How to teach kids to talk about taboo topics | Liz Kleinrock

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yizhou Wang

So, a few years ago,

幾年前，

I was beginning a new unit on race with my fourth-graders.

我正要開始教我的四年級學生 一個關於種族的新單元。

And whenever we start a new unit,

每當我們開始一個新單元時，

I like to begin by having all the students list everything they know about it,

我喜歡一開始先請學生列舉出 他們對該主題所知的一切，

and then we also list questions we have.

接著，我們也會列出我們的疑問。

And I had the type of moment that every teacher has nightmares about.

我也曾經有過每位老師 都會遇到的惡夢般的經歷。

One of my students had just asked the question,

我的一位學生問了這個問題：

"Why are some people racist?"

「為什麼有人是種族主義者？」

And another student, let's call her Abby,

另一位學生，就稱她為艾比，

had just raised her hand and volunteered:

舉起手主動發言：

"Maybe some people don't like black people because their skin is the color of poop."

「也許有些人不喜歡黑人， 因為黑人的膚色很像大便的顏色。」

Yeah, I know.

是啊，我知道。

So, as if on cue, my entire class exploded.

果然不出所料，

全班的學生就不約而同的爆發了。

Half of them immediately started laughing,

其中一半的人馬上開始笑，

and the other half started yelling at Abby

另一半的人開始對艾比大吼，

and shouting things like,

喊出像這種話：「喔，天， 你不能那樣說，那是種族主義！」

"Oh, my God, you can't say that, that's racist!"

So just take a second to freeze this scene in your mind.

花點時間，

讓我們來想像一下當時這個場景。

There's a class of nine- and ten-year-olds,

這是一群九到十歲的學生，

and half of them are in hysterics

其中一半的人歇斯底里，

because they think Abby has said something wildly funny,

因為他們認為艾比說的話超好笑，

and the other half are yelling at her for saying something offensive.

另一半在對她吼叫， 因為她說了冒失的話。

And then you have Abby, sitting there completely bewildered

接著，還有艾比， 她困惑地坐在那裡，

because, in her mind, she doesn't understand the weight of what she said

因為，她不能意識到 她剛剛說的話有什麼影響，

and why everybody is reacting this way.

也不了解大家為何會有這些反應。

And then you have me, the teacher,

然後，還有我，這班的老師， 站在角落，即將恐慌症發作似的。

standing there in the corner, like, about to have a panic attack.

So as a classroom teacher,

身為老師，

I have to make split-second decisions all the time.

我總是需要非常快速地做決策。

And I knew I needed to react, but how?

我知道我得要做出反應， 但要如何反應呢？

Consider your fight-or-flight instincts.

想想看你的「要戰或要逃」直覺。

I could fight by raising my voice and reprimanding her for her words.

如果要戰，

我可以拉高聲音，斥責她剛說的話。

Or flight -- just change the subject

或者要逃——就改變主題，

and quickly start reaching for another subject,

立刻開始去找另一個主題，

like anything to get my students' minds off the word "poop."

能讓我的學生不要再想 「大便」的任何主題都好。

However, as we know, the right thing to do is often not the easy thing to do.

然而，你們都知道， 對的事通常不是那麼容易做的。

And as much as I wanted this moment to be over,

雖然我好希望這一刻能快點結束，

and that I knew both of these options would help me escape the situation,

而且我知道這兩種方式 都能使我脫離這個處境，

I knew that this was far too important of a teachable moment to miss.

但我同時也知道，這是教導孩子們 不可錯失的好機會。

So after standing there for what felt like an eternity,

我覺得自己站在那裡很久很久了，

I unfroze and I turned to face my class, and I said,

接著我有動作了，我面向全班，說：

"Actually, Abby makes a point."

「其實，艾比的話值得我們想想。」

And my students kind of looked at each other, all confused.

我的學生困惑地看著彼此。

And I continued,

我繼續說：

"One reason why racism exists

「種族主義之所以存在， 其中一個理由

is because people with light skin have looked at people with dark skin

就是因為膚色較淺的人 看到膚色較深的人時，

and said that their skin was ugly.

說他們的皮膚很醜陋。

And even use this reason as an excuse to dehumanize them.

甚至用這個理由來當藉口， 不把他們當人來對待。

And the reason why we're learning about race and racism in the first place

我們之所以要學習了解 種族和種族主義，

is to educate ourselves to know better.

就是為了教育我們自己， 有更多的了解。

And to understand why comments like this are hurtful,

要能夠知道為什麼 像這樣的評論會很傷人，

and to make sure that people with dark skin

並確保膚色較深的人

are always treated with respect and kindness."

都能夠受到尊重和仁慈的對待。」

Now, this was a truly terrifying teachable moment.

這真的是個很讓人害怕的教育時刻。

But as we moved forward in the conversation,

但隨著我們繼續進行談話，

I noticed that both Abby and the rest of the kids

我注意到艾比以及其他孩子 都仍然願意參與。

were still willing to engage.

And as I watched the conversation really marinate with my students,

當我看著我的學生沉浸在談話當中，

I began to wonder how many of my students have assumptions just like Abby.

我開始納悶，

我的學生當中有多少人 有著和艾比一樣的假設。

And what happens when those assumptions go unnoticed and unaddressed,

如果他們的假設沒有被注意到 也沒有被提出來，會發生什麼後果？

as they so often do?

其實這情況經常發生。

但，首先，我認為 很重要的我們回過頭來，

But first, I think it's important to take a step back

and even consider what makes a topic taboo.

想想到底是什麼讓禁忌成為了禁忌？

I don't remember receiving an official list of things

我不記得有人給我過一張正式的清單 上面列出了不該談的主題。

you're not supposed to talk about.

But I do remember hearing, over and over, growing up:

但，我確實記得 在成長過程中一再地聽到

there are two things you do not talk about at family get-togethers.

有兩樣東西在家庭聚會時是不能談的。

And those two things are religion and politics.

那兩樣東西就是宗教信仰和政治。

And I always thought this was very curious

我一直很好奇為什麼，

because religion and politics often are such huge influencing factors

因為宗教和政治通常是

組成我們身份和信仰的重要因素。

over so many of our identities and beliefs.

But what makes a topic taboo

但，一個主題會被認為是禁忌，

is that feeling of discomfort that arises when these things come up in conversation.

是因為在談話中提到的時候 會令人感到不適。

But some people are extremely fluent in the language of equity,

但，有些人會說 極流利的「平等語言」，

while other people fear being PC-shamed

其他人則會害怕， 想避開政治正確的問題，

or that their ignorance will show as soon as they open their mouths.

或是怕一開口就會 暴露出自己的無知。

But I believe that the first step towards holding conversations

但我認為，若要談論 像平等這類的主題，

about things like equity

is to begin by building a common language.

該採取的第一步就是 建立一種共同語言。

And that actually starts with destigmatizing topics

若要這麼做，首先就要幫那些

that are typically deemed taboo.

通常被視為禁忌的話題 把污名去除掉。

Now, conversations around race, for example,

舉例來說，關於種族主題的交流，

have their own specific language

會有它們自己的特定語言，

and students need to be fluent in this language

學生必須要能把 那種語言說得很流利，

in order to have these conversations.

才能進行這類談話。

Now, schools are often the only place

通常，唯有在學校

where students can feel free and comfortable

學生才能夠自由地提出問題的空間，

to ask questions and make mistakes.

即便犯錯也無須太多顧及。

But, unfortunately, not all students feel that sense of security.

但，不幸的是，並非所有學生 都能感到那樣的安全感。

Now, I knew that day in front of my fourth-graders

我知道，那天我面對著 那些四年級學生，

that how I chose to respond could actually have life-long implications

我知道我當時回應問題的方式，

可能會在他們的人生中 留下長遠的影響，

not only for Abby, but for the rest of the students in my class.

不僅僅是影響艾比一人， 還會影響到其他班上的學生。

If I had brushed her words aside,

如果我選擇略過她所說的話，

the rest of the class could actually infer that this type of comment is acceptable.

班上其他學生可能就會因此認為 這樣的評論是可被接受的。

But if I had yelled at Abby

但如果我對艾比大吼，

and embarrassed her in front of all of her friends,

在她所有的朋友面前給她難堪，

that feeling of shame associated with one of her first conversations on race

那種羞辱的感覺

會與她第一次談論 種族問題的體驗連接在一起，

could actually prevent her from ever engaging on that topic again.

或許會讓她迴避再次參與那個話題。

Now, teaching kids about equity in schools is not teaching them what to think.

在學校中教孩子們平等，

並不是要教他們要想什麼。

It is about giving them the tools and strategies and language

重點是要給他們工具、策略、語言，

and opportunities to practice how to think.

和機會，來練習如何思考。

For example, think about how we teach kids how to read.

比如，想想看我們如何教孩子閱讀。

We don't start by giving them books.

我們不會單純 就丟給他們書讓他們讀。

We start by breaking down words into letters and sounds

我們一開始是把生詞 拆解成字母和發音，

and we encourage them to practice their fluency by reading every single day,

鼓勵他們尋找夥伴或朋友， 透過每天閱讀來提高流暢度，

with a partner or with their friends.

And we give them lots of comprehension questions

我們給他們很多理解式的問題，

to make sure that they're understanding what they're reading.

確保他們他們真的了解 他們在讀的素材。

And I believe that teaching kids about equity

我相信教孩子「平等」這一主題

should be approached in the exact same way.

也應該用同樣的方式。

I like to start by giving my students a survey every year,

每年，我都會從給予學生 一項調查來當作開端，

about different issues around equity and inclusion.

調查內容是平等及包容相關的議題。

And this is a sample survey from one of my kids,

這是我的一位學生所寫的調查，

and as you can see, there's some humor in here.

你們可以看出，

在她的字裡行間透露出小小的幽默。

For under the question, "What is race?"

在「種族是什麼？」這題底下，

she has written, "When two or more cars, people and animals

她寫著「就是至少兩台車、 兩個人、兩隻動物

run to see who is fastest and who wins."

賽跑來決定誰最快、誰贏。」

However, if you look at her question, "What is racism?"

然而，如果你看她在 「種族主義是什麼？」底下寫的，

it says, "When somebody says or calls someone dark-skinned a mean name."

她寫「一個人用很粗俗的字詞 來稱呼膚色較深的人。」

So, she's young, but she's showing that she's beginning to understand.

所以，她年紀很小， 但她顯然已經開始了解。

And when we act

如果我們的做法顯示出

like our students aren't capable of having these conversations,

我們把學生視為 沒有能力進行這類談話，

we actually do them such a disservice.

我們其實是在幫他們倒忙。

Now, I also know that these types of conversations

我也知道這類的交流

可能會令學生感到害怕，

can seem really, really intimidating with our students,

especially with young learners.

特別是針對年紀小的學習者。

But I have taught first through fifth grades,

但一年級到五年級我全都教過，

and I can tell you, for example,

我可以告訴各位，舉例來說，

that I'm not going to walk into a first-grade classroom

我不會走進一間一年級的教室，

and start talking about things like mass incarceration.

然後就開始談像是 大規模監禁這類事物。

But even a six-year-old first-grader can understand the difference

但即使是六歲的一年級生 也可以分辨差別，

between what is fair -- people getting what they need.

知道什麼是公正——

人們得到他們所需要的。

We identified a lot of these things in class together.

我們一起在班上討論出了 很多這類需求。

And the difference between fair and equal --

知道公正和平等有什麼差別——

when everybody gets the same thing,

平等是每個人都得到同樣的東西，

especially goody bags at birthday parties.

特別是在生日派對上的禮品袋。

Now, first-graders can also understand the difference

一年級生也可以分辨出

between a punishment and a consequence.

懲罰和後果之間的差別。

And all of these things are foundational concepts

所有這些，都是基礎的概念，

that anyone needs to understand

人人都需要了解，

before having a conversation

然後才能進行關於美國 大規模監禁的談話。

about mass incarceration in the United States.

Some people might think that kindergarteners or first-graders

有些人可能認為， 幼稚園生或一年級生

are too young to have conversations around racism,

還年紀太小，無法進行 關於種族主義的談話，

but also tell you that young kids

但卻也告訴你，小朋友

understand that there are many different components

了解我們的身分是由 許多不同的成分組成，

that make up our identities

and how people are similar and different,

也了解人們有什麼相似和差異，

and what it means to have power when other people don't.

以及在其他人沒有權力的情況下， 擁有權力所代表的意義。

When we have these conversations with students at a young age,

當我們和年紀很小的學生 進行這類談話時，

it actually takes away some of that taboo feeling

其實會讓他們在長大之後 再接觸到那些話題時

when those topics come up at a later age.

所感受到的禁忌感降低些。

I also know that teaching about these things in schools

我也知道，在學校教這些東西

can feel like navigating a minefield.

感覺可能會像是 帶著大家穿越地雷區。

For example, what happens if parents or families

比如，如果父母或家人不認同

aren't on board with having these conversations in schools?

在學校進行這類談話，會如何？

But to these people, I can say:

但，對這些人，我會說：

these are some examples of things that students have said to me

這些都是學生過去對我說過

and brought to my attention.

並引起我注意的事。

For example, I had a student come in and whisper to me,

比如，有一次有位學生來找我，

對我悄悄地說：

"I've heard all these people use the term LGBTQ,

「我聽到大家都在用 LGBTQ 這個詞，

but I don't know what it means and I'm too embarrassed to admit it."

但我不知道它是什麼意思， 我又不好意思承認我不知道。」

I had a student come in over a weekend and come up to me and say,

有位學生在週末來找我，說：

"You know, I just watched this movie about Australia,

「你知道嗎，我剛看了 一部關於澳洲的電影，

and it made me wonder if they have racism there, too."

讓我很納悶，他們在那裡 是否也有種族主義。」

And I always want my students to be comfortable having these conversations

我總是希望我的學生能夠 很自在地進行這類談話，

because when they're comfortable talking about it and asking questions,

因為當他們能很自在地 談論它並問問題時，

they also build comfort in bringing in their own lives and experiences

他們也會能夠從容地 將他們自己的生活和經驗帶入，

in how they relate to these big topics.

跟這些大主題做連結。

Also, some teachers might be kind of nervous

此外，有種情況可能會 讓一些老師感到緊張，

if a student brings up a topic or asks a question

那就是學生提起 一個主題或問一個問題，

and they don't know the answer to it.

他們卻不知道要如何回答。

But if a student ever brings something to my attention

但，如果有學生 讓我注意到某樣事物，

and I don't know the answer,

而我不知道如何回答，

I will always admit it and own it

我一定都會承認並負起責任，

because I'm not going to pretend to be an expert in something

我不應該在我沒有經驗 或我不是權威的領域中

that I don't have experience in or I'm not an authority on.

假裝我是專家。

That same year, I had a student come in

同年，有位學生來找我，

and ask a question about the LGBTQ community.

問了一個關於 LGBTQ 族群的問題。

And I just didn't know enough to give them an appropriate answer.

我當時知道的不夠多， 不足以給他們妥當的答案。

So instead, I encouraged that student

所以，我反而鼓勵那位學生

to reach out and ask that question to a representative of a nonprofit

把這個問題拿去請教 一個非營利組織的代表，

who had come to speak to our class about that very same issue.

因為這位代表來我們的班上 演講的就是這個議題。

When we admit to our students that we don't have all the answers,

當我們向我們的學生承認 我們也有不能解答的問題，

not only does it humanize us to them,

不僅會讓他們意識到 我們也是一個普通的人，

it also shows them that adults have a long way to go, too,

也讓他們知道，就算是成年人，

在「平等」這樣的議題上 也還有很多需要學習與了解的，

when it comes to learning about issues of equity.

Now, a little while back, I wrote a lesson about consent.

不久前，我準備了一堂課， 內容是關於「同意」。

And, to some people, this was very exciting

有一些人感到十分興奮，

because I took this topic that seemed very taboo and scary

因為我把這個看似 非常禁忌且駭人的主題

and I broke it down into a way that was accessible for young learners.

拿來拆解分析， 讓年輕學習者也能夠理解。

However, to other people,

然而，對其他人而言，

the idea of consent is so strongly tied to sex,

「同意」這個概念 和「性」非常有關，

and sex is often considered a taboo subject,

而「性」通常被視為 是一個禁忌話題，

that it made them very uncomfortable.

讓他們十分不舒服。

But my students are third-graders,

但，我的學生是三年級生，

so we're not talking about sex in class.

所以，我們在班上 並不是在談「性」。

Rather, I wanted them to understand

我反而是希望他們能夠了解

that everybody has different physical boundaries

每個人對於討論議題的 接受程度都非常不同。

that make them feel comfortable.

And the social and emotional intelligence it takes

需要有足夠的社會和情緒智慧，

to read somebody's words and tone and body language

才能去覺察理解一個人的 話語、語調、肢體語言，

are skills that often need to be explicitly taught,

我們需要明確教導學生這些技能，

the same way we teach things like reading and math.

就像教導學生閱讀和數學一樣。

And this lesson is not reserved for students of one single demographic.

這些內容並不是只教給 某種人口族群的學生。

Things like questioning and making observations

像提出質疑、做觀察， 及批判性思考這樣的東西，

and critical thinking

are things that any student of any race or ethnicity

不論是什麼種族、文化認同、背景、

or background or language or income or zip code should be learning in schools.

語言、收入、以及在哪裡居住的學生 在學校裡都應該要學習的。

Also, deliberate avoidance of these conversations

此外，刻意避開這些談話，

speaks volumes to our students

其實反而是不言而喻，

because kids notice when their teachers, when their textbooks

因為孩子們會注意到 他們的老師、他們的教科書

leave out the voices and experiences of people like women or people of color.

省略了像是女性或有色人種 這些族群的聲音和經歷。

Silence speaks volumes.

沉默其實就是最充分的證明。

I recently asked my class of third-graders

最近，我問我的三年級班級，

what they would say to adults who think they're too young

他們會怎樣回答 成人說他們還太年輕，

to learn about issues of equity.

還沒有能力學習 關於「平等」的議題？

And while this is a small sample of my 25 students,

我的二十五位學生， 雖然只是個很小的樣本，

all of them agreed

但他們全都同意，

that not only are they capable of having these conversations,

他們不僅有能力可以進行這類談話，

but they view it, the right to learn it, as a right and not as a privilege.

且他們認為學習「平等」這個議題

是他們應有的權利， 而不是一種特權。

And, in their words:

引述他們的話：

"We're big enough to know about these things

「我們夠大了，足以懂得這些事，

because these problems are happening where we live.

因為這些問題發生在 我們生活的地方。

And we have the right to talk about them

且我們有權可以談論它們，

because it will be our life in the future."

因為那會是我們未來的生活。」

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）