THE HISTORY OF THE JIGSAW CLASSROOM. IN 1971, TEXAS HAD JUST DESEGREGATED THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND...
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Transcript of THE HISTORY OF THE JIGSAW CLASSROOM. IN 1971, TEXAS HAD JUST DESEGREGATED THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND...
THE HISTORY
OF
THE JIGSAW
CLASSROOM
IN 1971, TEXAS HAD JUST DESEGREGATED THEIR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND THERE WAS RACIAL CONFLICT IN THE CLASSROOMS.
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS IN
AUSTIN,TEXAS ASKED ELLIOT ARONSON, A
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PROFESSOR, TO WORK
ON A SOLUTION TO DEFUSE INTERRACIAL
TENSIONS IN THE CLASSROOM.
PROFESSOR ARONSON CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT OF ARRANGING
STUDENTS INTO CULTURALLY AND RACIALLY DIVERSE GROUPS CALLED
"THE JIGSAW CLASSROOM".
ARONSON FELT IT DECREASED INTERGROUP TENSION AND PROMOTED
SELF ESTEEM.
THE JIGSAW TECHNIQUE WAS RANDOMLY INTRODUCED INTO SOME CLASSROOMS AND NOT
INTRODUCED INTO OTHER CLASSROOMS.
IN COMPARING THE DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS, THEY FOUND THAT THE STUDENTS IN THE JIGSAW
CLASSROOMS EXPRESSED LESS PREJUDICE AND NEGATIVE STEREOTYPING THAN THE STUDENTS IN
THE TRADITIONAL CLASSROOMS. THEY FELT MORE SELF-CONFIDENT AND INTERMINGLED MORE IN
THE CAFETERIA AND IN THE SCHOOLYARDS.
FOR THE MOST PART, IT WORKS...
BUT SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T!
ELLIOT ARONSON WITH HIS FAMILY
AND GUIDE DOG
DR. ARONSON IS NOW 80 Y.O. AND BLIND FROM MACULAR
DEGENERATION, BUT STILL TEACHING. HE IS LISTED AS ONE OF THE
100 MOST EMINENT PSYCHOLOGISTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY.