The class divided - Assignment Example

The Divided The Divided In the documentary, Divided, Jane Elliott uses differing strategies to addressprejudice and discrimination. Among the strategies include making comparisons between the children in an attempt to make self-identification. The teacher begins with commending the brown eyed learners by saying they are smarter and then does the vice versa with the blue eyed learners (McFadden & Peters, 1985). Through this strategy, the teacher minimizes the chances that one group may be termed as inferior to the other group.

Through the use of influential training, the teacher uses this strategy to explain how the physical features of the learners are just mere appearances that need not influence the learners to have prejudices, that later result to racism. This stigmatization strategy that is later reversed on the groups of learners helps the learners understand the fact that racism is a pre-construction in the society (McFadden & Peters, 1985). The strategy applied by Elliott can also be termed as experimental; one that aims at inculcating feeling of diversity between the Whites and Blacks.

This brings in the concept of unity among group members that ultimately leads to unity even on racial lines just like in the case of the blue and brown eyed learners. This strategy varies according to the audience. For the case of the adults, the teacher used professional training that required the adults to repeat an exercise on diversity (McFadden & Peters, 1985). This explains that the adults, unlike the children, had to first go through training that helped them understand the meaning and importance of diversity.

The responses from the adults, opposed to the children, were nonetheless very violent. ReferenceMcFadden, J. (Director). & Peters, W. (Director). (1985). A Class Divided. [Documentary]. United States: Frontline, Yale University Films Production Co.