A goal of Mix It Up at Lunch Day is to take a relatively light-hearted approach (switch seats for one day) to a complex and difficult topic (prejudice and intergroup relations).
By now you have a core group of organizers and a basic plan for the day. You’ve likely also dealt with some pushback about the event. This represents a huge opportunity for you and is a mainstay of the learning we hope happens around Mix It Up.
Maybe a student has asked you, “Why should I have to sit with someone else? I like to sit with my friends.”
Questions such as this are golden teaching moments. The tension students feel about changing their habits is exactly the tension Mix It Up seeks to reduce.
So when faced with a question like that, try a surprising response: “Wow! You get it. That’s exactly why we’re doing it, because it feels uncomfortable to break out of our normal social circles. So for one day, we’re willing to experience that tension so we can get to know someone we otherwise might never talk to.”
There are many ways to respond. Avoid being defensive or saying people “have to” take part.
A good exercise right about now is to gather your core organizers and have them role-play this situation, with one being a student complaining about the day and the other an adult responding. Talk about the responses and work together to fine-tune the answers, practicing them so everyone is comfortable answering these kinds of questions in the weeks leading up to Oct. 29.
Keep the Mix It Up spirit going. We’re almost there!
Mix It Up at Lunch Day is Oct. 29!
Breaking news! As a 2013 participant, your school will automatically be entered into a drawing for one of 10 sets of exclusive Mix It Up posters. Have a friend or colleague who hasn’t registered yet? If they register by Oct. 9, they’ll be included as well!
Questions about Mix It Up? Ideas for Mix It Up organizers at other schools? Other thoughts? We welcome feedback—and can respond to questions—on Facebook or Twitter. You can also browse our free Mix It Up resources online.
