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ARTICLE 26
Amnesty International USA's Human Rights Education Program
March/April 2003
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IN THIS ISSUE:
-- RIGHTSinSIGHT: New York
-- New Volunteers
-- Take Action! Write a Letter! Save a Life!
-- Teaching human rights to college students
-- Think Peace
-- Call for Volunteers
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Dear Educator Activist,
Dignity.
Justice.
Peace for everyone.
Working together, we will get there.
In solidarity,
Karen
Director, Human Rights Education Program
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RIGHTSinSIGHT: NEW YORK
Focus on: State University of New York College at Oneonta
In a new collaborative effort, SUNY-Oneonta and the HRE Program will be
working closely to incorporate human rights as a unifying theme in the
Division of Education, especially in the secondary education classes. Of
particular interest will be the focus on human rights as the subject for
unit projects that student teachers develop and carry out with students.
Spearheaded by Professor Dennis Banks, the Division of Ed. will be taking
on concepts found in the Poster Series Curriculum Guide and applying them
in the classes for future teachers. As a unifying, cross-curricular theme,
human rights will be used to form the thread across disciplinary tracks,
ranging from science to history, biology and literature.
Using the Poster Series Curriculum Guide as a model, pre-service,
secondary education students will be creating their own lesson plans, then
developing them into units, which will be presented in the second semester
student-teaching experience. An exciting aspect of this development is the
realization of one of the goals of the HRE Program: the utilization of the
Poster Series Curriculum Guide not as an end, but rather as a model of how
to conscientiously highlight human rights in the classroom, with teachers
developing their own human rights lesson plans and curriculum to fit their
specific needs/approach. As a further innovation, SUNY-Oneonta and the HRE
Program are developing assessment tools and evaluation instruments to
determine the effectiveness of the new materials and what effects they
have had in the classroom and in students' lives. In sum, the idea is to
incorporate a human rights approach to education from the get-go, as an
essential part of teacher preparation.
For more information, contact Prof. Banks (banksdn@oneonta.edu) or Nick
Sullivan (nsullivan@aiusa.org).
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NEW VOLUNTEERS
The Human Rights Education Program would like to introduce and welcome a
number of new volunteer leaders.
>From the national steering committee:
Helen Bond
Helen is an Assistant Professor of Education at Shepard College. She holds
a PhD in Human Development and has published extensively on the issues of
Multicultural Education and Leadership development.
Daniel Lopez
Daniel is an instructor of Spanish and World History at Colorado Academy.
His educational work at the international level has taken him to Dominican
Republic, Virgin Gorda, Peru, Tanzania, India, Ecuador, and Spain.
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The 4th R advisory:
Wendy-Maria Jacques
Wendy comes to Amnesty International with a strong background in human
rights education and training as well as documentary production.
Michael Kuelker
Michael is an Assistant Professor of English at St. Charles Community
College. He has done extensive work in the area of Holocaust education and
the African Diaspora in the New Millennium.
J. Lynn McBrien
Lynn is currently a PhD. Student of Educational Studies at Emory
University. She has a vast amount of experience in the fields of media and
education.
Amy Prince
Amy Prince is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Collaborative
Programs at the City University of New York. She works in the areas of
literacy across the curriculum, educational partnerships, and professional
development, as well as the conducting of research on reading development
and instruction.
Felisa Tibbits
Felisa Tibbitts is founder and director of Human Rights Education
Associates (HREA, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting human
rights teaching and learning (www.hrea.org). Felisa contributes to the HRE
field through writing, training and policy development.
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TAKE ACTION! WRITE A LETTER! SAVE A LIFE!:
Growing compassion in the youngsters we teach
Your students can join thousands of kids from Canada, Argentina, Taiwan,
Japan, Armenia, Britain, Bermuda, the Canary Islands, Ireland, Germany,
India, Mexico, Hong Kong, and the Philippines writing monthly letters to
protect the basic human rights of their age-mates: kids in danger all over
the world. To receive the CE starter packet and sign-up form for monthly
Children's Edition Urgent Actions, contact Ellen Moore at:
emoore@aiusa.org, or the Urgent Action Office at:
Amnesty International USA Urgent Action Program
POB 1270, 96 Tejas Lane,
Nederland CO 80466-1270, USA
Tel: (303) 258-1170; Fax: (303) 258-7881
In the CHILDREN CAN BE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TOO! Packet teachers and
parents who work with students in upper primary, middle and junior high
schools will find dozens of suggestions for doing human rights education
through a variety of active-learning classroom games as well as
letter-writing.
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TEACHING HUMAN RIGHTS TO COLLEGE STUDENTS
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=5303 is a collection
of
human rights syllabi designed for the college instructor. It brings
together syllabi used in human rights courses currently or recently
offered
in colleges and universities in the US and in other countries.
The purposes of the collection are:
-- To make available a collection of classroom-proven syllabi for the
teaching of courses on Human Rights
-- To stimulate the creation of new inter- and cross-disciplinary courses
involving human rights
-- To make it possible for instructors of disciplines other than human
rights to select relevant portions of human rights syllabi to enrich their
course curriculum.
The syllabi are gathered here under the various headings, including
international affairs, religion, disability rights, economics, philosophy,
women's rights, anthropology, and more. However, since it is not uncommon
for courses to cover topics that span more than one discipline, website
readers are encouraged to scan the complete collection.
Most syllabi contain bibliographies, which the website reader should find
helpful in planning reading lists for human rights courses.
INVITATION
We encourage everyone teaching human rights to consider this their
individual invitation to send in a syllabus. Further, we encourage readers
to be forthcoming in suggesting new sources to contact for human rights
syllabi in institutions of higher learning, both inside and outside the
United States. In such cases, names and coordinates can be forwarded to
Rita Maran, fax: 510-540-1942, or e-mail: ritam@uclink4.berkeley.edu.
Rita Maran
Berkeley, California
April 2003
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THINK PEACE
Bringing War to the Classroom: Talking about difficult issues with
students
By Christy Hargesheimer, HRE Steering Committee
The song "Ain't Gonna' Study War No More" unfortunately is not being
heeded these days. Instead, in classrooms across the United States and
elsewhere, educators find themselves in the position of having to answer
questions and lead discussions on the many aspects of our current war.
There are several discussion guides and lesson plans already available,
and the following are just a few ideas to begin our dialogue and to help
guide you as you avail yourselves of existing resources. Please let us
know about your own experiences in teaching about war.
If your teaching is directly related to Amnesty International, it is
advisable to review the Amnesty policy on armed conflict. In the AIUSA
Monthly Mailing for March, 2003, Bill Schulz reminds us that "Amnesty
International takes no position on military action per se." He explains
that "If we supported military action, for example, we could quite
justifiably be accused of complicity in whatever human rights abuses
resulted from it. If we opposed military action, any criticisms we might
make of abuses committed during the course of war would fall under the
cloud of suspicion that we were biased against that military from the
get-go." Amnesty's position is to monitor the actions of all sides in a
conflict to determine if violations of internationally recognized war
conventions have been committed. (Stay informed at: www.amnestyusa.org)
If you plan to discuss the war in class, please check with the students in
advance, particularly with those who are most directly affected by the
war.
Let them know that if they believe the discussion might be too emotionally
disturbing for them, they may opt to go to the library or participate in a
different activity. Many of our students are from Iraq and are concerned
about family members left behind; others may have siblings in the military
who have been deployed. Invite them to speak about their experiences, but
accept that they might prefer not to. We, and our students, must be
sensitive to and respectful of the widely divergent points of view we will
hear.
It is important that the teacher not try to force his or her own agenda on
students, for that may produce defensiveness, resentment, or a shutting
down of communication. Consult guides for conducting an open dialogue if
you are uncomfortable dealing with a controversial subject. Place the
students in charge of the dialogue as much as possible. Allow them to set
up their own guidelines for dialogue (no put-downs, respecting one
another's opinion, one at a time, etc.), intervening only to bring clarity
or order to the process, or to amend unreasonable guidelines.
Elementary schools:
Younger students may be frightened and confused (adults as well, for that
matter). We as educators cannot control what children are hearing or
seeing at home. Adults are discussing the war and have probably expressed
strong, and sometimes conflicting, opinions in the presence of the
children. Television coverage shows violent and scary images, and
children wonder if what they are seeing will happen to them as well. If
possible, encourage parents to limit young children's access to televised
war coverage, and to watch with their children so they can be available to
answer questions.
What we can control is giving support and comfort as the children express
their fears and confusion. Ask them about what they are feeling, and then
listen carefully for underlying issues. If they have questions, try to
answer without giving them far more information than what they need or can
comprehend. They may be worried about their own safety. Assure them that
they are not a likely target, and that there are many adults working hard
in the United States to try to protect us from attack. You might tell them
that you understand their concerns, particularly if they are worried about
a family member in the military, but don't unduly frighten them further by
expressing your own fears.
On the playground, children will probably re-enact war games. Help move
them through the process, beyond the expression of violence and towards a
peaceful resolution. For example, you might provide first-aid props so the
students can practice rescuing injured people. You might introduce the
basics of conflict resolution, a skill they can use in their own
interpersonal relationships, and do a simulation of writing a peace
treaty.
Young students may have difficulties distinguishing between fantasy and
reality. Discuss with them the differences between, say, cartoon or video
game violence and the real violence that is taking place in a war.
Middle and High School Students:
This is not the time to overwhelm the students with factual information.
In the first place, it is difficult to determine which "facts" are real.
Try to balance information delivery with dialogue about the students'
thoughts, and use methods that encourage critical thinking. Judiciously
provide facts or alternative points of view whenever it is necessary to
keep dialogue productive. An inquiry model, and not a didactic model, is
more appropriate for the topic of war.
The Process of Dialogue: A good way to begin dialogue is to brainstorm
about what students know, what they think they know but aren't sure about,
and what they want to know (questions they have). Then, after discussion,
have the class prioritize their questions and come up with a strategy for
researching answers. Rather than providing answers yourself, having them
search for answers will reduce their sense of helplessness when
confronting
war.
Guide the students to recognize the difference between opinion and factual
information. Demonstrate to them how facts can be used towards different,
often conflicting, ends. You might use a study of Islam to illustrate how
opinion and fact are used to persuade or inflame people towards a
particular point of view. (See the September 11 Crisis Response Guide from
Amnesty International for "Islam at a Glance" and a list of Internet
links.) Teach about the history of the Arab world and help the students to
understand the differences in countries of the Middle East. Use analogies
from their own lives to help them understand how we stereotype. For
example, suppose one student in a school steals money from the teacher's
purse, or a stereo from another student's car, and subsequently all of the
students in the school are labeled "thieves". Would that be accurate, or
fair? Choose other examples, and lead them to make the connection between
the terrorists (primarily from Saudi Arabia) who attacked the Twin Towers,
and the perception of all Muslims as terrorists.
Help students recognize the distinction between debate, which is
positional and persuasive, and dialogue, which suspends judgment and is an
interchange of ideas so that we can consider viewpoints more broadly and
deeply. Encourage dialogue based on a common text, possibly a reading
from the alternative press that has a point of view different from that of
the traditional press. Emphasize that thoughts, based on information, and
not opinions, based on feelings, contribute to successful dialogue.
Respectful listening and open consideration of multiple points of view are
desirable in dialogue, and this takes practice. Consult practitioners and
trainers of Socratic dialogue and adapt their techniques to articles about
the war in Iraq. (See Nancy Letts or Dennis Gray for resources; also see
Paulo Freire.)
Media Literacy: Listen for "buzz words" in speeches by various government
officials or in newscasts. Have the students work in small groups to give
definitions for those words, then compare their definitions. For example,
"terrorism" is never defined by George W. Bush in his speeches, nor is
there a generally agreed-upon definition of "terrorism" (see: Crisis
Response Guide and Rethinking Schools). After students have given their
definitions of terrorism, present scenarios of actual world events, but
don't reveal who the actors (countries) are. Some might be episodes from
U.S. or Australian history -- taking Native American or Aboriginal
children from their families and forcing them into boarding schools;
masterminding the overthrow of a democratically elected president in
Chile, etc. Ask if any of these fit their definitions of "terrorism".
Similarly, the students might define "Axis of Evil" in terms of weapons,
or the events of 9/11. Discuss how the so-designated countries fit their
criteria of "evil," and then apply the same criteria to other countries
not so designated. Why are some considered evil and others, which match
the criteria, are not?
One teacher reported to me that she had put a dictionary definition on the
chalkboard, minus the word itself, then invited students to tell who or
what was being described. They came up with words such as "police," the
FBI, the school hall monitors, certain government officials, and even
parents, but nobody cited Osama Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, or other usual
suspects. She then revealed that the definition was of the word
"terrorism".
Examine the use of vocabulary in war reporting. Why are there so many
analogies to sporting events? Help students see that the general
familiarity with and acceptance of sports vocabulary for this war helps it
gain approval and enthusiasm, particularly as it is being portrayed as a
"play-by-play" event with "instant replays", further reinforcing the
"win-lose" dichotomy. Consult one of the many available resources about
media literacy (e.g., Fair at
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=5304 see also the
Crisis Response Guide). Ask students to count how many times they hear
some of these "buzz words" in speeches or in war reporting, and look for
instances of new terms or new meanings for familiar words ("embedded",
"shock and awe", etc.)
Explore the meaning of "winning." Introduce the concepts of "win-win,"
"win-lose," and "lose-lose." Discuss each through multiple lenses within a
war context. Is win-win possible? At what stage might this most likely
occur? In win-lose, what does each look like? Explore what "win" or "lose"
looks like from the perspective of the different parties involved, e.g.:
the U.S. president; munitions developers and manufacturers; a soldier
(either side); the family of a soldier who has been killed (either side);
civilians in Iraq or in the U.S.; humanitarian aid workers; refugees;
reconstruction contractors; the U.S. economy; the U.S. budget. Is
"win-lose" an absolute? What does "lose-lose" look like? At what point is
a war ended? As students have dialogue, help them to map their ideas and
conclusions. Then assign a reflective writing in which they process these
ideas for themselves.
Human Rights During Wartime: Using activities in Human Rights Here and
Now, introduce the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
Brainstorm with students about which human rights are being either
protected or violated by this war. Be sure to include all parties to the
conflict in the analysis. At this time, also introduce students to
different agreements governing the conduct of war, such as the Geneva
Conventions, which govern treatment of civilians and of prisoners of war
(see Crisis Response Guide). Discuss the ethics of wartime behaviors. What
is justifiable, and what is not? Who decides?
Above all, be open to listening to the students. If you have difficulty
discussing the war in your own classroom (perhaps a chemistry lab
experiment or other curricular concern isn't conducive to such a
discussion), help students organize a lunch forum or some other
extra-curricular type of assembly where students feel comfortable and safe
in discussing their feelings. Coordinate with other teachers to conduct a
teach-in (see "A National Teach-In on the War on Iraq" organized by
SOJOURNERS.) Try to begin from a common point of interest shared by
students from all points of view. Few will disagree, for example, that we
want to minimize casualties among U.S. troops or among Iraqi civilians. (I
did overhear, however, two young men at my college mocking another student
who protested the war because of the possibility of killing civilians.
Their response was, "Kill 'em!" Turn such scenarios into a teachable
moment by having students role-play how they would handle this situation
in a peaceable manner.) By finding commonalities in their beliefs, you
will help students be able to open up to others. Not only will they be
learning to discuss difficult issues, but they will also be gaining some
new communication strategies and they will be processing information at a
higher level of critical thinking.
Resources:
Amnesty International USA, Human Rights Education Program: Crisis Response
Guide, September 11, for Junior High and High Schools
Amnesty International USA: Iraq War Crisis Response, on-line at:
www.amnestyusa.org
Bigelow, Bill. (2001.) "Whose 'Terrorism'?" Rethinking Schools Special
Report: War, Terrorism and Our Classrooms.
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=5302
Educators for Social Responsibility guide, Talking with Children About War
and Violence In the World:
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=5291
FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting):
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=5307
Freire, Paulo. (1973). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Seabury Press.
Gray, Dennis; in the American Educator, Fall, 1989.
Hakim, Semya. (2001). "What is Islam?" Rethinking Schools Special Report:
War, Terrorism and Our Classrooms,
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=5302
Klare, Michael. (2001). "The Geopolitics of War." Rethinking Schools
Special Report: War, Terrorism and Our Classrooms.
http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/ctt.asp?u=305607&l=5302
Letts, Nancy. (1997) Creating a Caring Classroom. New York: Scholastic
Professional Books.
Letts, Nancy. (1994). "Socrates in Your Classroom". Teaching K-8, April
1994.
SOUJOURNERS. (2003). "A National Teach-In on the War on Iraq", on-line at:
www.sojo.net.
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CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
The Human Rights Education Program is looking for a few educators to
review the forthcoming Capital Punishment Education Resource and provide
critical feedback on this resource.
At a time when recent Supreme Court rulings and legal scholarship is
contesting the constitutionality and morality of the death penalty,
Amnesty International will soon release its Capital Punishment Education
Resource (CPER). Packed with lesson plans, classroom activities, and
discussion questions, the CPER invites educators and students to explore
the death penalty's legal realities, its relationship with politics and
society, and its impact on human rights. Using objective, factual
information (e.g. the financial costs of execution, etc), as well as
current arguments and research, the lesson plans range from an engaging
hands-on jury exercise to an examination of alternatives to the death
penalty. Each lesson plan aims to develop critical thinking and
communication skills on controversial issues. Overall, the CPER
encompasses Amnesty International's efforts at helping students develop an
awareness of what the state does in their name and on their behalf.
Acknowledging that people may hold different views on the death penalty,
Amnesty International believes that students should be well-informed of
the death penalty's human rights, legal, financial, and societal
implications, in order to have a firmer grasp on what they believe and
why. Unfortunately, many people have not had the opportunity to analyze
closely these implications; hence, the CPER hopes to address this need.
The CPER has been designed for use as a tool not only for classroom
discussion, but more importantly to assess the information necessary for
students to grow as civically responsible members of a democracy.
If you are interested is serving as a reviewer for this resource or for
our upcoming resource on human rights and the environment, please contact
Karen Robinson at <krobinson@aiusa.org>.
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