The Model The complete model
consists of six phases and a core model of four. The core model consists of
those phases that are considered essential to the process; the complete model
includes the core and those other phases which are considered important,
although not essential, depending in large part on the objectives and
intentions of the users, the needs of the target audience, and the time
allotted for the task.
The four phases of the core model are as follows: Phase I:
Setting the Climate Phase II: The Way I See Myself and Others; Phase
III: The Way Change Occurs in Me and Others Phase V: Where Do I Go From
Here? The two extra phases that form the complete model are: Phase IV:
Case Study Phase VI: What Have I Done? Am Doing? Hope To Do?
They are asked to identify
those chains that perpetuate negative attitudes in women
and keep them stuck in the past. |
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Phase I: Setting the
Climate This phase takes place in a large group session and
involves a brainstorming. The participants are asked to name general attitudes
about women, both their own and those of others. The participants are asked to
make judgments, positive or negative, about these attitudes which are then
recorded on charts.
The task of coming to grips with these judgments is a good
climate-setting exercise. Such attitudes as selfish, money-grabbing, sex-
objects, are not difficult to label as negative; either are the attitudes like
kind, generous, or loving, difficult to list as positive; but such attitudes as
emotional, aggressive, demanding, become difficult to categorize as either/or.
The participants find themselves becoming critically aware of these words, the
attitudes they convey, and what these attitudes really mean. By relating these
attitudes to particular situations, these words begin to take on different
meanings; e.g., the word "demanding" might be judged as negative, if it refers
to getting more than one deserves. On the other hand, it might be considered a
very positive attitude if it refers to an issue like demanding equal pay for
equal work.
Phase II: The Way I See Myself and
Others This phase follows logically from the brainstorming
exercise. The participants are given a paper and are asked to reflect on the
following three questions:
- What are some of your present attitudes toward women?
- Identify all the influences in your life that helped form
these attitudes?
- What has been your most important positive influence?
The purpose of this exercise is to get the participants to
reflect on present attitudes toward women and then to identify those
factors/events/people in their lives that influenced the present vision they
now hold.
Participants then form dyads. They take time to share and
discuss their reflections and to identify common influences in their lives"
that helped facilitate a positive attitude toward women. Then, in light of
their own experience and their knowledge of other women, they are asked to look
at the shadow-side of women's existence and to identify those chains-people,
events, other influences, etc. - that perpetuate negative attitudes in women
and which keep them stuck in the past. These observations/ideas are then shared
in a large group.
The introduction of the terms, shadow-side and chains, implies
the need to free women from some kind of bondage, the need to help them effect
change in themselves and others.
Phase III: The Way Change Occurs in Me and
Others The purpose of this phase is to identify steps/events in
the change process. The participants begin with a reflective exercise. They are
asked to select one change situation in which they were personally involved,
e.g. marriage, job transfer, weight-watchers to make a list of all the steps
they took during this change process; and, to arrange these steps in
chronological sequence. Following this, they were asked to compare these
findings in small groups. The large group is then assembled for a lecture and
the dynamics of perspective transformation (Mezirow 1981) are presented.
Participants are encouraged to compare their findings with the information
presented. This exercise is followed by a general discussion of the dynamics of
change. |