Gendercommunicationmattersmalefemalegenderlessfuture?genderisoursocailandpsychologicalsenseofourselvesasmalesorfemalsmakingassumptionsaboutthepreferencesabilitiesandbehaviorsofyouraudiencemembersbasedonthmalefemalcisgendercisgenderoulivesbegintoendthedaywebecomesilentabouthtingshtatmatter.ourlivesbegintoendthedaywebecomesilentaboutthingsthatmatterheartwicebeforeyouspeakonceifanybodywantsotkeepcreatingtheyhavetobeaboutchangeit’snothelengthoftimebuthedepthoflifedowhatyoucanwithwhatyouhavewhereyouarewearesuperheroesallofusa

Super  Heroes  are  from  Mars  &  Venus!  Listening  for  the  Classroom/Gender  

Application    

2014 Speech Coaches Convention

10/3/2014

Teresa Lawler, Centennial High School teresa.lawler@ankenyschools.org  

“Stereotypes are devices for saving a biased person the trouble of learning.” --Author Unknown

Gender: socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a society considers appropriate for men and /or women.

Cisgender or cissexual (cis): related types of gender identity where individuals’ experiences of their own gender match the sex they were assigned at birth.

Third gender and third sex: individuals who are categorized (by their will or by social consensus) as neither man nor woman.

Cheerleading was a male-only sport until 1923, when the first female cheerleaders took the field. This phenomenon didn't really take off until the 1940s, when the male student body was depleted by World War II. The '20s also saw the advent of acrobatics, human pyramids, and dance moves to accompany the fight songs and chants.

TED Talks Amy Cuddy, Body Language & Power Poses

Activity: THAT'S NOT WHO I AM – Defining & Discussing Gender Stereotypes

Adapted from the Western Massachusetts Gender Equity Center’s Gender Equity Lesson Plans & Teacher Guide

Description: This is a group activity that helps students understand the concept of gender “stereotyping.” Students will define the term, suggest

examples, analyze why this practice persists, and propose alternatives. Objectives: To define “gender” and “stereotyping.”

To understand causes and effects of stereotyping. To propose strategies that limit or counteract stereotyping.

Procedure:

1. As a class, define “gender” and “stereotype.” 2. Students look up a dictionary definition. 3. Ask students to describe an ethnicity, say, Native American. Write the responses on the

board. In most cases the suggestions will be stereotypical. If possible, have a book on hand that shows the vast range of body types and cultural attributes. Point out the richness and diversity of the many Native cultures. Ask students to describe Native Americans again. The list of suggestions should be quite different.

4. Ask students to describe a school related person or group, such as an athlete (or a teacher, or an "A" student, or cheerleader). Follow the steps described above, making sure to have a variety of sports images depicting athletes of all kinds.

5. Using understanding gained from the above exercises, students suggest their own working definition of "gender stereotyping." This might be done as a class, with ideas written on the board, or individually, with definitions handed in and read to the class.

6. As a class, list on chalkboard examples of gender stereotypes. Make three headings: MALE, FEMALE, and BOTH. Ask students to identify as many gender stereotypes and traditional ways of looking at the genders as possible.

7. As a class, analyze the lists. Discuss the words and phrases that were suggested under each heading. Some pertinent questions to ask might be:

• How difficult or easy was it to think of these stereotypical descriptions? Why? • In what ways does the “MALE” list differ from the “FEMALE” list? If there are

differences, why? What do the lists have in common? Why?

• Why do people think of other groups in stereotypical terms? Have you ever been subject to stereotyping? Could you describe the situation and how you felt?

• Have you ever voiced your opinion against a stereotypical statement or action?

Describe the situation and how you felt.

• As a class, offer suggestions to challenge stereotyping. Write student ideas on chalkboard or use overhead.

Rapport-Talk vs. Report-Talk

Deborah Tannan’s Research Women’s Speaking Style vs. Men’s Speaking Style

• Women are believed to talk too much. • Studies show that men actually get more air time. (Males talk more when young women sit next to

young men in classrooms.) • Women share talk in private or small communications. • Men speak more in public. • Women use talk to build relationships. • Men use talk to negotiate statue, and to avoid failure. • Women overlap.* • Men speak one at a time, or interrupt. • Women attempt to create symmetry, an equality between speakers. • Men attempt to establish asymmetry, or hierarchy.

• Women communicate with best friends with whom she sits and talks. Language is used for telling

secrets. • Men communicate via activities with their best friends. Tend to play in large groups where

hierarchical, high-status boys give orders and push low-status boys around. Language is used to seize center stage.

*Overlap is when two people speak simultaneously during a conversation. Some overlaps are cooperative – they include a few words of encouragement and not a full sentence about a different subject. Uncooperative overlap, on the other hand, is interruption. According to Tannan, someone who interrupts is expressing disinterest in the conversation, and a desire for dominance and control.

LEARNING TO FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION People speak between 120 and 180 words a minute. The average person can understand up to 400 to 500 words

a minute – almost three times more than what is required by the rate at which most people speak. This difference is referred to as the thought-speech differential, and it lends insight into why you might have

difficulty concentrating.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS ! Eliminate external distractions by shutting off a radio, moving to a quiet area, or taking some other

appropriate action. ! Sit toward the front of the room where it is easier to hear. ! Pay attention to your physical environment; don’t let the room get too cold or too hot. Make sure you are

comfortable and there is enough light. ! Have a paper and pencil handy so that as you think of things you need to do you can write them down and

get them off of your mind. THE WOLFF AND MARSNICK ONE PROCESS BRAIN CONCEPT The one process brain concept is simple. If you are listening well, you can’t be doing anything else. Not anything. The D Formula is easy to remember. When you’re listening: DDOT Don’t do other tasks DMP Don’t make plans DD Don’t daydream Accident Story (Telephone Game) A red van going east on Park Avenue, hit a grey Sudan going west. The van was driven by a 20-year-old man from San Diego. He claims he was driving at 30 mph when he was distracted by his dog, Zorro. When he looked up, it was too late to prevent a collision. The driver of the other car, Jennifer Chris, of Waterloo, swerved to the right to avoid hitting the van, but was unable to get out of the way due to a parked car. Tongue Twisters In small groups, select one of the following tongue twisters. Take several minutes and practice repeating it as a group. Then, say the tongue twister together, four times fast. Were you successful? What sounds were particularly difficult to articulate? How does articulation affect hearing?

a. Sweet silly Sally sells silly seashells. b. Carol’s colossal collection of classic comics for Christmas. c. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers peppering pieces as he progressed. d. Rubber baby buggy bumpers e. The big black bug bit the big black bear. f. Fanny Finch fried five floundering fish for Francis’ father. g. The sixth sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick. h. She stood at the door of Burgess’s fish sauce shop welcoming him in. i. The seething seas ceaseth and thus sufficeth us. j. The Chinese chieftain chastised Ching for leaving chopsticks in Chang’s chop suey.

Focused Listening Select one of the following topics. Choose a member of your group to begin talking about the topic. After two or three minutes, the person to his or her left takes over and continues speaking. Repeat this process until everyone has had a turn. Who was easiest to hear and understand? Why? Americans are known for their poor articulation. What words tend to be mispronounced? What final consonant sounds are often dropped? Did anyone have an accent or regionalism? What was it? Suggested Topics a. Things that distract my attention b. Sounds I love to hear c. People who drive me crazy d. Listening to members of my family e. Listening to the television Listening Activities A. Wear a pair of ear plugs for three or four hours during the day. How is life different for the deaf or hearing

impaired? What difficulties did you have? What aspects of communication did you miss the most? B. Listen to a tape of a foreign language with which you are unfamiliar. Take a sentence or reasonable unit of

speech, and try to repeat it. Were you successful? What problems did you encounter? Were some of the sounds difficult for you to make?

C. Notice what sounds and words attract your attention. Identify examples of sounds at the tertiary level. Listening Issues to Address Effort Message Overload Rapid Thought Psychological Noise Physical Noise Hearing Problems Faulty Assumptions Cultural Differences Media Influences “Unless you listen first, you have no way of knowing what to say. Effective communication begins

with listening, not speaking. Think of the listener as carrying 80 percent of the responsibility for effective communication” (Brownell 7).

Using Collaborative Activities to Jumpstart Homework Assignments Aimee Langager, Iowa State University Graduate Student & IHSSA Speech Judge Title of Class Session: Analyzing Advertisements Dealing with Gender Issues Objective: This activity allows students to develop analytical and evaluative skills using small group work in class. These skills can be directly correlated with individual homework assignments due later in the semester. Time Required: 50 minutes Materials Needed: PowerPoint or other electronic presentation with advertisements to discuss prior to breaking into groups. Handouts with advertisement and question (1 per group / 6 groups). Electronic presentation with advertisement for each group, so the entire class can debrief. Rationale: Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives has been a key framework for cognitive development since 1956. The six major categories helped to classify learning objectives and guide learners toward deeper mastery of a subject. While many of the major principles are still intact, the taxonomy has been revised. The structure still helps organize educational goals, improve planning of curriculum, and determine activities to aid in instruction. The revised categories are: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create (Krathwohl, 2002). Using those principles as a guideline, this activity was created to connect information from course readings and discussion to skills that will help students with an upcoming assignment. This activity can be tailored to several communication classes, but is particularly relevant for interpersonal communication and gender and diversity courses. This activity facilitates a discussion of media influence, advertising effects, and the implications of this advertising as it relates to gender. Media influences society by telling us what’s important, telling us what women and men are/should be, telling us how women and men relate to each other, and motivating us to consume (Wood, 2013). This activity engages small groups and the entire class in conversations about what the images were visually and symbolically representing, what strategies the advertisers were using, and how we felt about them as consumers. This activity preceded an individual assignment designed to help students develop further understanding of the role that advertising plays in our society and served to prime students for the assignment by moving beyond just reading and remembering the content and instead extended to the next four categories of Bloom’s: understanding, applying, analyzing, and evaluating. Method: What to do before the activity: Show the class several sample advertisements. For this class session, the class viewed similar advertisements and discussed the relevant categories that they will be searching for and do a brief analysis of two or three advertisements, highlighting one category for each advertisement. Explain the activity and procedures, reiterate the purpose of the activity, and ask the students if they have any questions before you begin (Barkley, Cross, & Major, 2005). What to do during the activity: Divide the students into groups of approximately four students each.

1. Hand each group a handout with a print advertisement they are to analyze the categories for discussion in the group. I used the following prompts.

a. Audience – who is the audience for this advertisement? b. Elements Targeting – what elements are specifically targeting this audience? c. Symbolic Messages – what symbolic messages do these elements/colors/locations/font

choices/etc. convey?

d. Gender Portrayal – how are men and women portrayed in this advertisement? Does the advertisement emphasize stereotypes? Is it neutral? Does it try to counter stereotypes?

e. Composition – what effects does the composition of this advertisement have on the overall message? What objects are placed close together? What items are in the background, etc.?

2. Allow groups to discuss and analyze their assigned advertisement (~10 minutes). At the end of their

conversation, they should be the class “experts” on their content. 3. Observe and interact with each group. Be available to answer any questions. Remind them what

sources they can turn to if they need assistance (textbook, notes, etc.). Debriefing: Instruct the students stay in their groups but return their focus to the front of the room. Starting with the first group, have the members come up to the screen to critique and evaluate the advertisement they worked on. Be prepared to ask prompting questions to get them to share information about each of the categories with the rest of the class. Once they are finished, allow the students to take their seats. Highlight the particularly important elements or cover any missed key points before moving on. Rotate and allow each group to share their insights on the advertisements (~20 minutes). If you are using this activity as a precursor to an individual assignment you can reiterate that the principles they put to use describing and analyzing this material is precisely what they will be doing for the upcoming assignment. Have them ask any questions about the assignment. Extensions & Variations:

• If time allows, ask students what their impressions were about the advertisements. The following are a few examples used for this activity:

o How did the advertisements make you feel? Why? o Do you think that is what the advertiser’s intentions were? Why? Why not?

• Have the students create their own advertisements that do not conform to gender stereotypes.

References Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major, C. H. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques, a handbook for college

faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub. Bloom, B. S., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational

goals. (Vol. Handbook 1: Cognitive domain). New York: Longman. Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy: An overview. Theory Into Practice, 41(4), 212-218.

doi: 10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2 Wood, J. T. (2013). Gendered lives: Communication, gender, & culture (10th ed.). (pp. 1-383). Boston, MA:

Wadsworth. *My heartfelt gratitude goes out to Dr. Denise Oles-Acevedo for advising me and allowing me to work this activity into her Gender and Communication course. Email teresa.lawler@ankenyschools.org for the six advertisements in color.

“You’re Invited to a Party:” An Examination of Sex Typing, Gender Ideology, and Communication

Adapted from: Charlie Dellinger-Pate Communication Teacher, Volume 17, No. 1

Fall 2002, pp. 4-6 Objective: To examine the persuasiveness of gender in our culture. Goals: To lead the students into new insights and critical awareness of the social-critical of gender construction as they differentiate between “sex” and “gender.” To explore how students make assumptions regarding the sex of a child that leads to making even greater assumptions of masculinity and femininity. Step 1: The following scenario needs to be copied so that each student receives a copy. Students are given the following hypothetical situation: SCENARIO “You have just moved into a new neighborhood and you haven’t yet met any neighbors. Because you are anxious to become a part of this community, you are delighted to see that you have just received this invitation in your mailbox from a family on your block.” INVITATION Fraternal twins Danny and Kim are turning four years old and you’re invited to the celebration! Please come and enjoy a good time and fellowship. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we would like to know your gift in advance so that we may prevent duplicates. On this RSVP form, please submit your gift idea for Danny and Kim.: Danny’s Gift Idea _________________________________________________________ Kim’s Gift Idea ___________________________________________________________ Step 2: Students will be given three minutes or less to identify their gift selection for Danny and Kim. Most students will respond quickly based on assumptions of each child’s sex. The objective of this activity is to use children’s names that commonly reference a particular sex, but can also reference the opposite sex. As such, in this activity, “Danny” is short for “Danielle.” Other names such as “Charlie,” “Mitch,” or “George” (short for “Charlene,” “Michelle,” or “Georgette,” respectively) may be used for “Danny,” but sex-neutral names such as “Chris” and “Pat” should be avoided. Likewise, “Kim” references a boy. Although it is admittedly a rare name for a boy, there are men named Kim, such as U.S. billiards champion Kim Davenport. Other names could be used instead of Kim, such as “Rosie” (e.g., Rosie Greer, a former football player) or “Dana” (e.g., Dana Carvey, a comedian).

Step 3: Once students have completed their RSVP forms, the instructor will write the responses on the board under the name of each child. Once the lists are compiled, students are (1) informed that “Danny” is short for “Danielle” and (2) asked if their gift choices would change. The toys to be returned, as well as the reasons, should be written on the board. Explore why a “boy’s toy” is or is not appropriate for a girl. In general, however, students usually don’t return many gifts for Danny because they argue that many of these toys, such as balls and games, are “fine” for girls. Next, students are (1) informed that “Kim” is actually a boy and (b) asked if their gift choices would change. In most cases, students will offer alternative gift ideas for Kim, making sure to argue why a boy cannot have a doll or other “female” toys. QUESTIONS 1. What assumptions did you make regarding the sex of the child in order to determine the gift? How important were these assumptions in determining your gift? 2. What characteristics identify specific toys as “belonging to” a girl or a boy? How are these specific toys viewed as either “feminine” or “masculine?” 3. Based on the responses written on the board, how socially acceptable is it for both girls and boys to receive both masculine and feminine toys? In other words, is one sex more “restricted” to either masculine or feminine toys than another sex? Why or why not? 4. Why are masculine toys more acceptable for girls than feminine toys for boys? 5. In addition to how boys and girls play, what other sex-appropriate expectations exist in regard to the overall communication behaviors of both girls and boys? PROCESSING

" Explore the assumption of sex in leading to socially prescribed behaviors concerning how girls and boys are expected to play. " Explore whether feminine toys bought for a child who is a boy are returned more often than masculine

toys bought for a girl.

THE SACRED RAC

An Indian anthropologist, Chandra Thapar, made a study of foreign cultures which had customs similar to those of his native land. One culture in particular fascinated him because it reveres one animal as sacred, much as the people in India revere the cow. The things he discovered might interest you since you will be studying India as part of this unit.. The tribe Dr. Thapar studies is called the Asu and is found on the American continent north of the Tarahumara of Mexico. Though it seems to be a highly developed society of its type, it has an overwhelming preoccupation with the care of feeding of the rac—an animal much like a bull in size, strength and temperament. In the Asu tribe, it is almost a social obligation to own at least one if not more racs. Anyone not possessing at least one is held in low esteem by the community because he is too poor to maintain one of these beasts properly. Some members of the tribe, to display their wealth and social prestige, even own herds of racs. Unfortunately the rac breed is not very healthy and usually does not live more than five to seven years. Each family invests large sums of money each year to keep its rac healthy and shod, for it has a tendency to throw its shoes often. There are rac specialists in each community, perhaps more than one if the community is particularly wealthy. These specialists, however, due to the long period of ritual training they must undergo and to the difficulty of obtaining the right selection of charms to treat the rac, demand costly offerings whenever a tribesman must treat his ailing rac. At the age of sixteen in many Asu communities, many youths undergo a puberty rite in which the rac figures prominently. The youth must petition a high priest in a grand temple. He is then initiated into the ceremonies that surround the care of the rac and is permitted to keep a rac. Although the rac may be used as a beast of burden, it has many habits which would be considered by other cultures as detrimental to the life of the society. In the first place the rac breed is increasing at a very rapid rate and the Asu tribesmen have given no thought to curbing the rac population. As a consequence the Asu must build more and more paths for the rac to travel on since its delicate health and its love of racing other racs at high speeds necessitates that special areas be set aside for its use. The cost of smoothing the earth is too costly for any one individual to undertake; so it has become a community project and each tribesman must pay an annual tax to build new paths and maintain the old. There are so many paths needed that some people move their homes because the rac paths must be as straight as possible to keep the animal from injuring itself. Dr. Thapar also noted that unlike the cow, which many people in his country hold sacred, the excrement of the rac cannot be used as either fuel or fertilizer. On the contrary, its excrement is exceptionally foul and totally useless. Worst of all, the rac is prone to rampages in which it runs down anything in its path, much like stampeding cattle. Estimates are that the rac kills thousands of the Asu in a year. Despite the high cost of its upkeep, the damage it does to the land and its habit of destructive rampages, the Asu still regard it as being essential to the survival of their culture. * * Patricia Hughes Ponze, “The Sacred Rac,” in Learning About Peoples and Cultures, edited by Seymour Fersh (Evanston, IL: McDougal, Little & Co., 1974), pp. 37-38.

CHECKLIST FOR ANALYZING LECTURE NOTES Circle the appropriate number

5 4 3 2 1 always some- never times 1. My lecture notes are titled and dated. 5 4 3 2 1 2. My notes are easy to read. 5 4 3 2 1 3. I underline or star the key idea. 5 4 3 2 1 4. I skip spaces between ideas and concepts. 5 4 3 2 1 5. I indent the minor points. 5 4 3 2 1 6. I utilize the abbreviations of longer 5 4 3 2 1 words. 7. I enumerate key ideas, lists, characteristics, causes, effects, reasons, etc. 5 4 3 2 1 8. I summarize the key ideas of the lecture in a 2-3 sentence conclusion at the end of my notes. 5 4 3 2 1 9. I have effective strategies for reviewing my notes. 5 4 3 2 1 10. I review my lecture notes within 24 hours. 5 4 3 2 1 EFFECTS of NOTETAKING

• Increases learner attention • Facilitates encoding of lecture ideas into long-term memory • Learners experience higher achievement

1. Students record about 40% of the details from a lecture 2. The quality of notes recorded is predictive of success on achievement tests. 3. The relationship between note taking and recall found correlations between .47 and .70 between the

number of ideas recalled and students’ performance on recall tests 4. The number of organizational pointed recorded in students’ notes had a strong positive correlation with

achievement test scores. Titsworth, S. (2001) Note taking –

• Personalize it yourself • Use checklist – these are ways to refine and improve your note taking • Typing notes – distributive studying is key.

Letter Problems

Each question below contains the initials of words that will complete the statement. Find the missing words.

Note: The authors of the test state that only a few people have been able to solve more than half of the questions on the first try.

1. 26 = L. of the A. 2. 7 = W. of the W. 3. 1001 = A.N. 4. 12 = S. of the Z. 5. 54 = C in a D. (with J’s) 6. 9 = P. in the S.S. 7. 88 = P.K. 8. 13 = S. on the A. F. 9. 32 = D.F. at which W.F. 10. 19 = H. on a G. C. 11. 90 = D. in R.A. 12. 200 = D. for P.G. in M. 13. 8 = S. on a S.S. 14. 3 = B.M. (S.H.T.R.) 15. 4 = Q. in a G. 16. 24 = H. in a D. 17. 1 = W. on a U. 18. 5 = D. in a Z.C. 19. 57 = H.V. 20. 11 = P. on a F.T. 21. 1000 = W. that a P. is W. 22. 29 = D. in F. in a L.Y. 23. 64 = S. on a C.B. 24. 40 = D. and N. of the G. F.

 

Answers to the Letter Problems

1. 26 letters in the alphabet 2. Seven wonders of the world 3. 1001 Arabian Nights 4. 12 signs of the Zodiac

5. 54 cards in a deck with jokers 6. 9 planets in solar system 7. 88 piano keys 8. 13 stripes on an American flag 9. 32 degrees at which water freezes 10. 19 holes on a golf course 11. 90 degrees in a right angle 12. 200 dollars for passing go in Monopoly 13. 8 signs on a stop sign 14. 3 blind mice see how they run 15. Four quarters in a game/four quarts in a gallon 16. 24 hours in a day 17. 1 wheel on a unicycle 18. 5 digits in a zip code 19. 57 Heinz varieties 20. 11 players on a football team 21. 1000 words that a picture is worth 22. 29 days in February in a leap year 23. 64 squares on a checkerboard 24. 40 days and nights of the great flood

I’m Only Onx Pxrson

Xvxn though my computxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx of thx kxys. I havx wishxd many timxs that it workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty six kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs thx diffxrxncx.

Somxtimxs it sxxms to onx that our group is somxwhat likx my computxr – not all thx pxoplx are working propxrly.

You may say to yoursxlf, “Wxll, but I’m only onx pxrson and won’t makx much diffxrxncx.” But, you sxx, the group, to bx xffxctivx nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry pxrson. So the nxxt timx you think you are only onx pxrson and that your xffort is not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my computxr and say to yoursxlf “I am a kxy pxrson and nxxdxd vxry much.”

Adapted from TEEN TIMES Sept/Oct ’79, Future Homemakers of America, page 21

Learning about Valuation

Goal: To explore valuation of people. Materials needed: Deck of playing cards Opening Points: We will be utilizing playing cards as way to monitor value. The cards reflect a level of value for how they are treated by others they meet. Face cards are worth the most. The middle range cards are 6-10 and you have some value – you know – right in the middle. Cards with low values of Ace to 5 have no value. You will each be given a card – YOU MAY NOT LOOK AT IT. Please place it on your forehead so that others may see it. You will now walk around the room with the card on your forehead. Just observe the facial reactions of others and how they treat you with their words. YOU MAY NOT TELL A STUDENT THE ACTUAL VALUE OF THE CARD. Students with low cards are treated as being less important than students holding face cards. To close the activity, please form a line from the most valued to the least valued, positioning yourselves at the level where you feel others put you according to other students’ actions and words. Possible Questions to Ask: • Those of you who held the FACE CARDS, how did you go about approaching others? • Those of you holding cards in the middle range (6-10), how did you go about approaching

others? • Those of you with the low cards (Ace-5), how did you go about approaching others? • How many interactions did it take before you knew your value? • How many contacts with other participants did you generate? • For each division of cards, how quickly did you gravitate toward your group? [Explore the

possible implications of some of the groups NOT wanting to group together.] • In our high school, what determines the level of respect shown to others? [Clothing,

gender, social groups, athletic ability, socioeconomic, academic success, co-curricular activities, appearance]

• What would it take for a student to value himself/herself as a zero at our school?

****************ZERO Time*************** Draw a ZERO on the board. Have students define it. DEFINE the word zero. [Worthless, nothingness, having no value, at the bottom] Now draw another ZERO. What do they see now? Do they see its pleasing symmetry? Do they realize that it stands just as tall as the other numbers and fits readily between other digits? Can they see its wholeness? Does it appear well rounded? And finally – do they hope to see plenty of zeros in their future salaries? [WOW – all of a sudden the ZERO isn’t so bad.] Additional Questions How does VALUE attach itself to students? What role does gender play in students viewing How can the disenfranchised students become engaged with the school? Or classroom? Additional Options Self-esteem Positive perceptions of self-worth Self-fulfilling prophecy Show the movie – Cipher in the Snow Additional information came from Sherrill, Jeff. “Learning About Valuation.” Leadership for Student Activities.

December 2004: 4-5.

THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF NOT LISTENING

COSTS: Identify five problems that you might experience or have experienced as a result of ineffective listening. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. BENEFITS: Identify five benefits that you could realize or have realized as a result of effective listening. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Directions: Analyze your listening behavior by responding “yes” or “no” to each of the following questions. YES NO 1. Do you ever find yourself thinking either a speaker

or the speaker’s subject uninteresting?

2. Do you ever find yourself thinking either a speaker or the speaker’s subject uninteresting?

3. Do you ever find yourself thinking either a speaker or the speaker’s subject uninteresting?

4. Do you ever find yourself getting over stimulated by what a speaker says?

5. Do you ever jump ahead of a speaker?

6. Do you ever fake paying attention to a speaker?

7. Do you ever try to avoid listening to difficult material?

8. Do you ever daydream when you should be listening to a speaker?

9. Do you ever try to process every word a speaker says?

10. Do you ever let the speaker’s delivery or mannerisms interfere with your reception of his or her remarks?

11. Do you ever let the environment or personal factors distract you from paying attention to the speaker?

12. Are there some topics you refuse to listen to?

Every “yes” is a listening behavior that merits additional work on your part.

Students pass a pencil to the right when Wright/right is said and to the left when left is mentioned.

LIFE WITH THE WRIGHT FAMILY

One day the Wright family decided to take a vacation. The first thing they had to decide was who would be left at home since there was not enough room in the Wright family car for all of them. Mr. Wright decided that Aunt Linda Wright would be the one left at home. Of course this made Aunt Linda Wright so mad that she left the house immediately yelling "It will be a right cold day before I return."

The Wright family now bundled up the children, Tommy Wright, Susan Wright, Timmy Wright and Shelly Wright and got in the car and left. Unfortunately, as they turned out of the driveway someone had left a trash can in the street so they had to turn right around and stop the car. They told Tommy Wright to get out of the car and move the trash can so they could get going. Tommy took so long that they almost left him in the street. Once the Wright family got on the road, Mother Wright wondered if she had left the stove on. Father Wright told her not to worry he had checked the stove and she had not left it on. As they turned right at the corner, everyone started to think about other things that they might have left undone.

No need to worry now, they were off on a right fine vacation. When they arrived at the gas station, Father Wright put gas in the car and then discovered that he had left his wallet at home. So Timmy Wright ran home to get the money that was left behind. After Timmy had left, Susan Wright started to feel sick. She left the car saying that she had to throw up. This of course got Mother Wright's attention and she left the car in a hurry. Shelly Wright wanted to watch Susan get sick, so she left the car too. Father Wright was left with Tommy Wright who was playing a game in the backseat.

With all of this going on Father Wright decided that this was not the right time to take a vacation, so he gathered up all of the family and left the gas station as quickly as he could. When he arrived home, he turned left into the driveway and said "I wish the Wright family had never left the house today! Right?

DISCUSSION IDEAS:

• What was happening during this activity?

• What made the activity difficult to accomplish?

• What impact did what other people do have on your ability to stay up with the story?

• How did you feel during the activity?

• What would have made the activity easier to accomplish?

• How hard was it to listen and pass the objects at the same time?

• How much of the story can you remember?

• How seriously did everyone take the activity?

• What impact did the level of seriousness have on the activity?

• What can this activity tell us about communication?

• How hard were you concentrating during the activity?

• How hard were the people concentrating on either side of you?

• How does this level of concentration compare with what you do when someone is talking to you?

• Describe a situation you have had where someone was not really listening to you when you were telling them something? How did that make you feel?

LEARNING TO FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION

People speak between 120 and 180 words a minute. The average person can understand up to 400 to 500 words a minute – almost three times more than what is required by the rate at which most people speak. This difference is referred to as the thought-speech differential, and it lends insight into why you might have difficulty concentrating.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS ! Eliminate external distractions by shutting off a radio, moving to a quiet area, or taking some other

appropriate action. ! Sit toward the front of the room where it is easier to hear. ! Pay attention to your physical environment; don’t let the room get too cold or too hot. Make sure you are

comfortable and there is enough light. ! Have a paper and pencil handy so that as you think of things you need to do you can write them down and

get them off of your mind.

Tips for Teaching Equity Lesson Plans * ESTABLISH GROUND RULES and TEACH STUDENTS THE SKILLS NEEDED TO DISCUSS CONTROVERSIAL AND SENSITIVE TOPICS Set ground rules early on. Focus on teaching mutual respect, listening, agreeing to disagree, that sincere apologies are acceptable and encouraged, anger management, forgiveness, etc. * SAFETY Create a safe classroom atmosphere, where students feel comfortable to discuss controversial topics and experience their feelings. Talk with students about the importance of confidentiality. Icebreaker exercises can be used with new groups. * EXPECT TENSION AND CONFLICT Acknowledge to students that tension and conflict will happen -- discussions on stereotypes and prejudice elicit strong emotions. Conflict does not have to be negative -- it is how we learn, change and improve. * FACILITATOR SELF-EVALUATION AND DISCLOSURE Periodically assess your own attitudes regarding stereotypes and prejudice -- recognizing both the limits and opportunities for change. Sharing personal examples of stereotypical thinking/actions and one's ability to change, with students, can be effective role modeling. Find your own level of comfort with self-disclosure or provide examples using hypothetical situations. * ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION FROM ALL Use your classroom as a learning lab to promote fairness, inclusion and recognition of different learning styles. Cooperative learning groups require that all students be given a role and/or time to speak. Monitor student participation by assigning a certain number of chips (one chip per comment) to students---encouraging the shy student to speak; while helping the talkative student to listen. Assign someone (who is comfortable and able) the role of monitoring and facilitating student participation in groups and in the larger class. Eventually ask students to self-monitor. * DO NOT EXPECT A STUDENT FROM A PARTICULAR GROUP TO BE THE MAIN SPOKESPERSON FOR THAT GROUP This may make a student uncomfortable and convey to other students that they need not be responsible for learning about diversity. * TIME OUTS If the discussion is getting out of hand or students have extreme opposing opinions, call a time out for reflection -- using writing/drawing as a way for students to express their feeling and analyze the situation. Ask that students continue thinking about the topic and NOT avoid the possible tension/anger by moving on to something unrelated. * CLOSURE -- Ending the lesson When students are discussing sensitive topics, it is important that they leave with some sense of resolve and/or knowing that the topic will be continued the following day. Assign homework to help students express their views/feelings or arrive at a conclusion. Make the time to summarize the lesson -- what did they learn? What questions do they still have? What are the main points of disagreement/agreement between class members? What concerns/topics need further attention? Adapted from, Interrupting Discriminatory Behavior, Cultural Links by Patti De Rosa

Gender Application Via Advice Columns

Each group will apply the knowledge on gender communication by writing a reply to the respective letter and sharing their advice with the entire class.

DEAR ABBY: I have been in a long-distance relationship with "Victor" for several years. Recently I began to suspect he was cheating. What raised my suspicion was that I suddenly couldn't reach him on the weekends. Usually we would Skype -- Sunday night for me, Monday morning for him.

Last February when I visited him, I snooped in his phone -- spare me the condemnation. I found an email he had written to an old girlfriend in which he suggested they plan their "next" rendezvous.

I plan on dumping him, but I don't know how to go about it. I've always been bad at dumping people. Should I write him a letter and confess that I snooped? My first inclination is to disconnect completely and say nothing.

I'm afraid to confront him because he is obviously a good liar. I'm afraid if I do, he'll make me doubt the evidence ... trust me, he's that good! -- CHEATED ON IN L.A.

DEAR ABBY: I recently exchanged pleasantries via email and text messaging with a lady I met on a website. One day later, I received a message from her stating she'd prefer our method of communication be kept to email and texting because she wasn't much of a phone talker.

Over the past few months, I have been out a number of times with other women who also expressed their preference to keep communication limited to email and texting. Is this becoming common?

I may be old-fashioned because I feel interpersonal relationships -- especially initially -- should include the element of voice inflection. I think it's more effective than a guessing game that only a full page of text can provide. Am I wrong? – WANTS TO TALK IN RENO

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I were discussing our sons-in-law, and young men in their 20s and 30s in general. We were wondering where the attitude of "any money I earn is mine" in a marriage or live-in situation got started.

For the first few years of my daughter and her husband "Joe's" marriage, Joe resented giving her any of the money he earned. My other daughter's husband thinks nothing of spending money on himself and his friends without consulting her.

We have seen this attitude reflected in their friends as well. They don't seem to discuss with each other how each is spending their "joint" income. There seems to be an element of selfishness, too.

My wife and I have been married 40 years and from the beginning I have always considered what each of us earned was OURS, not mine or hers (when she worked). We always discuss any significant purchases, and I have always believed it was my responsibility to support my family. I realize the current economic situation has made that difficult, but the attitude should still be there. – WONDERING IN WASHINGTON

Student’s Name SAMPLE Teacher’s Name SPC 101 Date

Communication Review of Good Will Hunting A. Summarize the movie Will Hunting is a mathematical genius living in South Boston who is more dedicated to his lower-class roots and habits than developing his talents. His skills are soon discovered by MIT professor Gerald Lambeau, who envisions Will as his protégé and enlists the help of shrink Sean Maguire, an old college friend, to help put Will on the right track. Will resists progress and change preferring to do manual labor and keep the life he is comfortable with, realizing that to pursue a life that his talents could lead him to would mean turning his back on his old way of living. Along the way, Will meets Skylar; a med student who begins to teach Will that there is another side to life other than knowledge. With the help of Sean, Skylar, and best friend, Chuckie, Will finally learns to open up about his violent childhood to let other people into his life. B. Explain How Good Will Hunting is an example of listening [Gender communication, self-disclosure, listening, identity management, group communication, nonverbal communication, relationship stages, perception] There are many times in the movie where examples of effective listening can be seen. The most pertinent example, as far as in context with the meaning of the film, is Will’s relationship and discussions with Sean, the shrink. Throughout the movie, Sean tries in several different ways to connect with Will but it is difficult because Will is listening not to learn or benefit, but merely to respond. This is because Will is only seeing the shrink because it is part of his probation. To finally get through to Will, Sean confronts him in the park and points out that although Will may have book knowledge, he has no worldly experience or wisdom. For each session after this, Sean patiently sits with Will in silence making it Will’s move to initiate conversation. When Will does finally talk, it is the effectiveness of Sean’s listening that makes Will comfortable enough to break down the wall he has up to the world and talk about the things that are holding him back. Another great example of listening is Skylar, Will’s girlfriend. Like Sean, Skylar longs only to talk to Will, to know more about him as a person. Given Will’s combative and protected personality, this causes a strain to their relationship. Skylar tries very hard to make it easy for Will to discuss the things that are personal to him by sharing similar things about herself, but Will does not budge. Their relationship is not resolved on screen, but at the end of the movie, Will leaves Boston to follow Skylar. A unique example of listening and communication also reveals itself in the conversations between Will and his best friend Chuckie. Leading up to Will’s breakthrough, Chuckie rebuffs Will for his refusal to use his gifts to progress himself. This hits Will much harder than the same information did when given to him by Skylar or Sean because Will trusts Chuckie and thought of all people he would be on his side. Because of this, Will is actually listening to Chuckie instead of admonishing him and defending himself.

C. What did you learn about this type of communication? Through the above examples, I learned that listening is an active process. A person must have the motivation to listen and the willingness to participate in the interaction if the communication process is to succeed. In the movie, it is Will’s refusal to listen and communicate that starts to tear apart the relationship in his life. The most poignant words and statements are wasted if there is no on there to hear them. D. How can you apply this to everyday life? Listening is almost a lost art in today’s society. As a people, we are becoming more and more apt at “hearing” things through multiple channels of communication but are becoming worse and worse at “listening” to those things. Time spent listening as opposed to hearing a much more efficient use of one’s hours because it puts a person actively into the situation instead of having the excuse as a passive observer. There are subtleties in people’s speech and non-verbal communication that give small insights into their personalities that would otherwise stay hidden. Effective listening saves time, improves clarity, and helps people bond together, something we could all use in everyday life. Possible Movies to Utilize

The Birdcage, The Color Purple, Diner, He Said, She Said, Hitch, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Knocked Up, Mr. Mom, Mrs. Doubtfire, P.S. I Love You, Tootsie, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail

IS YOUR CLASSROOM GENDER-FRIENDLY?

Adapted from STRATEGIES FOR REACHING THIS GOAL Mara H. Wasburn, College Teaching, Vol. 52/No. 4, pp. 156-157

When you ask a question, do not call on the first person whose hand goes up. Ask students to think for a few minutes before raising their hands. Women generally are more concerned about calling out wrong answers than are men, so their hands often are not among the first up. Waiting a few minutes may result in more women being willing to answer questions (Sadker and Sadker 1994). Debate vs. relate

Avoid using sports examples. Women may have difficulty identifying with sports figures. If sports are the only appropriate analogy, find women’s seems or female sports figures. Competitive vs. Cooperative

Relate material to the real world - how what you learn can be applied to help people. Women generally are more interested in learning the material if it is tied to how what they are learning can help the world; they would rather build a chair that can help a disabled person than build a chair for the sake of building a better chair (AAUW 2000; National Council for Research on Women 2001). Debate vs. Relate Check your textbooks to determine whether or not there are appropriate illustrations and in-text materials depicting women professionals. Women’s lives often are omitted from college textbooks (Sadker and Sadker 1994). If you find that is the case with your texts, or if only a few famous women are portrayed, consider including some outside materials. Women need appropriate female role models, especially if they are in nontraditional disciplines. Women pursuing nontraditional careers often receive messages from family, friends, and the media that such careers are not for women. If you have students working in teams and there are few women in your class, consider assigning the teams yourself, rather than letting the students do it. When there are few women in class, they often are the last to be chosen. Competitive vs. cooperative When you have student teams, consider rotating the assignments such that each student does each task. Women are often relegated to administrative or note-keeping tasks while the men use the equipment. Debate vs. relate If students need specialized technical and/or mathematical knowledge and experience to succeed in your course, assess where your students are and remediate early. There is a documented gender gap in computer sophistication and technical knowledge. Early assessment enables you to remediate without appearing to target your women students. If women continue to perform poorly in your course despite efforts to remediate, consider an all-women section. Women often believe that their skills are less than those of their male counterparts, even when their performance indicates otherwise. An all-women section can increase their confidence. Do not ignore students’ sexist remarks made in class; consider them teachable moments. This is an excellent opportunity to refer back to the gender exercise you did at the beginning of class and discuss stereotyping. If you inadvertently make a comment that is perceived as sexist, consider that a teachable moment as well and apologize. Your students will respect you all the more for admitting that you are human.

Five Way’s Men’s & Women’s Speech Patterns Differ

Deborah Tannan’s Research Women often speak in a tentative style that reduces their authority. Here are five speech patterns women use more frequently than men. 1. “Tag endings” Tag endings are questions tagged on to the end of sentences. They make speakers appear more unsure of themselves. SHE: “That test was tough, wasn’t it?” HE: “That was a tough test!” 2. Upward inflections A rising intonation at the end of a sentence gives a sense of uncertainty. Making a statement as a statement sounds authoritative. SHE: “My neighbor played his stereo all night, so I didn’t get any sleep?” HE: “My neighbor played his stereo all night so I didn’t get any sleep.” 3. Emotional verbs Women use more emotional verbs, such as, “I feel… I love… I hope.” SHE: “I feel the report should be laid out with page maker.” SHE: “I love the student evaluation form you designed!” In the workplace, more direct statements are stronger and better convey meaning. The report should be laid out with page maker. The student evaluation form that you designed is excellent. 4. Qualifiers and Quantifiers Qualifiers are words like “a bit” and “kind of.” “Third quarter seems a bit long.” Quantifiers such as “always,” “never,” “all,” or “none” sound more confident, less tentative. “Third quarter seems so long.” 5. Disclaimer and Hedges A disclaimer is a phrase at the beginning of a sentence that weakens the following statement: “I’m not sure but…” The hedge weakens an idea by including words like “maybe” and “sort of.”

20 ways to talk, not argue

“We need to find metaphors other than sports and war. Smashing heads does not open minds.”

Instead of this…. Say this… Battle of the sexes Relations between women and men Critique Comment Fight Discussion Both sides All sides Debate Discuss The other side Another side Having an argument Making an argument The opposite sex The other sex War on drugs Solving the drug problem Litigation Mediation Provocative Thought-Provoking Most controversial Most important Polarize Unify Attack-dog journalism Watchdog journalism Automatic opposition Genuine opposition Focus on differences Search for common ground Win the argument Understand another point of view The opposition party The other party Prosecutorial reporting Investigative reporting The argument culture The dialogue culture