Activity One (Tent One): Images in Our Minds
The facilitator tells several short stories about people with different roles and responsibilities. After each story is read, students are asked what images came to their minds regarding the various people. The group discovers that it is common to associate gender, race, and class with certain roles and responsibilities. Media images are examples of some that reinforce our images. The activity encourages expanding our images and challenging our stereotypes.
- Power-Point Presentation: This is an optional visual aid facilitators can use to present the activity using Microsoft Office Power Point.
- Coding Sheet: This is an optional aid that children can use during the activity.
- Printer Friendly Version: This is a printable version of this page as well as the stories and pictures that go along with the activity.
- Follow-Up Activity: This can be given as homework or used in class as a supplement to this activity.
- Pictures: These are some images you can show to your students to illustrate ideas.
- Many times, the first image that comes to mind when we think of a person is based on what we have learned from television, magazines, or advertisements. Media images sometimes lead us to believe that our roles and responsibilities are determined by gender, race and class. These beliefs can lead to images in our minds that are narrow in terms of all the roles and accomplishments we each can have.
- We all have stereotypes based on gender, race, and class. Recognizing our own stereotypic images is an important step in creating alternative images of ourselves and others in order to believe in more possibilities for all people.
- Some of our images can be based on statistics. Statistically, there are more male police officers than there are female police officers. However, police work is done by many people of many races, including both men and women.
- We need to recognize that changes are taking place, accept these changes, and embrace them (i.e., the increase in number of stay at home fathers and working mothers, more women training to be doctors).
- 1 copy of each of story to read to students
- Optional: Copies of the each story for the students to follow along
- Optional: Copies of the coding sheet for the students to record their responses, with four columns labeled ‘character’, ‘gender’, ‘race’, and ‘class’.
- Read each short story to the students. Ask open-ended questions about the characters in the story. For example, after reading Story 1, you might ask, “When you heard me read the word, ‘parent’, did you think of a woman or a man?” Continue with these questions as they relate to race, gender, and class. Optional: As you read, students can record their thoughts on the coding sheet provided prior to sharing in order to help keep their thoughts organized.
- Delve deeper into the discussion and ask the participants what they think the reasons for their responses might be. Be sensitive not to embarrass any students and create a safe atmosphere for discussion. Also, try not to answer these questions for them. Elicit the information from them using phrases such as “What influenced you to . . .” or “What has been your experience with . . .” or “why do you think many of us imagine a mom when you hear ‘parent’? Can you think of comments on T.V. that frequently show a mom when advertised?”
- Discuss how to challenge youth’s stereotypes by talking about a diverse array of people who do the same job or do the activity portrayed in each story.
- Here’s a great way to end the discussion. “Remember: We must believe and act in ways that show that men and women of all races are able to be anything, but only if we allow one another to be freed from limiting stereotypes and harmful assumptions. How will you start making a difference? Try by getting to know yourself, your likes and dislikes. Get to know each person as an individual and as part of a community, not by projecting yourself on others. Think of integration, not separation. Be curious, not afraid!”