Since 1954, schools have been required by law to educate students of different races in integrated schools. In the decades since the Brown decision that outlawed segregated schools, the level of effort toward integration has varied widely. While some signs of progress are apparent, the level of segregation has remained stubbornly stable for six decades (Reardon & Owens, 2014). The research shows that many students continue to be educated in racially segregated schools.

This persistence of segregation in education begs for answers to basic questions:

  • How can racial segregation be reduced?  
  • How can the barriers to integration be overcome?  
  • How can students experience the benefits that flow from learning to solve problems and accomplish goals with people who come from diverse backgrounds?  
  • How can students learn to become good neighbors who can collaborate, be productive and respectful?

Where do we find answers to these questions?

The premise of this article is that answers can be facilitated by learning to love neighbors – that is, learning to see that people benefit by respecting the value of each other. In other words, segregation is sustained by assessing some people as inferior and others as superior.

One of the ways adults teach children to rank people is in the games that adults teach children.  One of the major contributing factors to the persistence of segregation is zero-sum thinking that is fostered and sustained by the games that adults give children. 

Objective for Bridge Building

This article proposes to use games that keep score of improvements in collaborative learning to build bridges between segregated schools.

Since 1995, EnTeam Organization has been helping educators build bridges between students from diverse communities.  The tools we use for connecting students are educational games that keep score of improvements in collaboration. The EnTeam mission is to encourage educators to use collaborative games that strengthen students socially and academically.  

Purpose of Bridge Building 

The purpose of EnTeam bridge building is to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to build relationships of respect and understanding.  By challenging students to think together and solve problems collaboratively, students can prepare to make more productive and peaceful relationships with those who come from diverse backgrounds and cultures. 

EnTeam Games integrate academic achievement and social-emotional development.  By using EnTeam Academic Games in math, science, language arts, and other subjects, students can explore ideas together, study together, and solve problems collaboratively.  Learning to win together can prepare students to build a better world.

Bridge-building tools

Now that more students have access to video conferencing, we have new opportunities for building bridges of respect and understanding within communities, across the country, and around the world.  

Before video conferencing became a routine part of education, connecting students was time consuming and expensive.  Now, students in different schools can connect quickly and inexpensively.  Video conferencing opens the way for collaborative learning at a level never before feasible: diverse students can now study together and share ideas.  Segregation and isolation can be reduced if educators use the internet effectively.

To achieve this vision of building bridges between diverse communities, educators need lesson plans that engage students in studying together online.  If these lessons align with the education standards that students need to attain, then the bridge-building process will not reduce learning.  Bridge-building will enhance learning because the activities will engage students in strengthening learning.

Educational games provide structures for engaging students in online learning that supports the learning objectives.  EnTeam Games are designed to challenge students to help each other master curricular content while strengthening social-emotional development.

Background on EnTeam Games

If you and I are on different sides playing a sport or traditional game, my side can only win if your side loses. 

If you and I play an EnTeam Game, either both sides lose – or both win – depending on whether we can increase the number of points we can score in a series of games. 

For example, since 2002, students from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian schools St. Louis have been playing EnTeam Games.  As they strive together, they experience winning or losing in collaboration with people from different sides. They learn that they can score goals by collaborating with people from other sides — even if they disagree on other issues.  They see that they can be good neighbors despite their differences.

EnTeam Games reveal the difference between zero-sum games and positive-sum games.  The scoring system shows them that it is possible to measure win-win performance as accurately as they measure win-lose performance.  

 

Reference

Reardon, S. F., & Owens, A. (2014). 60 years after brown: Trends and consequences of school segregation. Annual Review of Sociology, 40, 199–218. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-071913-043152

See EnTeam games www.enteam.org