New Uses for the Shredder
[SARN Memo for June 3, 2009]
Want to build skills in your group? Don’t get an expert who talks at you. Instead, find ways for everyone to contribute to the group’s learning. That’s popular education.
Here’s one way to do something about negative language: Bring a shredder to your meeting. Have each person share one word that he or she finds offensive. Write it down. Take turns coming forward, sharing your word, and shredding it. Have everyone cheer after each paper goes through the shredder.
Respond to this memo!1. Shredding Exercise in More Detail
Here’s one way to do something about negative language: Bring a shredder to your meeting. Tell the group that you will be working on defending the dignity of each person and promoting language that is respectful.
Invite each person to share one word or phrase that he or she finds offensive as a self-advocate. Have each person (with support as needed) write the word or phrase on a piece of paper.
Take turns coming forward, sharing your word, how you feel about it, and then shredding it. After each paper goes through, have the group cheer or repeat a simple chant, such as: “What do we want? Dignity! When do we want it? Now!”
Here are a couple photos of a group that did this as part of a human rights retreat last year.
2. About Popular Education
The popular education (PE) movement and method is a great fit for self-advocacy. PE is an international movement of education for social change among groups of oppressed people. Its goal is to create systems change that will bring about a fairer society.
A core principle of PE is that the answers to the problems facing society lie in the experiences of ordinary people. PE begins with the concrete experience and interests of the participants, who are members of oppressed groups. The learning is collective rather than individual.
Learn more about the methods of popular education at the Popular Education News Web site.
3. Resource
Offense Taken
Here’s a DVD about self-advocates who brought their shredder to the state capitol.
Today’s Trivia Question:
What’s the average daily high temperature (in degrees) for June in Alabama?
- 77
- 97
- 90
- 64
(The answer will be published in the next Memo.)
Answer to May 27th Trivia Question: c. Art Fleming
Question was: Who was the original host of the TV game show Jeopardy?
- Joan Rivers
- Ethyl Winfrey (Oprah’s mom)
- Art Fleming
- Frank Sinatra
- Clifford Beers
Do you have a trivia item you’d like to submit?
Create a trivia question and we will review your question for possible use.
Your trivia question:
The correct answer:
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Reader Responses
This is a very good exercise. This can be language OR anything that people would like to get out of their life/forget, etc. It can be used to get rid of things that people don’t like in their lives, (i.e. poor attitudes, behaviors people are not supposed to do like getting upset, not staying focused and earning more money). They can write it down and share it with everyone or it can be private.