Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Why Should I Listen? As part of my 7th grade Social Studies curriculum, I have to talk about slavery, the civil rights movement, etc. The topic ultimately leads to a discussion of how Whites oppressed Blacks. I try to present these topics in a way that does not suggest any guilt. This year, one of my students had a very bad reaction. When we were talking about the civil rights, John, one of my well-behaved but opinionated students, got up and said that he did not want to listen to this lesson anymore, because all we did was to demonize the White people. Three other students openly agreed with him saying that these topics made them angry. I have to cover these topics because they are a part of my curriculum. Also, I believe in the importance teaching children about these inequalities. However, it seems like the way I teach, which is mainly based on lectures and small group work, is making my White students uncomfortable. What should I do to make sure that my White students do not feel offended by these topics? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) First I would have address diversity at the beginning of the school year. I would give the students very descript details about what they would be learning throughout the year in Social Studies. The classroom environment will show all types of nationalities, ethnicity, genders through posters, music, literature selections and etc. When the topic of discussion is about civil rights I would approach the topic from an antiracist approach. I would focus on civil rights movement as a worldwide series of political movements for equality. The main goal of civil rights movement is to ensure that the rights of all people are equally. I would expand the topic by taking about women rights, rights of minorities and rights of individuals with disabilities. I think addressing the concerns and questions of the students that are related to prejudice is essential. This allows open discussions and students are most likely to be honest about their concerns and questions. I will also suggest that you clarified that there will be no tolerance for discriminatory behaviors. I will also identify the positive benefits of the civil rights movement. I will discuss the variety of abolitionists that played activist roles in the civil rights movement. I would discuss the white abolitionists just as well as the blacks abolitionists, because these gives each race examples of positive images of their race.