A friend of mine is thinking about teaching her students a lesson about racism.

[Dr. Casey]

A friend of mine is a third grade teacher at an elementary school. She's thinking about implementing a lesson one day where she asks the children to pick out one crayon from a box with seven green crayons, seven blue crayons, and seven red crayons (There's 21 kids in her class). The kids who pick the blue crayons get snacks and drinks. The kids who pick the green crayons have to clean up the room and do assorted chores for an hour. The kids who pick the red crayons get suspended for a week and earn zeroes on all their assignments across that week.

What do you think? Does this idea of hers sound like a good way to teach about racism?

[fire_of_avalon]

I think that following through with any of those things would be awful, but I get the example.

[NeoCracker]

But... that doesn't teach people about Racism.

[Jinx]

You can't choose your race like you'd choose a crayon, so no.

[Raistlin]

That sounds like an awful idea. Third-graders are about 8, and the ones who don't get snacks and drinks will just resent the ones who do. And you'd have parents justifiably complaining about the suspensions.

[krissy]

they should get the crayons randomly
and then she should segregate them in seperate classrooms

how old are these kids?

[Bunny]

How does this teach about racism?

[krissy]

it's a roundabout metaphor of being treated badly based on something you have no choice over

[Clo]

I just imagined doing this with my seventh graders and envisioned how pissed they would be as they shook their heads and told me my lesson was "doo-doo, Miss."

[blackmage_nuke]

I think drawing attention to the fact race exists and effects us is a good way to carry us on the current track of racism that exists. Racism wont be abolished by understanding the differences between us, but by forgetting that there are any.

So unless this particular third grade class is filled with a bunch of racist jerkwads let them keep living in thier little sunshine world of unity.

Also it might be a good way to teach racism to the fourteen kids who pick the green and red crayon, but the ones who pick the blue crayon? clearly they are entitled, clearly they are the master race as divined by god and all others should bow before them. She's going to come out of this lesson with seven race supremicists

[Christmas]

But... that doesn't teach people about Racism.

How does this teach about racism?

Sounds like a lucky draw event than an actual lesson I think. Beside, if the lesson is so deep to the extent that some apparent grown ups here do not even understand, I think the kids will have a harder time.

A lesson should be taught in a way that is suitable to your target's level of understanding. I rather take out the creativity elements in my lesson and make it more bland should the kids will understand better this way. Scaffolding will help, like showing them simple video on racism to give them a good head start.

[Jiro]

Surely it would be better to teach people why they're all equal then why some people think they're different. Don't plant the seed, man.