Felisa Tibbitts: A Primer for Selecting Democratic and Human Rights Education Teaching Materials
| All Different, All Equal
education pack was developed
by the Youth Directorate of the Council of Europe as part of the European Youth Campaign
Against Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Intolerance. The campaign was organized as
part of the UNESCO Year for Tolerance in 1995, but the ideas and activities for
intercultural education contained in the book have a much longer life. The material was
developed for audiences 14 years of age and older. The Education Pack is a book intended for use in informal education settings but activities may also be incorporated into the classroom setting. The book has two major sections, the first dealing with the key concepts for intercultural education and the second suggesting activities, methods and resources. The materials are intended to be a learning tool for the reader, as well as a resource for the organizing of activities and lessons. The text of the pack is highly interactive, with many comments and questions offered to the reader to cultivate a dynamic sense of dialogue. Section 2 contains 41 learning events, each with identified aims, time required, group size, preparation required, instructions for conducting the activity, procedures for debriefing and evaluation, and suggestions for variations and follow-up activities. In order to help facilitators select activities, each is coded in two ways: by level (0-3) of understanding, discussion skill and ability required to participate in the experimental activities; and according to themes addressed (G for reinforcement of group atmosphere, I for work with images we have of others, M for exploration of mechanisms underlying discrimination, and A for encouragement of social action). A key strength of the Education Pack is its multiple uses, given both its overview of the origins of multicultural societies in Europe and the "tool box" of diverse methods and activities to address intolerance and to promote intercultural understanding. The activities are well conceived and are a rich resource for any HRE curriculum.The activity presented called "Tree of Life" uses genealogical research as a tool for raising awareness of one's and other's cultural backgrounds. This is an insightful technique for showing participants that most families have "immigrants" who were minorities in other cultures at one time." Euro-Rail à La Carte" tries to raise self awareness about the stereotypes and potential prejudices that exist in all of us. Activities such as this one, where individual preferences must be made towards group members, are frequently used to bring out views towards minorities. Needless to say, these, and other activities that draw out stereotypes and prejudice require great skill and sensitivity on the part of the facilitator.
Title: Education Pack: Ideas, Resources, Methods and Activities for Informal
Intercultural Education with Young People and Adults (All Different All Equal campaign) Available in full-text at: http://www.ecri.coe.int/en/05/03/03/e05030300.htm |