Lesson plan ideas for Prejudice in Group Relations
by Brant Abrahamson and Fred Smith. The Teachers' Press, 3731 Madison Avenue, Brookfield. IL 60513 (1991). The cost of the entire set of four documents noted below is $10.00.
phone: 708/485-5983
e-mail address: teacherspr@aol.com
website: http://www.
Did you ever wish you were younger and back in high school and could "do it all over again"? I believe you will feel that way as you use these resources dealing with an issue which never seems to age: prejudice.
Target audiences. This curriculum unit, as with other resources developed by The Teachers' Press, has been developed for and used by public high school students. However, it is very suitable for other audiences: adult education classes and self-instructional resources for adults. Parents with teenagers would find this very useful for their families or in small family groups apart from a formal class setting.
A brief overview of the resources
The curriculum resources consist of the following four documents.
Student Text (62 pages)
I am not certain where you will find a more concise yet comprehensive account of the issues dealing with prejudice. The book begins with a one-page Overview by raising many thought-provoking questions such as: How do we judge other people? How do we react to those who are different from what we are? It then addresses a number of sophisticated sociological issues which are made quite clear, e. g., the definition of both primary and secondary "in-groups", biological groups, and societal groups. The first section ends with this insight: "We can proceed without prejudice if we understand the nature of groups, can suspend judgment and change our views when new evidence is presented. But emotionalism, logical errors and other factors commonly block our paths."
The section, Prejudice: A Definition, introduces the concept of Gordon Allport in a very clear way by re-stating his definition: "... prejudice involves deep-seated feelings toward whole groups or specific people just because they are members of some group. These feelings are excused - or rationalized - by faulty reasoning."
The authors then clarify such relevant topics as prejudice and love (positive prejudices), prejudice and hate (deep-seated hostility), and prejudice and society (social approval of prejudice exists all over the world). It ends with an introduction to the next sections with this sentence: "... they are designed to aid each of us in coping with personal social situations in which we find ourselves." (Emphasis added.)
In Prejudice: A Dissection, the authors lead off this section with several questions,
e.g., How does a "prejudiced personality" develop. The topics presented are: feelings of fear (e.g., of the unknown), the needs for response and recognition, ideas and beliefs (e. g., stereotyping and selective perception), fallacies (e. g., overgeneralization, guilt by association, and black/white reasoning).
In the Effects of Prejudice, both the "givers" and the "getters" (on the receiving end) of prejudice are discussed as are the topics of prejudicial words and prejudicial actions, being "boxed in" (self-segregated and cut off form much of the world), and developing a pessimistic view of life. "Gentle people of prejudice" are noted, namely, people who say that they love out-group people but who treat them in a condescending or stereotyped manner. The effects of prejudice on the "getters" are outlined (e.g., accepting in-group inferiority, hitting back, or viewing prejudice as a challenge).
The last section, "Taking A Stand", discusses how one can help reduce prejudice in the primary "in-group", influencing secondary "in-groups", and influencing "out-groups". The section concludes with the idea that "We can raise non-prejudiced children." This resource points to a number of ways that this can happen. The last sentence in the book end with this: "Joining groups dedicated to eradicating prejudice is suggested."
We have left a lot out of this brief summary. You have to acquire this text to learn more.
The next three resources will make your planning much easier.
Teacher's Manual (63 pages)
The following is a brief summary of what you will find in this important resource:
-- Several ideas for an "instructional design" - for a three-week program which, of course, is adaptable.
-- A daily schedule, also adaptable
-- An idea for a writing assignment
-- Numerous unit activities
-- A role playing exercise
-- An additional short reading - and questions
-- Unit quizzes and tests based on the Student Text
-- A bibliography
Teacher's Manual - Book Two (50 pages plus an addenda)
Book Two is more than just another teacher's manual. It includes 15 student activities, five more ideas of teaching methods, 13 ideas for extending learning, a supplementary bibliography, and an addenda of several more pages of background readings. Many of the student activities include suggestions for further reading and research. Some of the titles of the activities are: using newspapers: a group project; using anthropology; a family-oriented activity; changing stereotypes; blaming the victim; non-sexist vocabularies; appearance and prejudice; and equal opportunity and affirmative action - to name just a few. The section on teaching methods includes items on joke-telling (a serious matter); conflict resolution; in-group identity and group work; naturalistic and anti-naturalistic fallacies; and "abhorrent" practices. The last section on extended learning has teaching ideas relating to - among other things - tolerance; "mixed" marriages; prejudice and becoming "boxed up"; contact and prejudice reduction; race categorization and social values; ethnocentrism and war; gender and sexual orientation; sexual orientation and prejudice; prejudice: the problem and effective responses; defenses against prejudice.
Student Workbook (30 pages)
The five parts follow the topics in the Student Text, that is, how persons are grouped, prejudice - an overview, prejudice -- dissection, effects of prejudice, and taking a stand. Many of the workbook pages include such items as concepts to know, factual recall questions, measuring social distance, a library exercise, and a history of prejudicial treatment. Also, be sure to read the children's story "The Abras and The Hams" (on page 17) and the several questions which follow. [I have a notion that it likely was written by one of the authors, Brant Abrahamson!]
This may sound like the 60 Minutes commentator, Andy Rooney, who might says something like "I don't know why teachers call these ‘workbooks'; it seems to me they should be called ‘playbooks' because many of these exercises are a fun thing to do. At the end of a lesson you can see how smart you really are."
We also should mention that the Teacher's Manual includes several pertinent quotes. Here is one from Robert Louis Stevenson for all of us to remember:
"The cruelest lies are often told in silence."
Feedback. Please let us know how this went... and please suggest any additional ideas for teaching the concepts in these resources. I would be most grateful if you would send them to me at - rbhaerman@americanhumanist.org
Bob Bhaerman, Coordinator, Kochhar Humanist Education Center,
American Humanist Association
