Agree – Disagree
- Metodas iš programos: I was told
Process:
Related human rights
Respect to variety
Preparation
Put a card with “AGREE” on the floor on one side of the room and “DISAGREE” – on the other.
Prepare statements, which reveal certain attitudes towards social groups. It would be great to have them written down on a slide for the participants to be able to re-read them (if impossible, read each statement several times).
Process
Ask each of the participants to stand in the middle of the room and listen to the statement.
After reading the statement, give them a minute to think and decide, if they agree with it or not. Each participant should stand on the side, which represents his or her opinion best. Participants can also stand in the middle of the room or closer to “AGREE” if they agree with the statement more than they disagree, etc.
Let the participants, standing on one side, share their opinion, then give the turn to the ones in the middle, and then – the ones on the other side.
Let the participants engage in a discussion. The moderator should refrain from expressing one’s opinion – simply moderate the activity.
The participants can change their position at any time, should they wish to change their opinion. At the end of the discussion, read another statement.
STATEMENTS:
✔ OLDER PEOPLE SHOULD GIVE UP THEIR WORK PLACES FOR THE YOUTH
✔ MEN ARE BETTER LEADERS THAN WOMEN
✔ ROMA PEOPLE ARE LAZY
✔ MUSLIMS CANNOT TRULY INTEGRATE INTO THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY
✔ YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT DISCLOSING YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION
✔ IMMIGRANTS TAKE AWAY OUR HOMES AND WORK
✔ PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISABILITIES ARE DANGEROUS TO THE SOCIETY
✔ EACH PERSON HAS A RIGHT TO MARRIAGE OR FAMILY
Summary:
Summary questions:
● What made you stand on one side or another?
● What stereotypes have you heard?
● What do you think, where do our attitudes and opinions come from?
● What is prejudice?
Prejudice is an opinion, formed about another person or people without getting to know them.
Stereotypes come from attitudes or thoughts about a certain group of people. It is an entirety of characteristics, attributable to a certain group of people in terms of behaviour, habits, etc.; using stereotypes, we establish statements, where certain features or expectations are attributed to the entire social group (instead of one person).
Further suggestions, additional material
If you have time, you can provide short facts on the said social groups that deny the myths.
Other ways of using the material by peer educators
Continue the topic during the next seminar using the activity ‘A tale of intolerance and different people’ to go deeper into the concept of stereotypes and how negative prejudice affects people’s lives in the community. You will find it in the Positive methodological set.