Power and Diversity
Rocks in your backpack
For many years I have honed a lesson plan that effectively illustrates the impact of stereotypes and diversity on individual's ability to be their best. I teach this class as a 'module' in most of my classes. Many students find it to be a the most impactful conversation of the semester. Here you will find the materials and resources to help you teach the same class.
Lesson Objectives
This module discusses diversity and power, and how that plays into our personal narratives. How do we learn those narratives and can we control them?
The objective of this module is to formulate your own conclusions about what diversity is, and how it may impact the projects and groups you belong to. By investigating different aspects or dimensions of diversity, hopefully your perceived framework for future leadership and problem solving will be altered.
Prior to class students are are to consider and do the following:
How do we learn what we want to HAVE, THINK and DO? (Our class definition of Culture)
One way we learn what to have (want), and what to think, and what to do, is from our teachers and parents and other people in authority or power.
For example, a key element of American culture, promoted through American history textbooks, schools, churches, and the government is the notion of Meritocracy: that anyone who works hard enough can achieve the American dream. The Webster definition of Meritocracy is "a system, organization, or society in which people are chosen and moved into positions of success, power, and influence on the basis of their demonstrated abilities and merit"
To illustrate how easy this can be manipulated, we watch an old, but an incredibly impactful documentary.
A Class Divided is an encore presentation of the classic documentary on third-grade teacher Jane Elliott's "blue eyes/brown eyes" exercise, originally conducted in the days following the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.
As you watch this documentary, you may feel anger or frustration or even disbelief.... these are not uncommon feelings. Start to think about why you feel these feelings... Are you feeling conflicted? How does this documentary support, or counter argue, your notions of meritocracy? Is the United States a meritocracy?
Also consider the following concepts:
Diversity: What is it?
Hegemony: "The dominance of a set of ideas or a power structure that is so powerful and so entrenched that it goes unchallenged and is rarely questioned".
e.g. Because of the hegemony of the veteran congressmen, the political rookies found it hard to get a bill on the docket --- or --- Even though the United States continues to see itself as a global power, its hegemony in the world is fading --- or --- Although the professor has hegemony over the students, she is a caring woman who willingly listens to suggestions and incorporates them into her classes.
Learned Ignorance: "A lack of knowledge that is fostered to protect the distribution of power in a society" (Buck, 2013).
The Lesson Plan
The lesson starts by asking groups of students to agree on a definition of diversity. This focuses everyone on the topic of the day. After groups have agreed on their definitions we go around the room sharing these. Often these definitions are very similar to EEO statements, but I would like the students to start thinking deeper about their definitions; including culture, life experiences, socioeconomic status, education etc.
2. This leads to a discussion about how diversity, like culture, has many layers of depth... some superficially on the surface (like the EEO statements) and some much deeper below the surface, impacting us daily (whether we like or not)
3. This leads into a conversation about the difference between equality and equity. Not all people require the same accommodations in order to create an equitable playing field --- this is especially important in education --- because diversity of thought drives innovation.
Herein lies a problem --- commonly called the diversity paradox: The competing processes of diversity work including high potential for conflict and high potential for innovation, understanding, and creativity (Fisher-Yoshida & Geller, 2009; Yorks & Kasl, 2002a)
4. This culminates in a discussion about the difference between Diversity and Inclusion --- using the marvelous quote by Verna Myers.
"Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance."
Unpacking the Privilege Knapsack Questionnaire.docx5. All the preceding activities and discussions are necessary to ensure a common vocabulary and understanding for the main activity of the lesson plan: The Backpack of Rocks.
This activity is inspired by the Invisible Knapsack of Advantages activity (Peggie McIntosh, 1989). It is not so much about 'White Privilege', which I have found, is a difficult concept for many students to comprehend and appreciate in their first exposure --- it is about raising awareness of the diversity and need for inclusion around you.
In silence, and reiterating that the details of the form are for no one else, I have the students complete and tally the results of the form (linked here). Make sure you allow enough time for students to read and comprehend and complete the questionnaire.
6. In silence and anonymously, the students then poll the sum total of their 'No' responses for everyone to see.
This is often a watershed or 'a-ha' moment, as peers see the 'rocks' their peers are carrying around.
I have often thought that was a cathartic activity for a lot of students too.
way too much b roll7. There is an important secondary element the the Backpack of Rocks activity. The form that I provide does not encompass ALL the rocks that people carry around on a daily basis. So, I ask people to submit on Padlet or (if in class) on an index card, a question they would have added to the questionnaire. I collect these up and read them one by one out to the class.
These potential questions can be heart wrenching --- I have had everything from mental health harassment, religious persecution, to father's not being given access to their children after a divorce or prison sentence. These anonymous yet publicly disclosed questions are powerful indicators of the types of 'rocks' people carry around and the diversity of experience that exists.
8. This realization leads to a conversation about stereotypes and how they affect us --- highlighting the work of Claude M. Steele in Whistling Vivaldi.
Which then leads to a discussion about how
The people in power (in that time and space) control who dances…
9. The final activity of the class is a group discussion on how people in power control the "who dances". We do this by reflecting on the documentary "A Class Divided". We touch again on the concepts of learned ignorance and hegemony.