Week 6: Create your own Islands: Social thinking.
THE TASK:
Create your own island.
Name it, what are its laws? favourite book? currency? motto? anthem? national holiday etc?
THE DIFFICULT:
Fairy Island: A place where gay men can go.
Laws: No heterosexual activities. Women are slaves and considered evil, so as to not be a temptation to the men. No straight marriages or will be executed or banned from fairy island...
National Holiday: The Pride Parade
The island was littered with malls, fashion boutiques, salons, gay bars, clubs etc.
.....Can you see where this is going??
After a short discussion about politically correct-ness and the difference between homophobia and sexism and such the island changed slightly...ever so slightly.
Gay men and women are now allowed on the island, and actual fairies worked and served the people of the island. Again, no straight marriages and if you're caught engaged in sexuality activity with someone on the opposite sex you were sent to jail or executed...
Question raised: How does a teacher deal with issues of stereotyping and other "isms" in a classroom setting?
I am conflicted because the way I see it is like this:
- A person who is different does not ever want to be known by their difference.
- Pointing out something's need for political-correctness just magnifies a difference that shouldn't define a person.
- BUT i agree whole heartedly with political correctness...
- In my life, I believe in living the philosophy in letting people be their stereotyping politically incorrect selves and leading by example rather than correcting them BUT if i don't correct this behaviour am I a bad or socially unjust teacher?
