Jane Eliott Strategies

The strategy used by third grade teacher Jane Eliott to teach children about discrimination and racism was a great idea. Besides who would be able explain to third graders why Dr. king was assassinated. The children were divided into two groups which consisted of brown eyes and blue eyes. The blue-eyed individuals were instantly happy when they were told they would have playtime first with extra recess time. The brown-eyed people were not allowed to drink from the water fountain nor play with the blue-eyed people on the playground. During recess the brown eyed people expressed how they felt not being able to play with the blue-eyed friends. One child stated that it felt as if his friend was being taken away. A fight was ensued due to the name calling (brown-eyed), one of the children referred being called brown

eyed to how black people are referred to as niggers. The next day brown-eyed people were made superior to blue eyed people. Once the roles were reversed some of the blue-eyed children were not accepting the change well. We as people must have respect and understanding for each other no matter what race, religion, or sex. When I first started to view the documentary, I was a bit skeptical. The comments made by the children were somewhat offensive and I began to wonder where would they learn such things. Hate, racism, and discrimination are all learned behavior. I realized the children were only relaying information and feelings according to what the learned.
I think that since the children were placed in two separate groups that they felt the need to join together in their groups.

It was out of extinct that they joined because they were not allowed to really have contact with the other group. In addition, the fact that Jane was part of their environment as a superior, also influenced the students. At times, she would say things that made one group feel more superior or inferior like commenting how fast the superior group were at their test. Having an authoritative figure made the superior group feel more superior than they were already. I believe that the children of the second group started to boast and discriminate the inferior group because of the social identity theory. The theory states that people favor ingroups over outgroups in order to enhance their self-esteem. Thus, the children of the second superior group started to belittle the other group in order to enhance their self-esteem, which was previously hurt being in the inferior group. When people are rejected or discriminated against by a group of people or faced with social rejection (“superior” or not), are more likely to respond

aggressively.