Human Rights Education
Article 26
January/February 2008
 Dennis Banks |
Voice from the Field
Dear Fellow Human Rights Educators,
We often ask ourselves what is the place for HRE within the K-12 curriculum? No discussion of such curricular issues would be valid without recognizing the role played by state and national standards (and their subsequent assessments). With the introduction of the standards debate over the last 20 years, we have seen a variety of positive and negative changes in what (and how) we teach. Accountability (a positive) is matched with paranoia and over-testing (a definite negative). Consistency of instruction is matched with a limitation of experimentation. Accountability is laudable in concept. That is, until it morphs into 'teaching to the test'. Insuring that each of our graduates gets the same education is countered with a diminution of content.
So what does that mean to those of us who support the addition of a particular content to the mix? How many of us have had to defend our inclusion of human rights topics to an administrator who is myopic in his/her focus on test results? How many times have we heard colleagues say: I'd love to include x, y, or z?but I have to get them ready for 'the test'? Realistically, there can be no room for content that is not somehow found within those various standards and assessments. Well, there is good news on this front. At the moment, at least 36 states now include HRE topics and/or concepts within their state social studies standards. Five states have specific legislative mandates to address these issues. The wording varies from the vague to specific, covering historical content as well as conceptual understanding. In many cases, the term 'human rights' appears, in others it doesn't. As we all know, semantics can work in our favor. Whether the document calls it 'human rights' or 'social justice' or 'character education' or 'peace' or 'conflict resolution' we don't really care. We know that the topics we consider important are included. I say 'at least' 36 states because I could not locate the inclusion in the written documents of the others. It may be there, just hidden.
State standards inform and direct what is taught in K-12 classrooms across their prospective states. In most cases, these standards also inform and direct what is being tested. As painful as it may be for me to admit, the most successful way to insure that HRE will be included in classrooms if for human rights-related questions or essays to start showing up on high stakes exams. This approach is, however, self-limiting. By depending on standardized tests to justify our instruction, we are limiting ourselves to the basic knowledge level of human rights education and leave very little room for the skills and dispositions which we know are more likely to produce the kind of future humanitarians we desire. [In a similar fashion, one of the results of NCLB has been the subjugation of topics that are not covered in the legislation. For that reason, I have supported the inclusion of social studies in the mandated national testing. One can only hope that the Congress and next President will see that eliminating the mandate will open us to more creativity.]
National standards, on the other hand, are guidelines and have varying impact on individual states. Where their impact is most widely felt is in teacher preparation programs, specifically those that are NCATE accredited. At this point 650 schools are so accredited representing a great percentage of the future teachers in the US. These programs have to show that they are preparing their graduates to meet those national standards which in many cases (social studies, English, and the sciences) include what we would consider HRE concepts. These programs are the future of our field. How are they doing? That's my current research project. If you have any opinions, please let me know. You can reach me at banksdn@oneonta.edu and check out the updated National Survey of Human Rights Education ».
In Peace,
Dennis Banks
Updates
Reebok Fellowship
Human Rights Summer Fellowship opportunity!
The Reebok Human Rights Summer Fellowship offers students a unique opportunity to gain practical experience in the field of human rights. AIUSA is recruiting students aged 18 - 25 to spend summer 2008 working with organizations connected to Reebok Human Rights award winners or AIUSA. Postings are in the United States and abroad. Fellows receive funding of up to a maximum of $2,500 to use towards air travel and other expenses. This is a chance for students to develop their skills, broaden their human rights experience and join the fight against human rights abuses such as the death penalty, torture and violence against women. Applications are available online and due on March 4, 2008. More information and an application form »
¡Haz la diferencia este verano al frente del movimiento de derechos humanos! La Pasantía de verano Reebok para los Derechos Humanos ofrece a estudiantes la oportunidad única de obtener experiencia en el área de derechos humanos. Amnistía International E.E.U.U. (AIUSA) está contratando estudiantes entre 18 y 25 años de edad para trabajar con organizaciones que promueven los derechos humanos en los Estados Unidos y en el extranjero durante el verano del 2008. Los pasantes recibirán un máximo de $2,500 para transporte aéreo y otros gastos durante la pasantía. Las solicitudes ya están disponibles en nuestra página web y deberán ser recibidas a más tardar el 4 de Marzo del 2008.
Para más información y para completar una aplicación visite nuestra página web »
War Dance
The HRE program is proud to be working with the film War Dance, the academy-award nominated film about children living in a displacement camp in Northern Uganda and their journey to the National Music and Dance competition. All too often the images we see of children caught in conflict are those, understandably, of lose, of hopelessness, of pain and fear. War Dance reminds us that children are resilient and that children find pleasure and joy in simple things despite of what else is going on. The children in War Dance are talented, determined and proud - like children in so many places. However, we are never allowed to forget what the children have gone through and the many challenges that lie ahead.
The HRE program will develop a series of lessons to accompany the film. Please be on the look out for details about how you can access both the film and the companion guide.
Actions
Curriculum for Change
On Friday April 25th 2008, Amnesty International is pleased to present Curriculum for Change, a one-day seminar designed for educators from school and community-based learning groups. The Human Rights Education Program of Amnesty International USA, is honored to invite you to this unique opportunity.
This year, the Curriculum for Change seminar will explore the multifaceted complexities regarding violence Women.
Violence against women is one of the most insidious and deep-seated human rights abuses in our world today. It ravages victims worldwide in every culture and across every social status. Most of us have been exposed to discrimination and violence at some point throughout our lives. Yet, for women, particular indigenous women and women caught in conflict, violence occurs within a paradigm of human rights violations against their entire communities.
What role can we, as educators, play in understanding and addressing this issue? What questions must we ask ourselves? How can we engage our students and motivate them to learn not only about violence and discrimination against women, but also of their communities as a whole. How does learning about and engaging with human rights align with standards? Let us work together to find the answers at this year's Curriculum for Change seminar!
During the course of the day, participants, through workshops, plenary, and dialogue will collaborate to find the answers to these pervasive questions and to devise strategies on how to raise awareness and teach these issues in their own communities. Participants will examine the roles they can play as educators and as activists in understanding and addressing the issue of violence and discrimination against indigenous women, and further, the issue of human rights abuses of their communities as a whole.
The seminar coincides with Amnesty International USA's 2008 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, April 25 - 28, 2008 in Arlington, VA... The AGM agenda includes various workshops and panels, the Amnesty International Ideas Fair, renowned speakers and much more. Register for Curriculum for Change or for more information about the AGM »
NEA members
Magna Carta Conference, April 14-18, 2008
The National Education Association (NEA) and the United Kingdom's National Union of Teachers (NUT) are planning a joint conference for teachers, focusing on civil liberties, human rights and freedom. NEA and NUT are eager to draw on the expertise and experience of our successful professional development programs and want to work together to build on this conference.
The aim of the conference is to focus on the Magna Carta, which encompasses values now seen as the embodiment of freedom, justice, fairness and human rights. Key elements of the conference will include:
developing knowledge and understanding of the Magna Carta
analyzing aspects of the Magna Carta related to human rights, freedom and democracy
developing strategies and materials for teaching and learning about the Magna Carta.
A workshop will be conducted with the goal of developing a publication for dissemination to members of the NEA and NUT. There will also be a trip to Lincoln Cathedral to visit the actual Magna Carta.
The conference will be for members of the NEA and NUT, with a format based on the NUT TeachersTogether program for pairs of teachers. Participants will work together during a four-day conference and are encouraged to follow-up the work through further communication with a partner teacher. After the conference, teachers will link up using email and phone calls to support one another as they try out teaching and learning strategies in their classrooms. Participants may be teachers of any subject.
The initial event will be held April 14-18, 2008 at the NUT training center, Stoke Rochford Hall near Grantham, England.
If you would like to be considered as a participant please email a 200-word essay with a letter of support from the president of your local association and your school principal to the NEA's Office of International Relations, oir@nea.org by March 10, 2008. Candidates will be selected and notified on March 14th.
