A. Defining Role Models

1. Guided discussion

* Ask the students to tell about women they like and admire. Some questions to consider:

• Why do you like and admire them?
• How do these women affect or influence you?
• Do you try to be like them in any way?
• Do these women have any common qualities or similarities?

* Make a list of the reasons students give.
* Talk a bit about role models.

• What does the term mean?
• Does it just mean cover girls or women who model clothes?
• A model shows how something is done or how it looks. A role is the part you play. What are some more ways to define the term?

2. Categorizing

* Take six large sheets of paper, and on each write one of the examples given in the bulleted list in the introduction to this chapter.
* Put the sheets up around the room.
* Read the sheets with the group, discussing what the categories mean, if necessary. You might add a few words to each so you will remember what you talked about.
* Keep these sheets. You will need to refer to them several times, later in the chapter.

* Divide students into small groups, and ask them to follow these steps:

• Tell your group about some woman you admire. Tell why.
• Look at the categories on the flip chart sheets around the room, and decide if your woman fits any of these categories. If so, put the name on the right list.
• If the woman does not fit anywhere, try to explain why to the group. Can you create another category to include the woman? If so, make a flip chart sheet and put it up. Someone else in another group may want to add some examples.
• Tell about as many role models as you like. Think back to when you were younger. Who were your role models then?

3. Pair interview

Handout 117

* Divide the students into pairs to talk about the effect role models had on them when they were younger. You may want to hand out the list of questions (page 117) for them to use as a guide.

4. Guided discussion

* Some questions to consider:

• What would happen if you chose a wealthy white actress as your role model, or a young sports star?
• What happens to self-esteem when you try to be like a role model who is very, very different from you?

5. Writing

* Ask students to write about one of the women they admire. Share the writing with the class in your usual manner or make a collection, perhaps a book.

* Students might choose to bring something that makes them think of their role models. It could be something the women owned, a picture, something she made, or something that represents her or her world. Students could make oral presentations to the class or write about the objects and read the writing to the class.