CIRC lesson_praise (GS)

T h ink o f the s tuden t s i n you r ma th c l a s s. I f the t e ache r we re to r andomly s e l e c t a boy and a g i r l f rom the c l a s s to comp le t e a p rob l em a t the boa rd , who wou ld have the advan t age ? Some peop l e wou ld s a y i t d epends on how the t e ache r t r e a t s the two s t anda rds. W ha t i f t he t e ache r t r e a t ed them the s ame — then wha t ? Wou ld you be l i eve tha t the g i r l i s p r obab l y a t a d i s advan t age no ma t t e r wha t , even i f she i s g ood a t ma th? Wou ld you be l i eve tha t B l a ck s tuden t s may have th i s d i s advan t age i n a lmos t a l l s choo l sub j e c t s, even i f t he y a r e r e a l l y smar t ? We ’r e no t t a l k ing abou t t e ache r s o r o the r peop l e d i s c r im ina t ing aga in s t them— though th i s may t ake p l a ce— we ’r e t a l k ing abou t s tuden t s be ing a t a d i s advan t age ou t o f f e a r o f f u l f i l l i ng a negat i ve s te reo type . A s t e r eo t ype i s a g ene r a l l abe l t ha t i s u s ed to desc r ibe a g roup o f peop l e . S t e r eo t ype s a r e no t nece s s a r i l y t r ue . Examp le s o f s t e r eo t ype s a r e : peop l e who wea r g l a s s e s a r e smar t , boy s a r e be t t e r than g i r l s a t ma th , and g i r l s w i th b londe ha i r a r e dumb (hence a l l t he “dumb b londe” j oke s ) . "I'm Not The Sor t Of Person Who Is Good At This" : The Threa t Of Negat ive S te reo types