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Note: Updated March 23. This study guide is still in DRAFT/TEST form. We are still hard at work improving, expanding, formatting and distilling these materials. Daily updates, edits and changes will occur. Feedback, comments and questions can be sent to education@roseneath.ca. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Description
Students have an opportunity to practice introducing themselves and their pronouns and to gently correct others when they make mistakes.
Big Idea
To learn why certain assumptions may be harmful to many people, including trans people, and ways of speaking to others that are inclusive of all people.
(Grades 7-8 Below)
Minds On
Prompt: “I’m going to tell you a pretend story. I want you to close your eyes and listen to my voice. One day, Erin the nurse was on their way home from the hospital. They were almost home when all of a sudden there was a huge gust of wind and Erin was blown up, up, into the sky. Erin was blown so far that they were over top of the Lake Ontario. Luckily, when Erin floated down to the water, Erin was rescued by a mermaid. Unluckily, the mermaid was a people eater and took Erin to a dark cave. Luckily, Erin put the mermaid to sleep with a soothing song. Unluckily, Erin was still underwater. Luckily, Erin could hold their breath for a long time and was able to swim to the surface. Unluckily, Erin was far away from shore.”
Action
Tell students that they will have a chance to keep telling the story with a partner or to come up with a new one, but that you are going to talk about Erin as a class first.
Questions
What do we know about Erin? How do you know?
If a student says Erin is a girl, ask them how they know. Let them know that people of any gender can be nurses and that people of any gender can be named Erin. Read the story again and ask them if they know Erin’s gender from the story.
What are some words that we use for different genders?
He, she, they, person, man, woman, girl, child, boy, Mr., Ms., Mx, Mrs.
If students introduce words that reference non-binary gender, you can discuss now or postpone until the end of the activity.
Tell the students that you are going to tell them a bit more of the story and to yell “Try again!” if you use words that reveal gender.
Prompt
Teacher: Unluckily, Erin was far away from shore. Luckily, he knew how to talk to birds.
Students: Try again!
Teacher: Luckily, Erin knew how to talk to birds. Unluckily, there were no birds nearby. Luckily, Erin knew how to make bird calls and called as loud as she could.
Students: Try again!
Teacher: Luckily, Erin knew how to make bird calls and called as loud as Erin could. Unluckily, they didn’t see any birds coming. Luckily, Erin is a smart boy.
Students: Try again!
Teacher: Luckily, Erin is a smart person. That’s why everyone calls Erin Mrs. Know It All.
Students: Try again!
Teacher: That’s why everyone calls Erin a Big Know It All.
Tell students to find a partner and continue Erin’s story or invent a new one. Instruct them to shout “Try again!” if their partner makes a mistake. This should be a fun activity or game - create a space where failure is welcome.
Consolidation/Discussion and Connection
Was it easy, hard to avoid gendered language?
Are there times when it comes naturally?
When you are talking about a situation when the person/people could be of many genders. E.g. “The student will complete the following pages. They will then hand them into the classroom teacher.”
How do we know what words to use when we talk to or about someone?
After discussion, see prompt below.
Prompt
“We usually make assumptions based on the way that person looks, but those assumptions aren’t always true. The best way is to ask the person. That’s what we’re going to practice now.”
Action
Distribute A Guide to Pronouns to students and review it with them. Ask students to get into pairs or small groups. Have students practice introducing themselves to each other using a variety of pronouns and have them practice asking others for their pronouns. Let students know that there are many ways to ask for and to share pronouns. The purpose of the activity is to practice with a variety of pronouns and to have fun. Encourage students to find as many ways as they can of asking for and sharing pronouns. If their intent is to be respectful and they are open to making changes if they make a mistake, they are on the right track!
Consolidation/Discussion and Connection
Why might it be hurtful to gender someone incorrectly?
Connect the relevance of this topic to transgender folk.
Can we tell a person’s gender just by looking at them?
How can we find out how to talk about someone in a way that feels right for them?
Note to teachers: Creating a safe space for trans and non-binary students is something that should happen from the first day of class. Calling names from a class list can be a very harmful start to your class for trans and non-binary students. A Pronoun Go Around as part of class introductions can help create a safer space. See Pronoun Go Around for guidelines on incorporating pronouns into class introductions.
Minds On
Tell students to find a partner and to tell a story about something that they have done with a friend recently without revealing the gender of that friend. This means that they should avoid gendered pronouns (he, she, his, her). Instruct the listening partner to shout “Try again!” if their partner makes a mistake. This should be a fun activity or game - create a space where failure is welcome.
Questions
Was it easy, hard to avoid gendered language?
Are there times when it comes naturally?
When you are talking about situation when the person/people could be of many genders. E.g. The student will complete the following pages. They will then hand them into the classroom teacher.
How do we know what words to use when we talk to or about someone?
After discussion, see prompt below.
Prompt
“We usually make assumptions based on the way that person looks, but those assumptions aren’t always true. The best way is to ask the person. That’s what we’re going to practice now.”
Action
Distribute A Guide to Pronouns to students and review it with them. Ask students to get into pairs or small groups. Have students practice introducing themselves to each other using a variety of pronouns and have them practice asking others for their pronouns. Let students know that there are many ways to ask for and to share pronouns. The purpose of the activity is to practice with a variety of pronouns and to have fun. Encourage students to find as many ways as they can of asking for and sharing pronouns. If their intent is to be respectful and they are open to making changes if they make a mistake, they are on the right track!
Consolidation/Discussion and Connection
Why might it be hurtful to gender someone incorrectly?
Connect the relevance of this topic to transgender folk.
Can we tell a person’s gender just by looking at them?
How can we find out how to talk about someone in a way that feels right for them?
Note to teachers: Creating a safe space for trans and non-binary students is something that should happen from the first day of class. Calling names from a class list can be a very harmful start to your class for trans and non-binary students. A Pronoun Go Around as part of class introductions can help create a safer space. See Pronoun Go Around for guidelines on incorporating pronouns into class introductions.