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Unit VI. Social Inequalities
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Exercise
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Knowledge of the Hidden Rules of Social Class
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Theme
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DescriptionStudents read through descriptions of daily activities and commonplace knowledge for lower, middle, and upper class people. They put a check mark next the things they know how to do, and then look to see how many check marks they have in each catergory.
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Learning GoalsTo help you gain insight into the taken-for-granted knowledge needed to survive in various social classes.
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Things NeededKnowledge of the Hidden Rules of Social Class handout, and one class period to complete the activities and discuss the results.
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ActionsAssignment: For each of the three questionnaires in the above link, place a check mark in front of each item that you definitely know how to do-right now, today, at this very minute. Be honest. If you are the least bit unsure, do not check the item. If you don’t have children, use yourself and your siblings as a reference group.
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More Information
Discussion questions from Patrick J. Ashton:
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WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT SOCIAL CLASS IN THE UNITED STATES: Analyze the type of taken-for-granted information found in each questionnaire:
· what is the knowledge about?
· how and where does one learn it?
· how do you gain access to the people and places where it can be learned?
What conclusions can you draw about the nature of the hidden knowledge necessary to be successful in each social class?WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF AS A SOCIAL BEING: On which questionnaire did you have the most check marks? On which one did you have the least? Were you surprised by the outcome? Did any of the information surprise you? How did you feel when doing the exercise? How do you account for your reaction, in sociological terms?
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Creator/Source
Adapted from Ruby K. Payne's book, A Framework for Understanding Poverty,
4th rev. ed. (2005), for an exercise developed by Patrick J. Ashton. He would be happy to learn of people’s experiences using this exercise with their students, or students’ reactions to it. His contact information is on his website.