Thank you for sharing the activity. Sounds like a lot of fun plus a very
valuable learning experience. did you hand out characteristics of each
group before hand so they could "assume" the roles? Sounds like an activity
I might want to try with my nursing students. Thanks again.
Mary


At 04:37 PM 1/20/00 -0500, you wrote:
>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)
>
>
Mary Canales, RN, Ph.D.
School of Nursing
University of Vermont
Rowell building, Room 216
Burlington, VT  05405-0068
802-656-3065
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Crossing borders, Changing lives