Bring Human Rights Day to your classroom
International Human Rights Day is coming up on December 10, and this year’s theme is Speak Up – Stop Discrimination.
To celebrate this day, Teachers Without Borders would like to recognize teachers who work to end discrimination in their classrooms and communities.
We are asking teachers to send stories, photos and/or video of their class activities that focus on human rights and anti-discrimination.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
There are several simple activities you can do with your class in honor of Human Rights Day:
- Create posters or a mural.
- Make a video about discrimination.
- Ask students to take photos that capture their ideas on discrimination and toleracnce.
- Assign a reading with a human rights theme.
- Have a class debate or discussion.
- Any idea you come up with that will engage students.
Remember to document your class activity with photos and/or video and send them to Stephanie Knox Cubbon:stephanie@teacherswithoutborders.org.
Submissions sent by December 7 will be displayed on TWB's website on Human Rights Day, December 10.
Please note: If you cannot complete this activity by December 7th, we still welcome your submissions, which will feature on thePeace Education section of our website throughout the year.
Here are some suggested questions to discuss with your students before or during the class activity:
1) What are human rights?
2) How is discrimination a violation of human rights?
3) What is diversity?
4) How can diversity be a source of enrichment?
5) What would the world look like if there was no diversity?
6) What is discrimination?
7) How can discrimination be a source of injustice and violence?
8) What are ways that people are discriminated against in our society?
9) Have you ever been discriminated against? (Note: this question can elicit strong emotions in students, and students may not wish to share. You may want to ask this as a question for personal reflection or journaling rather than discussion, depending on your students and class dynamics.)
10) If you see/witness discrimination, how can you stop it?
Other resources:
- Teachers can review and use Unit 2 of TWB's Peace Education course. Section 4, page 23 covers Human Rights Education, and section 6, page 39 covers Multicultural Education.
- Sample lesson on discrimination for ages 5-10, from Teaching Tolerance
- Sample lesson on discrimination for ages 11-14, from Learning to Abolish War:http://www.haguepeace.org/resources/book2/English2.pdf
If you have any questions please contact Stephanie: stephanie@teacherswithoutborders.org
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