One of the things that makes Mix It Up at Lunch Day so great is
that it takes a light-hearted approach to a serious problem. Switching seats
and having a chat with someone new is a pretty painless way to reduce the
number of painful experiences caused by prejudice and bullying.
When preparing for the event, always try to keep it light,
especially when you get pushback from students. For example, a student might
say, “I don’t want to sit with someone else. I want to sit with my friends.”
You might feel defensive or have the impulse to tell the student that Mix is
mandatory. But, in fact, student pushback can be a perfect teaching
opportunity. Explain to the student that Mix It Up was created to reduce the
tension he or she is feeling.
Here are some ways you can respond:
- “That’s exactly why we’re doing it. So you can get to know someone you otherwise might have never talked to.”
- “It may feel uncomfortable to break out of your normal social circle, but by doing it once, there’s one more person in the world you never have to feel uncomfortable around in the future.”
There are ways your team can prepare for the
possible pushback. Just gather your core organizers and role-play possible
situations. You can practice your responses and fine-tune your answers. It’s
never too early to start, and then you’ll be prepared as Oct. 28 approaches.
Keep the Mix It Up spirit alive, and catch up on more Mix 2014 info here. It will be here before
you know it!
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