DIVINQ Promotes Open Discussion of Identity and Diversity
•Download as PPTX, PDF•
0 likes•435 views
Conference presentation to school counsellors about DIV:INQ process of secaying identity to offer new and unique opportunities for alternative selves to grow
Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
Viewers also liked
Viewers also liked (15)
Similar to DIVINQ Promotes Open Discussion of Identity and Diversity
Similar to DIVINQ Promotes Open Discussion of Identity and Diversity (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
DIVINQ Promotes Open Discussion of Identity and Diversity
- 1. DIVERSITY INQUIRY Jeannie Grant Epsom Girls Grammar Philip Patston Diversity NZ Decaying identity to offer new and unique opportunities for alternative selves to grow
- 2. BACKGROUND – decoding the matrix Jeannie: Health/PE Teacher – with curiosity and interest in complexity of ‘self’ & identity but…. Frustrated with sexuality education ‘dis-ease’ focus heteronormative, bullying… Counsellor – Frustrated with limiting conversations about diversity e.g. Invisibility/silence responses to ‘other’ diversity - disability & LGBTIA-XYZ-%$*# Philip: Gay, disabled, white, male, counsellor, social worker, comedian...what does this mean? But wait there’s more! Social Entrepreneur, Leadership Developer...who am I supposed to be? ‘Exasperated’?
- 3. CONVERSATIONS WERE HAD SOME FERMENTED FRUIT JUICES WERE CONSUMED CREATIVITY WAS UNLEASHED
- 4. A SYNERGY OF IDEAS AND SKILLS BECOMES DIV:INQ • Philosophy For Children (P4C) – ‘Gently Socratic Inquiry’ • Postmodern and post-structural thinking and concepts • Breaking down of usual concrete mechanical metaphors • Embracing ‘quantum’ ‘holographic’ ‘resonance’ ideas/metaphors
- 5. FERTILE SOIL AND TURNING IT Who? – Senior students (16-18) ‘readiness’ How? – Philip present When? – Out of class time What? – Ice breaking conversations – developing core group & culture – expand by invitation ‘word of mouth’ (unplug – red pill) Frequency? – 1x Month – weekly (demand!) PHILIP – lets take a look at what he does best
- 7. DIVINQING – WORKING ASSUMPTIONS – fertiliser? “An uncomfortable feeling is not an enemy. It’s a gift that says, ‘get honest. Inquire.’” Byron Katie DIVINQ Diversity - contradictory Labels - useful to a point – limit understanding & create assumptions No deficits/problems inherent in diversity Humour opens space for fear and assumptions to be explored Emersion and ever ‘becoming’ diverse HOW DO I KNOW THYSELF? Familiar approaches Diversity – consistent, fixed and known Labels help describe and categorise difference – more labels = better representation Some diversity needs special care, attention and work to include ‘tolerate it’ Human rights are at stake – this is serious business Diversity at a distance (objectified) KNOW THYSELF!
- 8. DECAY IS NECESSARY FOR GROWTH TO OCCUR Decaying identity sensitively Keeping an awareness of tension around values Staying ‘comfortably uncomfortable’ is the aim So WHAT is decayed? • LABELS • DUALISMS AND POLARITY • CERTAINTY • POWER • KNOWLEDGE
- 9. Meeting together! Use of science fiction (e.g. Avatar and The Matrix, SIASL-’grok it?’) Facilitators who are confident to ‘go there’ and represent actual real people Expanding connections-dimensions online (Facebook, Blog, Pinterest) EXPLORING ‘SELF’ AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION Deconstruction doesn’t just have to be an intellectually stuffy tool – get creative, visual! Shift the ‘lens’ & depersonalise Doesn’t require ‘disclosure’ - use others stories, fiction, as (con)textual references Careful use of humour– become ‘fallible’ & open with this
- 10. THE IMPORTANCE OF RE-PRESENTATON Sam Orchard Lana Wachowski Philip
- 11. VALUES AND THE NZC “Values are deeply held beliefs about what is important or desirable. They are expressed through the ways in which people think and act.” Values - NZC innovation, inquiry, and curiosity, by thinking critically, creatively, and reflectively diversity, as found in our different cultures, languages, and heritages equity, through fairness and social justice community and participation for the common good ecological sustainability, which includes care for the environment integrity, which involves being honest, responsible, and accountable and acting ethically and to respect themselves, others, and human rights. Additional values-new seeds Uncertainty Authenticity ‘Uniquity’ (as a challenge to equity) Appreciation Humility Wonder (form of epistemic vulnerability) ‘Outrospection’ ‘Joystheticness’
- 12. ‘PLANTING’ DIVINQ IN SCHOOLS – A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER DIVINQ IS NOT: Group therapy – or any therapy School service group An intervention in response to bullying of marginalised students A lesson on inclusion About blame, shame or guilt for getting ‘diversity wrong’ The silver bullet A form of support group – e.g Gay/Straight Alliance Forced integration ‘getting along with each other in spite of our differences’ Counselling, teaching, coaching or mentoring Values education
- 13. IS! A conversational process of deconstructing identity in a safe and accepting way that acknowledges and validates all expressions of self Opportunity to explore, observe, notice language, its effects and develop awareness of assumptions and responses to difference we encounter daily A dynamic authentic expression of the Key Competencies of the NZC - “Students need to be challenged and supported to develop them in contexts that are increasingly wide-ranging and complex.” Creative process – with a responsiveness in the moment Site of resistance to dominant ideas about self and identity while respecting the contribution these have made to our understanding Intentionally represents, names and locates marginalised experiences of diversity in order to provide unique perspectives - particularly around functionality and gender Aims to promote change through gentle invitation to let go of fear and be aware of limiting beliefs about difference Values alternative/fringe ideas, holding ‘lightly’ being in a contradiction and not knowing A way of being in the world – that is ‘seriously fun’ Views the way change is made is one conversation at a time - that changing the world only happens through changing ourselves
- 14. EGGS DIVINQ’ers "DIVINQ allows me to openly share my views and opinions about the world with others and be able to freely discuss them and challenge mine and others thinking“ Vanessa Yr12 Nicole Yr 12
- 15. "DIVINQ allows me to see the world from a different perspective. It has taught me to think about things differently and not to always take things for what society tells us they are. It has also made me more educated and confident to spark up a conversation/debate with someone about issues/ideas in society”. Liv Yr 12
- 16. DIVINQ provides me with a way to feel 'normal'. It's lovely to be a part of a group that appreciates my 'unusual' upbringing. My ideas are celebrated, my beliefs are challenged and I'm constantly engaged in the philosophy of "what is life?“ Josephine Yr 13
- 17. “DIVINQ is a group that celebrates the differences. It acknowledges the value of mainstream attitudes, but challenges the individual to go beyond that. I'm constantly left asking more questions, than when I enter the room, and perhaps that is the best. I love to be challenged, and found it's been a hard but humbling gesture to admit fault. DIVINQ prepares its students for the conflicts in the wider society. It gives you the freedom to speak your mind without a word limit, a central thesis or memorised list of facts”. (Josephine)
- 18. Nina Yr 12
- 19. divinq.net
Editor's Notes
- Diversity is rapidly becoming a hot topic in NZ secondary schools As SGC we are sometimes asked to provide innovation and support around diversity Present project that has grown over last 7 years and say what it might offer
- Entered teaching in 1997 rapidly found myself caught up in competing ideas about diversity HEALTH AND PE – sexuality and health caught in ‘dis-ease’ and ‘thou shalt respect people’ sense that in spite of more language and names for diversity actual inclusion, sense of belonging for students on the margins didn’t really happen LABELS actually limited and restricted understanding – at times produced unseen barriers Why? How? Want to do more! Who can help? Then I met Philip who was asking some questions….
- Organised a DIVERSITY WEEK AIM TO EXPAND, EXPLORE AND NAME DIVERSITY BEYOND CULTURE/ETHNICITY Invited philip Watched as very large group of giggly, nervous, curious young people became Captivated Engaged Thoughtful Responsive RELAXED I HAD TO HAVE PHILIP FOR MYSELF – PROPOSED – OVER PINO PUT TOGETHER THE BEST OF OUR SKILLS Group processes Facilitation Deconstruction Gently Socratic Questioning – philosophical tool HUMOUR
- Created series of themed activities and workshops A core group emerged to take up opportunity Enthusiasm and shared understanding of process – particularly the idea of becoming ‘confused at a deeper level’ One key ideas was labels and this was a strong recurring theme we encountered – kept coming back to and finding ways to deconstruct. AS LOVE DRAWS NEAR.
- 7 YEARS DOWN Generally come to some agreement about what DIVINQ does with creating an alternative space for exploring Identity Neither is better or more preferred – they both have important things to offer and we want to reiterate that Key difference is the sense that diversity is never ‘done’ our identities are always in motion – a bit like the future.
- Decaying Identity becomes an Ethical task We do experience ourselves as individuals Looking at how we come into being through various mechanisms is a bit like the Heizenberg uncertainty principle – where the obersever and the observed are locked in an eternal dance Language and social instututions have been a good source of focus Gently exploring through a range of mediums has been an effective way to enable the self to exist as both concrete and fluid
- Decaying identity IS the fertilsier Using stories ‘narratives’ particularly those offered in Science Fiction – kept a thematic energy Became part of group ID – shared form of knowing each other ‘unplugged’ ‘grok’ ‘red pill’ Humour and laughing a lot Finding ways to keep thinking going has been interesting – growing use of technology certainly enables wider audience to ‘dip in’
- DIVINQ is about BEING diverse Philip – Lana Wachowski – director of The Matrix – Trans Woman.
- BUT BACK TO REALITY – SCHOOL – HOW IS THIS RELEVANT? NZC has diversity built into its values and a few other things we think could be enriched by DIVINQ kinds of values Equity – often translated as accessibility – easily seen as providing ‘facilities’ – changing rooms and toilets Outrospection is a form of empathy Joystheticness – another new word to explain the combination of joy/asthetics/sexualtity/gender/wonder combination – some people and things are just beyond words
- BUT A WORD OF CAUTION DIVINQ IS not like other programmes or interventions – we still need all of these things! BUT ITS NOT THIS DIVINQ Is
- A NEW EXCITING VIBRANT CREATIVE COLLABORATIVE CONTEXT BRINGS ALIVE DIVERSITY IN ITS FULLEST AND RICHEST EXPRESSIONS LOADS OF FUN
- Let DIVINQERS tell you themselves