Human Rights Education

                                                                                 Småland & Copenhagen, August 2013

Network Newsletter No. 5:  "Teach Global Citizenship"

For everyone who is engaged in developing global citizenship.

The focus of this newsletter is Human Rights Education. This can be defined as "a way to build and strengthen human rights knowledge as well as the required attitudes and skills" for right-holders as well as duty-bearers ("Toolbox", p. 8).

This also links strongly with a learner centered pedagogy. Watch inspirational 11 year old Dalton Sherman address over 20,000 educators asking “Do you believe in me?” here

TOP 10 OF HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION: “Human Rights Education should:

1. Build knowledge, skills, values and attitudes.

2. Create action and change to build and promote a universal culture of human rights.

3. Clearly link and refer to the human rights system, instruments and standards.

4. Promote participation and empowerment.

5. Promote accountability and rule of law.

6. Promote non-discrimination, equality and the protection of vulnerable groups.

7. Be learner centred.

8. Be contextualised, concrete and local.

9. Apply interactive and participatory learning methodologies.

10. Be well planned and managed" ("Toolbox" ..., p. 9).

"The Human Rights Education Toolbox. A practitioners guide to planning and managing human rights education"

These 113 pages are based on the work and experience of educators from the Danish Institute for Human Rights whose starting point is: "... if you want your learners to become participatory citizens, you should give them space to voice their opinions and share their experiences. We call it to "walk the talk" or "practice what you preach"".

The content is a very clear description of the aims of human rights education, overview of learner centered pedagogy, and tools to practitioners on planning, implementing and evaluation. Focus is on human rights education activities in adult education courses, but most of it goes for kids,too.

The toolbox can be used by novice educators as a starter of reflection and planning. It can also be used by experienced educators as a tool for reflection and inspiration.Furthermore, this book is also recommendable for use in teacher education as part of theory as well as practical training.

English version: "The Human Rights Education Toolbox"

Spanish version: "Recursos para la education en derechos humanos"

The Story of Human Rights

To watch a 9 minute video detailing the story of human rights (available in 17 different languages) please click here. This video gives an overview of the history of human rights from Cyrus the Great (ca. 600 - 529 BCE) to the UN declaration in 1948. The last 3 minutes focus on why the intentions of universal human rights are still far from being realized today!

Also available on the www.humanrights.com website are 30 US Public Service announcements, ranging from between 30 seconds to 1 minute that are used as thought provokers/to open debate & discussion on human rights. To watch these videos click here.

UN Cyber Schoolbus: Human Rights in Action

Interactive declaration, stories etc. click here

Website for kids: “It takes all kinds. Fighting homophobia in schools."

Danish version click here

English version click here

Introduction to the aims an ideas behind this human rights project Click here ___________________________________________________________________

To read any of my previous newsletters simply visit my blog http://teachglobalcitizenship.blogspot.dk/

Yours

Egon Hedegaard,

Independent instructor and Developer of Education

Email: eghedegaard@gmail.dk

___________________________________________________________________

Everyone is welcome to receive these newsletters, just send me mail addresses. Please, network by sending me inspiring links to use in future newsletters. 

Global Citizenship Education

Network Newsletter No. 4:  "Teach Global Citizenship"

Småland & Copenhagen, May 2013

To everyone
who is engaged in developing global citizenship 
This time the focus is on inspiring examples of how to understand and practice global citizenship education for kids from 3 to 19.  And have a laugh: Watch "Africa for Norway" 

"Developing a Global Citizenship Education Programme for 3 to 6 Years Olds"

This Irish action research project states “... Given the evidence which suggests that young children are already constructing racialised, discriminatory and prejudiced world-views by the time they come to school, there is a strong imperative towards including global justice education in early childhood contexts. “

A global perspective is introduced into early childhood education using open-ended and active methodologies such as drama, art, play and discussion, and the children connect with children in Africa through children's literature.

The findings suggest young children have the capacity to engage with complex issues of justice and fairness and are able to develop global citizenship skills, attitudes and understanding. There is a balance,though, that needs to be maintained between enabling children’s growing understanding of poverty in a global context while guarding against "exoticisation" and a deficit view of developing countries.

Inclusion of learning about global poverty in early childhood citizenship education programmes is necessary to deepen and complexify the messages children receive from outside the classroom. 
See the research article        



"Get Global!" Tools for teaching active global citizenship for 10 to 16 year olds.
This toolkit contains practical ideas, activities and games to facilitate and assess active global citizenship.  "Get Global" is based on a skills-based, participatory approach and can be used across multiple subject areas for a long term project or some lessons.  
Presented in easy-to-follow steps, the games and activities support learners to identify an issue through dialogue and take action to affect change. There are also assessment and evaluation activities for learners to reflect on their work. The toolkit has been developed on basis of the pedagogy of Paulo Freir and experiences in developing countries. 

Link to download "Get Global"    

On Paulo Freir   &  deepening in the online encyclopedia infed.org 


On methodology in use 


"Global Citizen Diploma" as a supplement to high school diploma
Yokohama International School  creates opportunities for students to develop the "qualities, attributes and skills" ( besides academic skills) that are necessary as engaged global citizen. The school has therefore developed a supplementing diploma, which is awarded when students have done volunteer activities etc. successfully and have reflected on what they have learned.
The program includes a number of specific challenges on 3 levels, but there is room for student engagement and decisions when it comes to defining how to solve the challenges. Every school has the possibilities to develop a "Global Citizen Diploma" that involves school staff, students and parents and fits the local situation.

Study the Diploma Requirements

Deepening in Kist: The Global School (here is a review of the book)

See intro and newsletter no. 1-3 at http://teachglobalcitizenship.blogspot.dk/

Yours

Egon Hedegaard

independent instructor and developer of education

My mailing address is: eghedegaard@gmail.com

Everyone is welcome to receive these newsletters, just send me mail addresses. Please, network by sending  me inspiring links to use in future newsletters