Discovering Identities Ourselves, Others and The World Around Us
description
Transcript of Discovering Identities Ourselves, Others and The World Around Us
Discovering Identities
Ourselves, Others and The World Around UsA high school social studies and language arts
curriculum
Muki Hansteen-Izora, Lisa Hwang, Cait Drewes, Jose Arias
Background
• The site– Sassy Program (School After
School Success for Youth), Menlo Park California
– Part of OICW, a job training and social services organization that serves the southern portion of San Mateo county
– Formal partnerships with the surrounding high school districts - Sequoia, Palo Alto
– Vocational skills training classes, basic skills instruction and academic support
– Students earn high school credit for participation
Background
• The Students– Primarily from East
Palo Alto, East Menlo Park and Redwood City
– Diverse population mirrors surrounding community
– Latino %50, African American (%35), Pacific Islanders (%10) and others (%5)
– Many are struggling to meet graduation requirements
Background
• The Need– Weekly workshops lack cohesive curriculum– Currently an assemblage of various activities– Desire to address deeper issues of significance to daily
lives of students
• Format– 1 day per week– 2 hours per class– 17 sessions– 15 - 25 students per class– 1 lead instructor, 2 volunteers
Goals
• Students will learn to practice tolerance as a key life skill.
• Students will be able to think critically about issues of identity and “otherness”
Theory
• Progressivism– John Dewey– Infuse the curriculum with the experience of
student
• Critical Theory– Paulo Freire– Problem posing education
• Cognitive Pluralism– Howard Gardner– Idea of multiple intelligences
Curriculum Overview
SELF
COMMUNITY
COUNTRY
WORLD
SELF: Reflecting on identity and self
• Goal– Students will explore components of their
personal identities and explore how identity interacts with ideas of the “other.”
• Key Themes– Components of identity, cultural, personal,
national– Exploring stereotypes and recognizing
prejudice
• Example Activity– Life Maps
Community: Tolerance in the context of community
• Goal– Students will explore the effects of
intolerance on a community and come to see themselves as agents of change.
• Key Themes– The Effects of Intolerance on Communities– Practicing Tolerance for Positive Change
• Example Activity– Community Action Project
Country: Protecting rights and nurturing respect
• Goal– Students will understand why the need for
legislation that protects all people is necessary.
• Key Themes– The Bill of Rights– Art as a vehicle to generate respect and
empathy
• Example Activity– Art Project
World: A real understanding of human rights
• Goal– Students will generate empathy for struggles
for human rights in other parts of the world and link them to the struggles in America
• Key Themes– Linking Struggles at Home, to Struggles
Abroad– Human Rights
• Example Activity– Expressions of oppression through music