Introduction Activities that illuminate the psychological underpinnings of privilege and oppression are an important part of social justice pedagogy. Statement of Problem There are numerous issues with current simulations of privilege and oppression that leave social justice educators limited in the choice of activity. Literature Review Published research shows the positive impact of the use of simulation activities and the complexity of privilege and oppression activities. Literature also critiques current published activities and approaches to teaching these difficult topics. Teaching Implications Using the provided structural oppression activity circumvents many of the current issues and incorporates suggestions from previous literature. Feedback from students indicates that the activity is impactful, instructive, and engaging. Conclusion Careful consideration should be made when selecting simulation activities for social justice courses and diversity trainings, but using hands-on, experiential educational activities may be one way to effectively teach difficult topics in a way that inspires individuals to be more intrinsically motivated to confront and reduce oppression in their own lives and communities.
Discussing emotionally charged news in the classroom can be difficult and feel overwhelming. Self-reflection and validating students' emotional responses are important steps to responding to these events, as well as considering the context and intersections of identity. I discuss the pros and cons of three main approaches to responding to events in the news. I underline the importance of responding to emotionally charged events in some way and discuss research that suggests that almost all responses to emotionally charged news events in the classroom are better than no response at all.
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