The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

INTERNATIONAL JOHN E. DUGAN, Editor Head, Department of Education Beaver College, Jenkintown, Pa. What Can We Do About Stereotypes? by RAY 0. WOLF Supervisor of Social Studies, Portland, Oregon, Public Schools. IT IS almost trite to say that the biggest problem facing the world today is the establishing of a just and lasting peace. We have almost reached the point that Mark Twain had in mind when he made his famous remark about the weather. Educating the World Citizen I say almost because small organized groups and individuals here and there are earnestly trying to do something about it. These people know that world peace can be secured only through understanding and trust, not through misunderstanding and distrust. Most of them also realize that there is little hope of securing a wide understanding now because ideas are too fixed, too highly emotionalized, to give way to reason and understanding until communication can be improved. It is the generation now in school that will determine the degree of good will prevailing tomorrow. The problem of educating a generation that can look at people and see only individuals without regard to race, class, religion, or politics is a school problem. Teachers are the key to the problem but they can move no faster than the community is willing. In other words, adult education must go hand in hand with changes in the classroom. With a little effort, groups of parents can be banded together for study purposes to select those things from our cultural heritage which best contribute to the perpetuation and improvement of our democratic way of life. With this selection will come approval of new methods and better teaching materials. Teachers are people. They cannot be stereotyped any more than doctors, bricklayers, or musicians. Unfortunately, many of them have unconsciously acquired ideas about people in their own development that prevent them from thinking clearly. This is not unsurmountable since most teachers, because of the nature of their job and training, are constantly seeking more information, and this new information plus a wider e.xperience with people can lead them to the truth. Stereotypes in Textbooks A teacher's job of preparing children to live in harmony with their fellow beings is made most difficult if the materials placed in the classroom work at cross purposes to such a laudable aim. In such a simple concept as understanding the family and home we find an excellent example. Textbooks usually picture the "typical" family (whatever that is) living in middle class surroundings. One wonders what the majority of children, who have less than middle class homes can offer, think about when reading such books, and what the emotional impact is upon them. In another instance, what about the boy who has no father but lives with his mother, who works, in a two-room apartment. How will he react to his home after discovering that he is not "typical"? When one considers all the possible variations, the word "typical" must indeed be written in very small type. A most skillful teacher is needed to make each of her group feel secure and proud of belonging to his or her particular family with such materials. The more current materials, such as magazines, pamphlets, newspapers, etc., are improving somewhat, but textbooks will probably continue with stereotypes, half-truths and errors of omission until publishing houses are snowed under with protest. Making Better Motion Pictures A newer teaching aid that holds great promise,! because of its emotional impact on the learner, is thej 124 Educational Screen]