A Class Divided...How a 3rd grade class

Parent Cafe
1

<p>went from cooperation to discrimination…</p>

<p>It took 15 minutes.</p>

<p>The discriminated students did worse in school. And when the discriminated students were switched, the ones that were no longer discriminated against did better. And the kids that were newly discrimiated against, did worse.</p>

<p>Maybe some of you watched this program…
It should be seen by every student when they are young.</p>

<p>[news</a> + public affairs player: video](<a href=“news + public affairs player: video”>news + public affairs player: video)</p>

2

<p>^I agree! Everyone should see it. I watched it, and it made me even more angry about racism & sexism.</p>

3

<p>Cool…</p>

4

<p>We have a copy of this video in our Social Studies Department at school. We get a great deal of use from it in our Gov’t classes as well as our psychology/sociology courses. </p>

<p>It generally takes only about a 20 minute clip to help our kids understand the impact of discrimination.</p>

5

<p>Thanks–I just watched it. A remarkable experience, and one that many people who seem sorely lacking in empathy could benefit from.</p>

6

<p>I saw this in Psyc last semester. It was pretty disturbing. Too bad you can’t do stuff like this now days.</p>

7

<p>wharfrat2, consolation, and venkat89, I’m glad you had a chance to see the show.</p>

<p>“She decided to treat children with blue eyes as superior to children with brown eyes. Frontline explores what those children learned about discrimination …”</p>

8

<p>“The discriminated students did worse in school. And when the discriminated students were switched, the ones that were no longer discriminated against did better. And the kids that were newly discrimiated against, did worse.”</p>

<p>I saw it third time. First two times I had similar reaction as above, but yesterday I had different thought. If the objective was for the kids to experience - feel ‘discrimination’ it did its job. However, the performance conclusion does not hold the water. Of course the kids would feel bad - they are 8-9 years olds and you have the authority figure-the teacher always taunting you. Even adults with constant criticism would be turned off. But to use this example to explain the achievement gap today would be too far fetched.</p>

9

<p>Well Simba, we disagree. And you saw the adults participate in their own version, I hope.</p>

10

<p>“Well Simba, we disagree.”</p>

<p>Why? Do you think that kids today are taunted all day long by their teachers?</p>

<p>Also do you want to know the difference between past and today. When I saw the story first two times, I was an outsider. Now I teach in elementary schools.</p>