Objectives: To illustrate how easily people might be lured into joining organizations that promote prejudice and intolerance.
Audience: High school students and adults
Materials Needed: Copies of the questionnaire and writing utensils
Time Required: 30 – 90 minutes depending on option chosen and length of discussion
This teaching tool can be used in two ways. Read over the directions and questions in both options and decide which option will work best for your class.

Webtools, Webtools & MORE Webtools

Simple K12 just released an update to their (FREE) ebook titled Hidden Webtools: 11 tools for 2011. The update includes 14 new tools. The book includes examples of many of the tools - and best of all, they are all FREE. Be sure to download your copy today!

If an educational act is to be efficacious, it will be only that one which tends to help toward the complete unfolding of life. To be thus helpful it is necessary rigorously to avoid the arrest of spontaneous movements and the imposition of arbitrary tasks.

                                                                                                                         ~ Maria Montessori

James 1:2-4 ESV 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I humbly thank my wonderful family for their support in all that I do. Robert Robbie Cowan, Robert Drew Andrew Cowan, and Hunter Cowan Hartselle, Decatur, AL

Edutopia recently released this video, which is part of a series taking a look at high-achieving education systems and model schools around the world. The series is co-produced with the Pearson Foundation. For more information see <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/education-everywhere-international-finland-video" target="_blank">Edutopia</a> or Pearson's "<a href="http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/oecd/" target="_blank">Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education</a>" page.
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If an educational act is to be efficacious, it will be only that one which tends to help toward the complete unfolding of life. To be thus helpful it is necessary rigorously to avoid the arrest of spontaneous movements and the imposition of arbitrary tasks.

                                                                                                                         ~ Maria Montessori

James 1:2-4 ESV 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I humbly thank my wonderful family for their support in all that I do. Robert Robbie Cowan, Robert Drew Andrew Cowan, and Hunter Cowan Hartselle, Decatur, AL

Pamper or Push?

In schools, self-esteem boosting is losing favor to rigor, reports Chandler of the WashingtonPost.com. 

The article reports that the age-old wisdom suggesting that high self-esteem leads to high achievement may be incorrect. This theory resulted in lots of "way to gos", "good jobs", and "everyone's a winner" praises and affirmations - but what research shows is that it led to very few, if any, academic gains. 

Current psychology and brain research has encouraged an increasing number of teachers to stop the "empty praise" cycle, and to instead, articulate a more precise, and scientific vocabulary for praise that will push children to work through mistakes and take on more challenging assignments. 

Learn more at at the Post

If an educational act is to be efficacious, it will be only that one which tends to help toward the complete unfolding of life. To be thus helpful it is necessary rigorously to avoid the arrest of spontaneous movements and the imposition of arbitrary tasks.

                                                                                                                         ~ Maria Montessori

James 1:2-4 ESV 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I humbly thank my wonderful family for their support in all that I do. Robert Robbie Cowan, Robert Drew Andrew Cowan, and Hunter Cowan Hartselle, Decatur, AL

Get your fire lit!

BigThink recently published an article that included a dozen videos believed to help spark educators' thinking about the changes that are occurring in education. Check out the complete article, cause like a picture, a video sometimes speaks much louder than words.

Here's their list:

1. Sir Ken Robinson, Changing education paradigms (11 minutes)
2. Sugatra Mitra, The child-driven education (17 minutes)
3. Clay Shirky, How cognitive surplus will change the world (13 minutes)
4. Chris Anderson, How web video powers global innovation (19 minutes)
5. Dean Shareski, Sharing: The moral imperative (25 minutes)
6. Henry Jenkins, TEDxNYED (18 minutes)
7. Daniel Pink, Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us (11 minutes)
8. Dan Meyer, Math class needs a makeover (12 minutes)
9. Jeff Jarvis, TEDxNYED (17 minutes)
10. Lisa Nielsen, Response to principal who bans social media (4 minutes)
11. New Brunswick Department of Education, 21st century education in New Brunswick (6 minutes)
12. Charles Leadbeter, On innovation (19 minutes)

If an educational act is to be efficacious, it will be only that one which tends to help toward the complete unfolding of life. To be thus helpful it is necessary rigorously to avoid the arrest of spontaneous movements and the imposition of arbitrary tasks.

                                                                                                                         ~ Maria Montessori

James 1:2-4 ESV 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I humbly thank my wonderful family for their support in all that I do. Robert Robbie Cowan, Robert Drew Andrew Cowan, and Hunter Cowan Hartselle, Decatur, AL