Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

35 minutes – Part A: Identifying Labels
30 minutes – Part B: Representation And Visibility
20 minutes – Part C: Your Unique Voice
15 minutes – Reflection

Part A: Identifying Labels

Step 1.

Show students this image:

image of four tomatos still attached to each other by its stem

Get them to complete this sentence with the appropriate ‘labels’:

This is ______. It is/they are _______.
Possible answers: tomatoes/a tomato; fruit/vegetable, food, red, round, grown on a vine.

You might like to create a shared online document so students can type in their own answers for the next few activities. Make sure to set some boundaries around appropriate usage.

Step 2.

Show students this image:

Get them to complete this sentence with the appropriate ‘labels’:

This is ______. He is _______.
Possible answers: Hope; a puppet, pink and yellow, furry, cute, a drawing.

Step 3.

Show students this image:

Get them to complete the sentence:

This is ______. He is _______.
Possible answers: Ian Thorpe, a man; a swimmer, an Olympian, famous, Australian, white, male.

Step 4.

Play this IMAGI-NATION{TV} interview with Ian Thorpe:

AIME TV Interview: Ian Thorpe (https://vimeo.com/214101616)

Invite students to take notes on anything said in the interview about who Ian Thorpe is.
Possible answers: swimmer, one of the greatest Olympians Australian has produced, gay, role model, mentor.

Invite students to Turn & Talk on the concept of authenticity - being your true self.

Step 5.

Note that Ian Thorpe (4:27 - 6:26) was originally challenged by being labelled ‘gay’, because it sounded like an accusation and he wasn’t confident in his own identity when it first happened. He also expressed that he no longer finds the label an issue: “Even though I struggled to come out, I don’t struggle being out.”

Lead a class discussion about how labels (and how they are used) affect people. Use these questions as prompts:

Why do we feel we need to label others and ourselves?
What do you think is the true purpose of labels?
Are labels helpful in some cases?
Do labels have negative consequences?
Is labelling others appropriate or demeaning?
Is it possible for labels to empower us or inspire others?
What might happen when people decide to ‘own’ their labels?

Step 6.

Play this video in full:

Claiming your Identity by understanding your self-worth. | Judge Helen Whitener | TEDxPortofSpain (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57FMau29O_g)

Invite students to find out a little about Judge Helen Whitener, or explain that she is a Supreme Court judge in the State of Washington, USA. Her labels have not defined her self-worth, nor achievements.

Lead a discussion about the connection between labels (‘codes’) and self-worth. Invite students to consider how they can maintain or improve their self-respect by the way they relate and respond to their own labels (‘codes’). Ask them too to consider how they may be privileged by their labels and how they can be respectful to others (in owning their labels).

Part B: Representation And Visibility

Step 1.

Invite students to work independently to complete the following:

What others can see/notice about me (e.g. gender, race, age, physical features/disabilities, language):
What others can’t see, but know about me (e.g. religion, preferences, talents, ancestry, values):
What I wish others knew about me:
What I don’t want others to know about me:
What I don’t yet know about me:

Step 2.

Invite students to THINK PAIR SHARE on these questions:

Are all identity labels visible?
What are some ways people choose to make their hidden identity labels more visible?
Possible answers: having flags or symbols on clothing, jewellery or personal property (e.g. Aboriginal flag or artwork, LGBTQIA+ rainbows, Christian cross, hijab).

Step 3.

Invite students to discuss the use of symbols in making identity visible.

Note: Some students may have picked up on this in the previous activity, but if they haven’t, introduce the idea of symbols using the possible answers listed above.

You might like to use these questions as prompts:

What symbols are used by people to express their race, nationality or religion?
Do you know of any other symbols that help people express hidden aspects of their identity?
Why do you think symbols are important for expressing identity?
Can you think of any other ways people express their identity?

Step 4.

Hand out sheets of blank A4 paper and invite students to imagine they are going to create their very own identity flag or t-shirt. They will need to create a logo or drawing that expresses visible and hidden elements of their identity to go onto their unique flag or t-shirt. Make it clear they should only include aspects of their identity they are comfortable sharing with others.

You might like to provide them with these prompts for consideration:

How might you express your identity without using common labels?
How could labels help you feel strong in your identity?

If you have the skills and equipment for screen printing or fabric painting, you could invite students to bring in a plain t-shirt and help them decorate it. Alternatively, students might like to pin up their designs around the classroom.

Step 5.

Invite students to share their designs with a small group. They should explain the symbols they have used and why they are important to them.

Part C: Your Unique Voice

Step 1.

Play the following IMAGI-NATION{TV} interview:

Brooke Boney (https://vimeo.com/311985724/1ceb177bde)

Lead a class discussion on the following:

What identity labels did Brooke Boney own?
Did you notice either Ben (the interviewer) or Brooke wearing any identity symbols?
How was the ‘Aboriginal’ identity portrayed in the media when she was young?
Do you think Brooke is a role model for other young Aboriginal people? How?

Step 2.

Invite students to reflect quietly on this quote by Brooke Boney:

“Don’t ever feel shame to speak up and say something because of who you are or your background or ‘coz you think people won’t care, because even if they don’t care, you still deserve to speak and your voice still deserves to be heard.”

You might like to give students an opportunity to share their thoughts with the group.

Step 3.

Invite students to answer the following questions individually:

How can you speak differently about your labels/identities?
Do you require labels in order to have a strong sense of identity?
What responsibility do you hold because of your identity labels?

Step 4.

Invite students to complete the following task:

Imagine you have been asked to be interviewed for a vlog, podcast or newspaper. Complete the following:

Write a biography that describes yourself that owns any aspects of your identity you want to share with others.
Write down three key messages you most want to share during the interview. Consider how these points connect with your identity labels.
Share your biography and messages with a partner and ask for feedback (or consider these questions on your own):
- Does what I’ve written represent me?
- Have I unintentionally hidden part of my identity?
- Have I deliberately hidden parts of my identity? What reasons do I have for doing this?

Reflection

Invite students to sit in a circle and reflect on the following questions:

How have you seen labels cause damage to others?
How can we be more careful about how we apply labels to others?
How can we be more courageous about owning our own identities?

Differentiated Learning

Extension -

If students are interested in exploring alternative labels, or the fluidity of labels (for example, around gender or sexual preference), they could conduct some research.
These sites are a good place to start for understanding non-gendered pronouns and non-binary sexuality and/or gender identity labels:
- https://deconforming.com/gender-identities/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/different-types-of-sexuality#4
- https://www.entitymag.com/labeling-sexuality-identity-facts/
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/non-binary-pronouns-why-they-matterb_5a03107be4b0230facb8419a
Some students may not agree that identity labels are necessary or helpful and believe they can even be harmful. They may see them as perpetuating stereotypes and division. This is a valid argument. Invite these students to explore their feelings around identity labels through research and writing, developing an oral presentation or essay describing their views and debunking some commonly held myths about how individuals and societies navigate the issue of personal identity and identity labels. Encourage them to explore alternative perspectives and find references to bolster their arguments.

Provisions for Learning Support -

Part A, Step 6: This video may be challenging for some students. Feel free to skip it.
Some students may need some additional support to understand the concept of shame and how it relates to identity. It could be because they don’t have a lived experience of being outcast or put down, or maybe because the concept of shame is difficult to differentiate from feelings of embarrassment or guilt. For some additional support in understanding shame, students can read this article:
- Brené Brown On Shame: ‘It Cannot Survive Empathy’

Invite them to reflect on how labels can be a tool for taking away the silence that makes shame grow.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

IMAGI-NATION{TV} - Owning My Identity

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