Human Rights Education: Bearing Witness

The page below is ARCHIVED information related to a past initiative of Global Source Education, the parent organization of EduCulture. Though these are not current projects of EduCulture, we feel there are valuable resources and information for educational purposes.

 

Read more about current information regarding Only What We Can Carry.

Please view a PDF version of the article we wrote for the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community Newsletter: Lived Experiences Informing a More Lived Curriculum: Bearing Witness to the Japanese American Experience of Exclusion

 

Only What We Can Carry 2009: Lessons from the Japanese American Internment

Global Source completed the pilot year of a K-12 educational development project called, “Only What We Can Carry: Lessons from the Japanese American Internment”, funded through grant from the WA Civil Liberties Public Education Program. The purpose of this project was to demonstrate how a lived experience for educators around a topic of study such as the internment can inform and shape a more enlivened curriculum for the students they serve.

 

Past Events

“Celebrating the UDHR in our Classrooms and Communities”

Saturday, November 22, 2009

Hosted at the Commonhouse at Winslow Cohousing on Bainbridge Island

When we are concerned with fairness, justice, diversity, safety, caring, compassion, respect, and responsibility in our teaching and learning, we are dealing with issues of human rights. “Rights” have become the fourth “R” in a growing number of K-12 classrooms and schools. This year marks the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). In honor of the occasion, Global Source Education had a program for local educators to celebrate and honor the place of human rights education in our schools and communities.

This experience of professional learning addresses how human rights education can strengthen what all teachers already feel responsible for in their curriculum and schools. We discussed the history and legacy of the UDHR, share stories of human rights in our local and global communities, and dialogue about best practices within the culture of our curriculum, schools and communities.

Program Objectives:

• To learn about the history and legacy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its place in our schools and communities.

• To encourage and support schools marking the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the UDHR and honoring Human Rights Day on December 10.

• To examine best practices in human rights education, and learn from experienced educators and practitioners.

• To have a meaningful professional dialogue and exchange that provides the opportunity for support, networking, and curriculum building.

We were joined by some of our regions most experienced elementary and secondary educators and human rights practitioners. This program was for educators and administrators, regardless of their experience with human rights education.

 

The 4th ‘R’: Reclaiming the ‘Human’ in Human Rights Education

When we are concerned with fairness, justice, diversity, safety, caring, and respect, we are reviewing our responsibilities for how we deal with issues of human rights. These Rights have become the Fourth ‘R‘ in a growing number of classrooms and schools. Participants learn about best practices for integrating human rights education into school culture. Included are models of human rights programs and connections to community resources and events.

Working with Global Source, a local school decides that the 4 R’s (Relationship, Responsibility, Respect, and Rights), will be the basis of their social and disciplinary practice—developing a more cooperative and intentional school culture. Learn more about the implementation details and successes of this model. Compassionate Communication.

Human Rights Resources LINK

University of Minnesota Human Rights Center: http://www.hrusa.org

University of Minnesota Human Rights Library: http://www.umn.edu/humanrts/

 

Knowing Our Community; Teaching and Learning about Compassion

This two-day program will engage educators and community members on topics at the intersection of diversity education, multi-cultural education, human rights education, and social-emotional learning.

We will participate in dialogues with community members having diverse cultural roots. Participants will better understand the benefits of bearing witness by sharing their own stories and listening to community members from other cultures. We will learn the principles and practice of compassionate listening and conflict resolution. These exercises enhance school and classroom relationships and are valuable for travel study opportunities.

In order to learn more deeply about each other, we will practice compassionate listening. Global Source works with The Compassionate Listening Project (Leah Green, Director) and Catalyst Mediation Services (Judy Friesem). Facilitated by Kathryn Keve.

 

The Study of Tibet, The Burma Project

Explore contemporary world and local issues: Tibet, Burma, Pacific Northwest Tribes, and the Japanese Internment experience. Workshops, Intensives, and some Travel Study offer background, understanding and actual experiences related to our global neighbors in turmoil and transformation.

 

Safe Schools: The Pride Foundation & KSSN

Through a generous grant from the Pride Foundation Washington Peninsula, we will integrate GLBTQ issues into the core of our Human Rights message. Global Source will collaborate with Kitsap Safe Schools Network to exchange trainings and conduct a Bridging Classroom and Community dialogue.

 

Teacher as Writers

A summer seminar supports teachers in their own writing with opportunities to share and critique, as well as read aloud compelling prose or poetry about the teaching profession in order to encourage and renew ourselves as educators.