INTRODUCTION
Privilege often hides in plain sight. From the names of pencil crayon colours, to the colour of bandages or makeup, privilege is everywhere. Helping children identify privilege is an important step towards combating bigotry, racism and sexism.
This activity is designed to help students identify and reflect on experiences of feeling empowered or disempowered. Through the activity, students should develop increased empathy and understanding for their peers.
ACTIVITY
1. Today we’re going to do a lesson that talks about privilege. If you don’t know what that means yet, that’s ok, we’re going to discuss that later.
2. Take students to an open space (gym or field) and have them line up in a row.
3. Provide students with the following instructions:
- Listen carefully as I read statements and directions.
4. Read the following statements to the students:
- If you speak only English at home, take one step forward.
- If you are male, take one step forward.
- If you are right-handed, take one step forward.
- If you live with your mom and dad, take one step forward.
- If you live with ONLY your mom or dad, take one step back.
- If at least one of your parents went to college or university, take one step forward. If you don’t know - stay where you are.
- If you have to miss school to celebrate your holidays (religious or cultural), take one step back.
- If you were born in this country, take one step forward.
- If your parents were born in this country, take one step forward.
- If your grandparents were born in this country, take one step forward.
- If you were born in a different country, take one step back.
- If your parents were born in a different country, take one step back.
- If you are a citizen of this country, take one step forward.
- If you have taken a family vacation, take one step forward.
- If you have never been teased about your race, take one step forward.
- If you have been teased because of your gender, take one step back.
- If bandages are a close match to your skin tone, take one step forward.
- If you’ve ever been bullied or teased for something you can’t control, take one step back.
- If your family owns a computer, take one step forward.
- If you have your own computer, take one step forward.
- If you always assumed you’d go to school and then college/university, take one step forward.
- If you have a disability, take one step back.
- If you had a maid, gardener or nanny, take one step forward
- If you had to learn English at school, take one step back.
- If the majority of your teachers look like you, take one step forward.
- If one of your parents is a teacher, doctor, lawyer or other professional, take one step forward.
- If you were embarrassed by your clothes or house, take one step back.
- If you are female, take one step back.
- If your family owns a car, take one step forward.
- If you feel good about how your culture is identified by the media, take one step forward.
5. Encourage students to now look around themselves and then join in a circle to discuss. Ask students:
- What did you notice during this activity?
- How did this activity make you feel?
- Were you surprised at where you/your friends were?
- What did you think of the questions? Did you think things like this mattered?
- Are you in control of what made you step forward or backwards?
- What do you wish others could know about something that made you step backwards?
- Do you think these questions and your movements are fair?
- Remember when I said this lesson was about privilege? How would you define privilege? (A privilege is a special right or advantage awarded to only a certain group of people)
- What’s one thing that you learned today?
- How can you raise awareness about privilege?
*This activity is adapted from a number of similar activities including Privilege Walk, The Privilege Walk and Crossing the Line: Power & Privilege Activity.
RESOURCES
