1. A Recipe for Successful Home Visiting
Examining our biases
A Recipe for Successful Home Visiting

2. Introductions
Kim Anderson
Maria Nielsen

3. What are biases?
“preference or inclination that inhibits impartiality; prejudice” – American Heritage Dictionary
A partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation.

4. What are biases?
A predisposition or a preconceived opinion that prevents a person from impartially evaluating facts that have been presented for determination.

5. How are biases formed?
Stereotypes- pictures of people we form in our minds based on some outward characteristic
A bias is an opinion we form or have about that person based on the stereotype.

6. How do we identify our biases?
We all stereotype, and we all have biased perceptions. We even apply stereotypes to ourselves.
Example: I am a mature, college educated professional so I should wear a pantsuit to work and probably would not get a tarantula tattooed on my forehead no matter how much I might want to.

7. Activity: Number paper 1-12
Now pretend you are looking in the mirror- describe yourself
Now compare yourself to the following images- are you similar or different from the person or idea?

18. Activity: What did it demonstrate?
Shows us there are all different kinds of diversity in the world and that people are diverse in different ways.
Effects of stereotypes and bias that we form on an individual basis based on one or a few obvious characteristics
Power of first impressions
You may have found it difficult to answer the question “Is this person like me or different”- the point of this question is that we don’t ever know enough about a person by just looking at them to recognize the points of similarity and differences.

19. How do biases effect us?
Discussion

20. How do we overcome biases?
Critical Thinking!
Critical Thinking- The ability to think clearly and rationally.
Without it we only look at the surface of things.
Critical thinking helps you to move beyond the stereotypes and your own biases to judge individuals more accurately.

21. Critical Thinking and Biases
Critical Thinking orients us toward the problem, issue, or situation you are addressing.
It gives you the whole picture
It brings in other necessary factors
Considers both the simplicity and complexity of its object
Gives you the most accurate view of reality
It is most likely to help you get the results you want because you are dealing with things as they really are.

22. How do we overcome biases?
Acknowledge that you have them
Identify situations in which your biases impact your behavior
Pay attention to your behavior when you are interacting with people you perceive as different
Be aware of your stereotypes
Expose yourself to experiences that aim to break down prejudice and discrimination

23. Triz Method
Triz Method was developed by G. S. Altshuller and his colleagues in the U.S.S.R. between and 1985.
Triz is the theory of inventive problem solving
Consists of 5 principles:
Ideal end result
Less is more
Solutions already exist
Search for fundamental contradictions
Lines of evolution
Came to know about this from our visit to Anu Family Services that provides child welfare services in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

24. Triz Method Continued…
40 inventive principles of problem solving
Relies on studying the patterns of problem solving

25. Searching For Fundamental Contradictions
Utilizing contradictions to define best practices and ethics of an agency
Reframe: If we want to fail in providing services to our client/parent/families/children what would we be doing?