Challenging stereotypes

How do you describe a farmer?, a grandmother?, a person from China?, a Christian?, a poor person? In trying to understand people we have just met, or have not yet met, we try to make links between them and what we already ‘know’ about the groups they belong to. We simplify the complicated images we see or descriptions we read connecting them to current concepts of the group they belong to but this can limit our perceptions and openness to new understandings. In developing a global perspective we aim to continually broaden our views of other people and avoid behaviour which is based on unconfirmed assumptions or stereotypes. This means learning to recognise when we have beliefs about a person based on their age, gender, religion, culture or wealth and becoming aware of how these assumptions might influence our attitudes, language and behaviour. While stereotypes simplify and condense a great deal of information they must not be seen as the complete picture. Some of the most effective means of teaching respect for others is deepening understanding and challenging misconceptions through a wide variety of experiences, pictures, videos, texts and statistics. Expanding understanding of different groups, appreciating the diversity within the group and countering the stereotyped views helps develop understanding of the complexity of humanity. Developing critical literacy and skills to question and critique images and language used also assists appreciate diversity. Use these expanding understandings to think about and practise behaviours which will build better relationships with people from other groups. Adapt these activities for your purposes to assist in understanding the influence of stereotypes on understanding, attitude and behaviours: Write a description of a farmer, grandmother, person from China, Christian, poor person. Review the description and consider: Does this description apply to everyone in the group? Where have the ideas for the description come from? What evidence is there to support the description? Is the description negative or positive? Have others described the people in a similar way? Why or why not? How do assumptions affect your behaviour toward others? Help students to appreciate how stereotypes limit interaction by recalling a time when people have prevented their involvement or made assumptions about their ability by recalling a time when they have been considered too young or not interested because of their gender. They might share experiences of when they have been confused with someone else or they were travelling and lumped with other Australians as “they’re all the same” or “I can’t tell the difference…” Encourage students to discuss how have these assumptions have influenced how they were treated and the consequences of this for them. Identify how cartoons, images and biased language in the media have used stereotype and consider the underlying reasons and possible outcomes. Split into two groups and collect statistics about a selected country a) from the point of view of the government trying to encourage investment b) from the point of view of a group of people who have felt marginalised by the government. Compare the differing views these statistics present of the country. How do these descriptions feed into stereotypes?