ERIC Number: EJ1196079
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1837-6290
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Kids Can Show Prejudice and Teachers Can Show Them Another Path
Heaton, Adam
Issues in Educational Research, v28 n4 p940-952 2018
Children are shaped by what they see and hear around them at home and at school. This can include race-related discourse that posits some members of society above others. The 12-14 year old children in two Australian Grade 8 classes were not exempt. Although previously they had very minimal interaction with Aboriginal Australians, all 47 students in these two classes had come to believe derogative stereotypes about Aboriginal people. But things began to change as they engaged in a program of learning designed in consultation with an Aboriginal educator to present a positive discourse to counter the deficit discourse about Aboriginal people prevalent in Australia. In the drivers' seat of their learning, students began to appreciate past and present cultures of Aboriginal people and their resilience and achievements amidst racial oppression. Through a lens of empathy, students not only formed more positive perspectives about Aboriginal people, but realised the need to not judge any group of people. Aspects of the design and outcomes of this study may be applied to other anti-prejudice and pro-social educational initiatives.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Middle School Students, Racial Bias, Grade 8, Indigenous Populations, Cultural Awareness, Empathy, Student Attitudes, Racial Attitudes, Attitude Change
Western Australian Institute for Educational Research Inc. 5/202 Coode Street, Como, Western Australia 6152, Australia. e-mail: editor@iier.org.au; Web site: http://www.waier.org.au
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Junior High Schools; Grade 8; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

Peer reviewed
Direct link
