1. A High School Small Group on Diversity Issues
Opposites Attract:
A High School Small Group on Diversity Issues

2. Purpose
To help students understand themselves and others, in order to decrease conflict within the school.

3. Goals
Students will learn about cultures, religions, genders, and sexual orientations different from their own.
Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.
Students will use cultural awareness and conflict resolution skills to establish and maintain positive relationships.

4. Objectives
Students will be able to identify and explain significant foods, events/holidays, and people from at least three cultures.
Students will be able to identify at least one common interest they have with each group member.
Students will be able to use cultural awareness and conflict resolution skills to establish and maintain positive relationship.

5. Group Demographics High school students
Diverse cultural, sexual, gender backgrounds
Eight to ten students
Juniors and Seniors
Identified as having been in multiple conflicts

6. Function of Counselor
To guide students in their journey of self-exploration
- Understanding their culture of origin
- Understanding their negative and positive associations with their culture of origin
To guide students in their learning of differing cultures
- Identifying significant leaders, events, and foods that are in fact representative of their culture
To guide students in acquiring the attitudes, knowledge, and interpersonal skills necessary to understand and respect self and others
- Identifying specific conflict resolution skills

7. Discussion
Group helps to create a safe school environment and healthy peer relationships
Group helps students to maximize their potential in the areas of personal identity development and peer relationships
Group will allow students to reflect on their personal experiences and learn about differing cultural groups

8. Evaluation
Research shows that a lack of self-identity and values lead to student misbehaviors/conflict
(Ratts, DeKruyf, & Chen-Hayes, 2007) .
Research shows that students who are exposed to cultural information and conflict resolution skills have healthier peer relationships
(Fontes, 2003; Helms & Cook, 1999; McKenna, Roberts, & Woodfin, 2003).

9. Assessments Pre-group interview Needs Assessment Pre-report card
Post-report card
Small group evaluation form

10. Communication Parent letter Teacher letter
Student-teacher confidentiality agreement

11. Outline Week 1: Getting to Know the Group
Week 2: Learning About Each Other’s Cultures (Culture Presentations)
Week 3: Identifying Diversity Issues in the Media
Week 4: Identifying Diversity Issues in Our Personal Lives
Week 5: Walk the Line: Sharing Personal Struggles Publicly
Week 6: Group Member Interviews: Similarities and Differences
Week 7: Role Play: Conflict Resolution Skills
Week 8: Brainstorming for Multicultural Day

12. Multiple-Intelligences
Group Presentations
Videos
Graphic organizer/discussion
Walk the line
Interview
Role-Play
Brainstorming/planning

13. Week 4 Activity: Identifying Diversity Issues in our Personal Lives

14. Names I’ve been called
Names I’ve called others
Times when I was treated unfairly
Times when I was unfair to others

15. Prejudice

16. Discrimination

17. A ttitudes B ehaviors C onsequences

18. Discussion Points
How does it feel to talk about prejudice? Discrimination?
Look back at the names people said they have been called. How might they have felt when called those names?
What about people who name call or treat others unfairly? Do the people who feel prejudice and discriminate against others experience any consequences? If so, what?
What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination?
You can look at what we have written and tell if people in this group have suffered from prejudice and discrimination. What could you do to make up for some of that?