Discrimination Experiments

So yesterday in class I tried a motivational activity to help my students relate to Japanese Americans during World War II. We're starting a research unit, for which the topic is the Japanese Internment. This "motivational" activity was to help my students, many who do not know any Asian Americans and many who have never experienced discrimination, understand what a Japanese American teenager may have felt during this time period. Since I'm blond, I created an Executive Order 1023 (based on Executive Order 9066) creating a discriminating and unfair environment for my blond-haired students. All the blond students had to sit in the very front of the classroom on chairs that were different from the rest (or on the floor), use short stubby pencils, and write on scratch paper. While some students enjoyed sitting on the floor and getting all the attention, I was amazed at how many students I saw laughing and jeering at the blonds. On their way out of my classroom, I asked my students to write about their reactions to the experiment. Some were apathetic, some thought it funny, others were depressed. One student, who has a history of low self-esteem and confidence--and who is blond, left my classroom still dejected and down. Since I was concerned I contacted her mother. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time today communicating with the mother, with this student and with other teachers, discussing the activity, the benefits, the fears, my anxiety, the students' responses and so forth. After speaking with the student today, I could see she understood the point of the exercise, was able to compare her experience with that of a Japanese American teenager, and was smiling and laughing today. I was reassured. On my drive home, I started thinking about what I really value about this discrimination exercise...I think it's the fact that each person is uniquely and especially created. I thought through several of my students--the stars, the irritants, the concerns, the quiet ones--and was newly amazed that each of them was created on purpose and for a purpose. If anything, that's what I hope my students walk away with--that each human life is valuable and should be treated with dignity and respect. I hope this student I'm concerned about will come to understand that she is valuable and that she should treat herself with respect and dignity.