"In 10-15 years, ….": Imagining Our Future Families

Abstract

This learning activity insists that students use their imaginations to think about what their families will look like in ten to fifteen years through actively, anonymously, and critically engaging with each other. Through anonymously filling out a handout about their future families and sharing with their peers, this activity will introduce or familiarize...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Family

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

Handout is attached as well and is key for generating discussion. Again, I have detailed what articles we read but this would be a great activity even without having read the articles.

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. 1. Encourage students to think self-reflectively about their family of origin and how it might shape their future families
2. 2. Introduce or familiarize students to concepts like family of origin, household division of labor, traditional marriage, neo-traditional/non-traditional marriage, breadwinning, caretaking, ideology, heteronormativity, amongst many other possibilities.
3. 3. Students will be able to think about their responses and their classmates’ responses through critical lenses. These discussions and thoughts can traverse beyond the classroom.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. 1. Anonymous filled out handouts, share session, and facilitated discussion.
2. 2. Students will be assessed during the facilitated discussion through how they both use the concepts on their own and how they respond when asked questions like "What do we mean when we say 'family of origin'?"
3. 3. Students will be assessed during the facilitated discussion through their response to questions like "Did anyone feel uncomfortable reading any of his/her/their responses?" or "How many of us assumed heterosexual relationships in these responses?"