Effects on Learning
We all strive to create a classroom environment that is safe and welcoming for all students. However, when stereotyping occurs, this environment can be placed in jeopardy. When there are multiple stereotype groups within the classroom, boundaries and borders can be formed between students. They may neglect their classmates and even refuse to work with them due to the stereotypes associated with that particular individual or group. This may inhibit the sense of unity that is developed in the classroom. Furthermore, if you mistakenly or purposely stereotype your students, they will emulate this stereotype in the future affecting your relationship of trust and honesty. An example of stereotyping effects on classroom environment could occur when the "popular kids" stereotype group refuses to work or sit near the "band geeks" stereotype group in the classroom.
Another way stereotyping can affect students is within their academic performance. This pertains to the amount of effort students give on the work they complete in and out of class. If students are being affected by a negative stereotype they may exhibit poor work ethic in certain subjects. An example of this could refer back to Gender Role stereotyping. A young male students may be told he can't perform well in English when writing poetry because he is a male and can't express his emotions through writing. In turn, the student starts to slack off in English and turns in superficial work so he doesn't look weak or feminine when writing poetry in English.
What to look for......
Sometimes watching out for the negative effects of stereotyping can be as easy as being observant of your students. Look for behaviors that are out of the ordinary. Do you have a really united class that is suddenly becoming separated or hostile? Are there certain students that are always left out of group work or discussion? Are these students that are left out different in some way than the majority of the students in your classroom? For instance, are the jocks in the classroom refusing work with the band members? Are the girls in the drama club refusing to sit next to the cheerleaders? These are possible signs that stereotyping is negatively effecting your classroom. Also, watch out for your individual students. Do you have a normally A+ student that is suddenly getting C's and D's? Are you receiving sub par work from students who are normally going above and beyond? It is important that you monitor student's academic performance to be aware of the negative effects of stereotyping.
WANT TO KNOW MORE??
Click the button above to explore a possible lesson plan from Discovery Education that helps you explain the negative effects of stereotyping to your students. This can be a valuable lesson to include when you are noticing issues of stereotyping the classroom.
"He found that when a person’s social identity is attached to a negative stereotype, that person will tend to underperform in a manner consistent with it."---Claude Steele
Is it possible that a student struggling in your class isn't actually misunderstanding the information presented? Is it possible he/she has been told somewhere along the way that he/she was not good enough because he/she was male/female? Check out this article that titles Stereotyping as "The universal performance killer".
What are you supposed to do?
5 Steps to Take When Your Classroom is Being Negatively Affected by Stereotyping
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Set Yourself Up For Success! -Before stereotyping takes hold on your classroom, start your year off on the right foot in order to possibly prevent such issues from taking place. For example, set clear guidelines about respect between students and respect between yourself and students. These guidelines should be nonnegotiables but should be phrased in a positive way (We will respect each other's differences). Doing this at the very beginning of the year will begin your creation of a healthy and open classroom environment.
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Take Notice! --Watch for signs that your class is starting to be affected by negative stereotypes. As mentioned above, if your class starts to divide down an almost visible line, take note of who is on each side. Watch for outlier students who don't really take either side of the fence. Keep an eye on these students for any negative mental or emotional reactions. Try to keep track of some of the activities your students are involved in. Do you have a lot of athletes but hardly any FFA members? Are these separated groups working together on assignments? Keeping track of small things like this can prepare you to take action if stereotyping becomes an issue.
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Take Action! --If your classroom starts to become divided or hostile, do not wait for the problem to die down. Often times the problem will not solve itself and you will have to make a direct intervention. Some possible things you could try:
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changing up the seating chart, placing those who wouldn't normally interact beside each other
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assign partners for group work, deleting the possibility of a student not getting picked due to a negative stereotype associated with them
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allow opportunity for open discussions, getting all class members involved to encourage the students to work together
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Educate! --If your classroom is getting out of hand and you have multiple signs of stereotpying taking place, it might be time to take break from the poetry or math equation and throw in a mini lesson about the dangers of stereotyping. It may sound cliche but including a very breif lesson might be the wake up call your students need. Here is a great lesson to use in a high school History class.
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Intervene! --Again this is the part that might make some of your uncomfortable but it is important to intervene if your classroom environment is being negatively affected by stereotyping. Don't be afraid to respectfully confront your students about the changes you are seeing. Ask for honesty and let your students know you are trying to understand what is happening to the once united class they use to be. It is important not to draw attention to any groups of students or individual students who are being singled out since this might cause more negative effects for them. However, talking to these groups or this student after school may be beneficial to finding out some of the issues going on in your classroom.