Hey everyone just wanted to share a success story with you.  The
Recreational Sports Office held its spring semester staff training over the
weekend.  One of the break out sessions included a Stereotype Activity.
The group, of about forty students, were broken up into countries.  Each
country was named after a Winnie the Pooh character.  We had the Pooh's (of
course), the Rabbits, the Owls, and the Tiggers.  Each country had a group
leader who explained "there way of life"  how they communicate, how the
walk, etc…

For example the Poohs were very slow in answering questions, the rabbits
never made eye contact, the owls always interrupted and the Tiggers were
very over bearing.  After each country understood there "way of life" all
of the students interacted with the mission of determining the other
countries way of life.  At the end we all sat down and discussed the
exercise.  Students would say that the Owls were rude and know it alls,
that the Pooh's were stoners, the Tiggers, well no one liked the Tiggers.

We then discussed each country's culture and how the others were perceived.
 Lastly, we related this to customer service in the Rec Department and how
we view our patrons.  Needless to say the students realized that using
stereotypes to judge people is a mistake.  It surprised them and opened
their eyes, lets hope now they take what they learned and apply it.

Thought you all would want to know.


Kurt D. Klier,
Coordinator of Intramural Sports & Aquatics
The University of Vermont
Gucciardi Recretion & Fitness Center
Burlington, Vermont  05405
(802) 656-4483
(802) 656-7686 (FAX)