DIVERSITY

INQUIRY

Jeannie Grant

Epsom Girls Grammar

Philip Patston

Diversity NZ

Decaying identity to offer new and unique opportunities for alternative selves to grow

BACKGROUND – decoding the

matrixJeannie:

Health/PE Teacher – with curiosity and interest in complexity

of ‘self’ & identity but….

Frustrated with sexuality education ‘dis-ease’ focus

heteronormative, bullying…

Counsellor – Frustrated with limiting conversations about

diversity e.g. Invisibility/silence responses to ‘other’ diversity -

disability & LGBTIA-XYZ-%$*#

Philip:

Gay, disabled, white, male, counsellor, social worker,

comedian...what does this mean?

But wait there’s more! Social Entrepreneur, Leadership

Developer...who am I supposed to be? ‘Exasperated’?

CONVERSATIONS WERE HAD

SOME FERMENTED FRUIT

JUICES WERE CONSUMED

CREATIVITY WAS UNLEASHED

A SYNERGY OF IDEAS

AND SKILLS BECOMES

DIV:INQ

• Philosophy For Children (P4C) – ‘Gently Socratic

Inquiry’

• Postmodern and post-structural thinking and concepts

• Breaking down of usual concrete mechanical metaphors

• Embracing ‘quantum’ ‘holographic’ ‘resonance’ ideas/metaphors

FERTILE SOIL AND TURNING IT

Who? – Senior students (16-18) ‘readiness’

How? – Philip present

When? – Out of class time

What? – Ice breaking conversations –developing core group & culture – expand by invitation ‘word of mouth’ (unplug – red pill)

Frequency? – 1x Month – weekly (demand!)

PHILIP – lets take a look at what he does best

DIVINQING – WORKING ASSUMPTIONS –

fertiliser?“An uncomfortable feeling is not an enemy. It’s a gift

that says, ‘get honest. Inquire.’” Byron Katie

DIVINQ Diversity - contradictory

Labels - useful to a point –limit understanding & create assumptions

No deficits/problems inherent in diversity

Humour opens space for fear and assumptions to be explored

Emersion and ever

‘becoming’ diverse

HOW DO I KNOW THYSELF?

Familiar approaches Diversity – consistent, fixed

and known

Labels help describe and

categorise difference – more

labels = better representation

Some diversity needs special

care, attention and work to

include ‘tolerate it’

Human rights are at stake –

this is serious business

Diversity at a distance

(objectified)

KNOW THYSELF!

DECAY IS

NECESSARY FOR

GROWTH TO

OCCURDecaying identity sensitively

Keeping an awareness of tension around values

Staying ‘comfortably uncomfortable’ is the aim

So WHAT is decayed?

• LABELS

• DUALISMS AND POLARITY

• CERTAINTY

• POWER

• KNOWLEDGE

Meeting together!

Use of science fiction (e.g.

Avatar and The Matrix,

SIASL-’grok it?’)

Facilitators who are

confident to ‘go there’

and represent actual real

people

Expanding connections-

dimensions online

(Facebook, Blog, Pinterest)

EXPLORING ‘SELF’

AS A SOCIAL

CONSTRUCTIONDeconstruction doesn’t just have to be an intellectually stuffy tool –

get creative, visual!

Shift the ‘lens’ & depersonalise

Doesn’t require ‘disclosure’ -use others stories, fiction, as (con)textual references

Careful use of humour–become ‘fallible’ & open with this

THE IMPORTANCE OF

RE-PRESENTATON

Lana Wachowski PhilipSam Orchard

VALUES AND THE NZC “Values are deeply held beliefs about what is important or

desirable. They are expressed through the ways in which

people think and act.”

Values - NZC

innovation, inquiry, and curiosity, by thinking critically, creatively, and reflectively

diversity, as found in our different cultures, languages, and heritages

equity, through fairness and social justice

community and participation for thecommon good

ecological sustainability, which includes care for the environment

integrity, which involves being honest, responsible, and accountable and acting ethically

and to respect themselves, others, and human rights.

Additional values-new seeds

Uncertainty

Authenticity

‘Uniquity’ (as a

challenge to equity)

Appreciation

Humility

Wonder (form of

epistemic vulnerability)

‘Outrospection’

‘Joystheticness’

‘PLANTING’ DIVINQ IN SCHOOLS –

A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDERDIVINQ IS NOT: Group therapy – or any

therapy

School service group

An intervention in response to bullying of marginalised students

A lesson on inclusion

About blame, shame or guilt for getting ‘diversity wrong’

The silver bullet

A form of support group – e.gGay/Straight Alliance

Forced integration ‘getting along with each other in spite of our differences’

Counselling, teaching, coaching or mentoring

Values education

IS! A conversational process of deconstructing identity in a safe and

accepting way that acknowledges and validates all expressions of self

Opportunity to explore, observe, notice language, its effects and develop awareness of assumptions and responses to difference we encounter daily

A dynamic authentic expression of the Key Competencies of the NZC - “Students need to be challenged and supported to develop them in contexts that are increasingly wide-ranging and complex.”

Creative process – with a responsiveness in the moment

Site of resistance to dominant ideas about self and identity while respecting the contribution these have made to our understanding

Intentionally represents, names and locates marginalised experiences of diversity in order to provide unique perspectives -particularly around functionality and gender

Aims to promote change through gentle invitation to let go of fear and be aware of limiting beliefs about difference

Values alternative/fringe ideas, holding ‘lightly’ being in a contradiction and not knowing

A way of being in the world – that is ‘seriously fun’

Views the way change is made is one conversation at a time - that changing the world only happens through changing ourselves

EGGS DIVINQ’ers

"DIVINQ allows me to openly share my views

and opinions about the world with others and be

able to freely discuss them and challenge mine

and others thinking“ Vanessa Yr12

Nicole Yr 12

"DIVINQ allows me to see the world from a

different perspective. It has taught me to think

about things differently and not to always take

things for what society tells us they are. It has

also made me more educated and confident to

spark up a conversation/debate with someone

about issues/ideas in society”. Liv Yr 12

DIVINQ provides me with a way to feel 'normal'. It's

lovely to be a part of a group that appreciates my

'unusual' upbringing. My ideas are celebrated, my

beliefs are challenged and I'm constantly engaged in

the philosophy of "what is life?“ Josephine Yr 13

“DIVINQ is a group that

celebrates the differences. It

acknowledges the value of

mainstream attitudes, but

challenges the individual to go

beyond that. I'm constantly left asking more questions, than

when I enter the room, and

perhaps that is the best. I love to

be challenged, and found it's

been a hard but humbling gesture to admit fault. DIVINQ

prepares its students for the

conflicts in the wider society. It

gives you the freedom to speak

your mind without a word limit, a

central thesis or memorised list of

facts”. (Josephine)

Nina Yr 12

divinq.net