Calendar Update/ "A Class Divided"

Since Wednesday was a crazy snow/ice day, please disregard your homework calendars as we are now one day off schedule.


After viewing Jane Elliot and her blue eyed/brown eyed simulation in a "Class Divided", we briefly spoke about the privilege that Mrs. Elliot created for her students (like extra recess time, second helpings at lunch. . . ).

For homework tonight, I would like you to spend some time reading the article, "The Invisible Knapsack" by Peggy Macintosh to explore the intersection of race and privilege in the adult word.

Please pay special attention to McIntosh's checklist (1-50) and to use the checklist as self-reflection, asking "Can you count on this?" A "yes" answer scores 1 point. For a "no," subtract 1 point. Score nothing for "does not apply to me." The higher the score, the greater the degree of privilege one has in the context of living in the United States today.

When finished, please post your reflections in the comments section.

Were you surprised by your score, or did it confirm what you already knew? Why is privilege normally invisible and what does it feel like to make it visible?

Your comments are due by class on MONDAY!
Let me know if you have questions.

What do we do with a difference?

Our standards of beauty, ideas about difference, even notions of what is “normal” are shaped to a large extent by culture—the attitudes, values, and beliefs of a society. Where do those attitudes, values, and beliefs come from, and how were they molded? And what role do experts and people in positions of authority play in determining societal standards around beauty and what is considered “normal?”

In viewing "eye of the beholder", you told me who in Janet Tyler's society determines what is normal. Your homework blog prompt is:

So, how did YOU or how do YOU learn HOW a difference matters?

This should be a personal, reflective response.

Please post your answer in the "comments" section below. You should have a login name by now that I can recognize. Please complete this prompt by class on Monday.

Have a GREAT weekend!

First class update!

I'm sorry for any difficulties you may have had finding the "Race and Gender" conference on First Class. 

This has been fixed as of 9:00 AM on Thursday. 

A block will receive hard copies of last night's HW assignment. D/E, please log on and try again!

Let me know if you have questions. 

Welcome!

Welcome to Race, Gender and Human Behavior!

This course will examine ideas of race and gender and the notion of a difference: What do you do with a difference? What has society done with a difference? How has difference resulted in discrimination. We will look at these issues by considering what happens in a society when people are identified and assigned a social value based on these differences. 

You must obtain: a first class login, blogspot login, and notebook/folder/binder for the course. 

First class can be accessed here. 

Log on to first class. Please read the message from me as well as pages 1-3 of the pdf and respond to the prompt in your notebook.