Awakening preservice teachers' awareness of privilege.

Abstract

Teachers in the United States are overwhelmingly White, middle class women with little experience with diversity, but the student population is approximately 40% nonwhite; therefore, most minority students are taught by White teachers. If White educators are not sensitive to their own privileged status in U.S. culture, they can unconsciously make minority students feel marginalized and unwelcome in the classroom environment. Teacher education needs to address this issue. The Privilege Walk is an activity that introduces the concept of White privilege. Preservice teachers' responses to the Privilege Walk indicate that it is effective in sensitizing them to White Privilege. Most intend to use the Privilege Walk to stimulate discussion of privilege with their own students. Other privileges, in addition to skin color, are suggested as extensions of this activity.

Introduction

Approximately 95% of teachers in the United States are White, middle-class females with little or no experience with diverse cultures, according to Zimpher & Ashburn (cit. in Jordan, 1995). The school-age population of the U.S, however, is composed of about 40% minority students, a number that is increasing each year (Banks, 1991). This cultural mismatch of teachers and students is of concern to experts in the field of social justice and critical literacy (Delpit, 1995; Henkin, 1998; Lee, Menkart, & Okazawa-Rey, 1998). When teachers assume that the white experience is the normal situation, even well meaning and caring individuals can create learning difficulties for minority students (Sleeter & Grant, as cited in Deering & Stanutz, 1995).

The Challenge for Teacher Education

Teacher educators attempt to prepare teachers to succeed in any classroom. In order for these future educators to be able to teach all students, however, they need to learn more than pedagogy.

I teach children's literature to preservice teachers at a university where the demographics closely match the findings of Zimpher and Ashburn (cit. in Jordan, 1995), who describe U.S. teachers as overwhelmingly White, female, and raised in a cocoon of Whiteness. In five years of teaching, I have had one Black student. In any given class of 40 students, only 2 or 3 students have been male. In a survey given at the beginning of each semester, half of my students report that they know less than four people of a different race or culture on a personal level Over 20% of this group knows one or no people from a race or culture other than their own. During the first days of the semester, talk of social justice and cultural diversity brings blank stares from many students.

The Privilege Walk

The first step in developing preservice teachers' sensitivity to address the needs of minority students is to have them look more objectively at their own status in society. This past semester I used a "privilege walk" (Foss, 2002) to awaken students to the inequities embedded in daily life. Borrowing McIntosh's (1998) statements, I asked my students to line up shoulder to shoulder against the longest wall in the classroom. We had pushed all desks to one side of the room. As I read each statement, the students took one small step forward if they could answer "yes." If they couldn't answer "yes," they stayed where they were. The 26 statements described everyday situations that demonstrated the subtle privileges of being White in the United States. Some examples:

I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people nof my race widely represented.

I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to "the person in charge," I will be facing a person of my race.

If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.

I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.

I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys and children's magazines featuring people of my race.

I can choose blemish cover or bandages in "flesh" color and have them more or less match my skin. (McIntosh, 1998, p. 80).

Although McIntosh's list was originally prepared as an autobiographical experiment and not intended to be used as a checklist of social injustice, I felt that it would be a good way to start the social justice conversation in my classroom of future teachers. Foss's "walk" seemed an effective strategy for getting everyone actively involved. With very few exceptions, students moved in unison across the room Because of the crowded conditions, the line could not stay straight, but bunched in places. Students who did not move with every statement were not noticeable. The students were very quiet as they returned to their seats and replaced the desks in the usual arrangement. In the subsequent discussion, many expressed surprise at the privileges that they had taken for granted.

Preservice Teacher Reaction to the Privilege Walk

During the next class period I distributed a brief survey for response to the privilege walk. Students were asked to describe how the experience affected their understanding of social justice. They circled either "a lot,.... a little," "not much," or "not at all" and explained why they chose that response. Out of 61 students, 9 indicated that the privilege walk affected their understanding "a lot." The majority, 39 students, reported that the experience affected their understanding "a little." There were 11 students who felt that the activity had "not much" effect. Only 3 students wrote that the exercise affected their understanding of social justice "not at all." Sample student responses follow. Responses from students who reported that the activity affected their understanding of social justice "a lot":

   Some of the issues brought up from the activity I never thought
   of before. It gave insight into the lives of others from
   different races. Even though I thought "of course" to many of
   the answers, I never realized others thought "no way" to the same
   question. I became aware of a lot of things that I didn't realize
   were something to worry about. Being white, middle-class male,
   I wasn't concerned with a lot of things that minority groups are
   forced to deal with.

Responses from students who reported that the activity affected their understanding of social justice "a little":

   I guess I never knew that so many things are in favor of the White
   race. After this exercise it made me realize that the White race
   does get special privilege. It was an eye opener for me. The
   questions asked were some that I never would have thought would be
   an issue. It was good to hear what others might be going through and
   it gave me a better understanding of social justice. At one point I
   was glad to be who I am and then I thought it is people just like me
   who maybe don't care what other races might have to deal with. I do
   care and hope someday everyone will.

The comments of these 48 students who answered "a lot" or "a little" demonstrated that the Privilege Walk had helped them to see through new lenses. Understanding that not all United States citizens experience this society as welcoming and supportive allows future teachers to begin to listen to their students and to appreciate individual perspectives. Since the activity takes place in a Children's Literature class, it helps to support our study of multicultural literature. Students appreciate the need to become more knowledgeable and more accepting of other cultures. After the Privilege Walk, students can more easily understand the importance of assuring that all their students can see themselves reflected in at least some of the children's literature in the classroom. A library of children's books in which every child is White tells the nonwhite students, "You are not part of this world. You don't matter."

The Privilege Walk's introduction to current racial issues allows students to identify more easily with the challenges of minority characters in children's literature. They also realize that discrimination is present in everyday life. Responses from students who reported that the activity affected their understanding of social justice "not much":

   I was fortunate to have grown up in an area with a great variety of
   culture and therefore had already established a good understanding
   of social justice. Our class is so very similar that you really
   don't get to see the differences in social justice first hand. In a
   way it was useful because I got to see how similar our class was,
   but it made the minorities seem to be special, or stand out.

Responses from students who reported that the activity affected their understanding of social justice "not at all":

   All the questions were specifically worded to make middle-class
   whites step forward. This could be seen when the questions were
   read. It was very obvious where the activity was going the whole
   time. They are all things that we already knew. It might have
   been neat if we had more diversity, but it might have made the
   non-whites feel "singled-out" and bad. Everyone participating in
   the "walk" was white, and, except for some of the women, had never
   experienced discrimination before, so it had no effect on me because
   everyone answered the same to almost every question.

Some students who responded "not much" or "not at all" had lived in an area of the country with more diversity and were already more aware of social justice issues. Others misunderstood the purpose of the activity. They felt that the goal was to demonstrate the diversity among students and, because our class was almost homogeneous, that having everyone step forward across the room proved nothing. This misconception indicates to me that in the future I need to focus more on the significance of our sameness (and that of teachers across the U.S.) and the consequences of White privilege and its effect on nonwhite populations.

A Native American student in the class expressed a different perspective. She reported that the activity changed her view of social justice "a little" for this reason:

   I didn't realize that there are so many people that have not
   experienced the down side of social justices. Being that I
   grew up on an Indian Reservation, prejudice and inequalities
   have been a fact of my life from day one. It was really strange
   for me to be the only one that didn't move forward on all of
   the questions.

This was a unique response, since she was the only nonwhite student in the class. It demonstrates, however, the power of the Privilege Walk to engage all students.

Another survey question asked my students if they would do a Privilege Walk with their future students. More than 90% felt that the activity, with age-appropriate adjustments to the statements, would be one that they would use to engage their students in critical thinking and productive conversation related to cultural perspectives and social justice. A sample response:

   Yes, I think that I would. It would be a great way to move into a
   multicultural education unit. You can tell students facts and stats
   all day without much effect, but when something like this is used
   where they can see and be part of the results, I think it really
   sinks in.

The first-person nature of the Privilege Walk demands an immediate personalization of the statements. The responses of students, in general, encourage me that the activity is effective in raising the awareness of the fact that not everyone is equal in our society. Most students in my classes are genuinely amazed at their privileged status. These statements, however, refer only to racial privilege. Although White privilege permeates our culture, there are many other ways in which individuals experience systemic advantage.

Additional Privileges to Consider

I integrate many social justice issues into my children's literature course. Living vicariously through characters in multicultural literature allows students to begin to feel the sting of injustice and to empathize with those who suffer from unearned systemic disadvantage.

In addition to African-American, Asian, Native-American, and Latino books for children, the course also includes children's literature dealing with homelessness, child abuse, homosexuality, and the environment. In order to allow students to identify more closely with the characters of these books and to expand the concept of privilege to include these other areas, I have created additional statements, addressing these issues, to add to the current Privilege Walk:

Homelessness: I know where I will be sleeping tonight and feel confident that I will be safe and dry and warm. When I need to fill out a form, I know exactly what to write in the space for "address." I can come to school knowing that my personal belongings will be just where I left them when I get back.

Child Abuse (from the perspective of when my students were children): I always felt safe at home. When I was at home, I knew I would have enough to eat. I could make a mistake in my house without fear of being hit or yelled at.

Homosexuality: I can walk across campus without hearing comments about my sexual orientation. I can go on a date to a public place and feel confident that people will not stare or make snide comments. If another person and I are in love, we can, if we choose, get married and raise a family.

Environment: I breathe the air in my town knowing that it is clean and safe. I drink water from the faucet in my home, confident that it is free from harmful chemicals. I can spend time in my yard and know that the soil is not contaminated with toxic waste.

These statements describe privileges that most of us take for granted. Recognizing that some individuals cannot answer "Yes" to these, should make us consider why. It is the "Why is it like this?" and "Who is benefiting from this?" questions (Edelsky, 1999, p, 22) that begin to address systemic issues that are part of the fabric of our society. These issues are only a few of the privileges that we take for granted. As more issues are discussed, it will become apparent that everyone has both unearned systemic advantages and disadvantages. Teachers have students in their classes every day who are dealing with social justice issues such as these. The more aware teachers are of student needs, the more effective educators they will be.

Alternative Format

McIntosh (2003) suggests a format of small group discussion for exploration of unearned systemic advantages. In three rounds of sharing, each participant tells one unearned disadvantage, one unearned advantage, and his or her response to the activity.

In this personal testimony, the privilege or lack thereof belongs to the contributors and avoids the possibility that the list of statements will become a checklist or a questionnaire. Next semester I will use both strategies and get feedback from students. The important thing is that students become more aware of the challenges facing their students and how these systemic disadvantages can affect learning.

Conclusion

The goal of the Privilege Walk is reflection on one's place in U.S. society. The fact that almost all of my class moved in unison across the room and were surprised by their privileged status underlines the problem of White teachers teaching minority students. It is not only minority students, however, that suffer from systemic disadvantage. Expanding the concept of privilege to recognize other forms of social injustice sensitizes teachers to the needs of their students.

Courses in teacher education tend to focus on content and methods of teaching that content. Teaching, however, is more than just content and delivery. The learning environment is more effective if it is safe and supportive and meaningful to students. Teachers need to be aware of the perspectives of their students. Education courses need to address the privilege gap between teachers and learners. The Privilege Walk is a beginning, a way for future teachers to see the world through the eyes of their students.

References

Banks, J. (1991). Teaching multicultural literacy to teachers. TeachingEducation, 4, 135-144.

Deering, T. & Stanutz, A. (1995). Preservice field experience as a multicultural component of a teacher education program. Journal of Teacher Education 46, 390-394.

Delpit, L. (1995). Other people's children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. New York: The New Press.

Edelsky, C. (Ed.). (1999). Making justice our project: Teachers working toward critical whole language practice. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Foss, A. (2002). Peeling the onion: Teaching critical literacy with students of privilege. Language Arts, 79, 393-403.

Henkin, R. (1998). Who's invited to share? Using literacy to teach for equity and social justice. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Jordan, M. R. (1995). Reflections on the challenges, possibilities, and perplexities of preparing preservice teachers for culturally diverse classrooms. Journal of Teacher Education, 46, 369-374.

Lee, E., Menkart, D., & Okazawa-Rey, M. (Eds.). (1998). Beyond heroes and holidays: A practical guide to K-12 anti-racist, rnulticultural education and staff development. Washington, D.C.: Network of Educators on the Americas.

McIntosh, P. (2003). Some notes for teachers and facilitators on presenting my White privilege papers. Wellesley, MA: S.E.E.D. Project on Inclusive Curriculum, Wellesley Centers for Women.

McIntosh, P. (1998). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. In E. Lee, D. Menkart, & M. Okazawa-Rey (Eds.), Beyond heroes and holidays: A practical guide to K-12 anti-racist, multicultural education and staff development (pp. 79-82). Washington, D.C.: Network of Educators on the Americas. Joyce Herbeck, Montana State University 

Herbeck is an assistant professor in the college of Education, Health, and Human Development. Her research interests include critical literacy, children's literature, and teacher education.