Decking Order
This activity will engage studentsin understanding bias, identity, and inclusion vs exclusion. De-briefing this activity, representing a microcosm of our society, will show students how we treat each other and how we segregate ourselves into similarly-valued groups. It also speaks to perception and marginalization. This can be altered in many ways:
- Give a playing card to each student in your class and ask him/her to NOT look at the card. Tell the students the card represents their power, status, and value. The number or face card represent the way the world sees him/her. Identify categories for the cards. For instance, 2-6 would be of lowest value; 7-10 represent a mid-value; face cards would be a better value; and the ace card would be the best. You might even allow the joker to represent a wild card—any value.
- Ask students to stand and hold the card to their foreheads, not knowing what the card value is. Instruct them to socialize and treat each other according to the value on the card on each person’s head. Students should be free to mingle with plenty of room—often the center of a circle of chairs.
- Stop them after a few minutes—you’ll be able to see how some have been shunned and cannot join a conversation. Ask them to continue not to look at their own card value and to line up according to how they felt they were valued by others. Instruct students who felt the most valued to line up on one side and the line should continue to decrease in value.
- Begin with the least valuable side and question each student about what he/she believes is on his card. Probe students with why do you think that is your value? How did others treat you? Permit that student to see the value on his/her card after each student’s perspective is shared. Move through the line, ending with the aces in the group.
Variations:
- Only give part of your class the cards and allow others to make careful observations.
- Give students permission to be dismissive, petty, passive aggressive as well as complimentary and to over exaggerate.
- Avoid describing the values of the cards and only tell students to interact by acting like the value of their card.
- Allow students with no card to enter the interaction circle.
Adapted from Ron Jones, Dialogues on Diversity, 2014