Equality in Second-level Schools: A Training Manual for Educators and Trainers

Description

This resource is based on two and a half days of training delivered to second-level teachers on how to guide discussion and take action on equality in the curriculum and the school. Suggestions on delivering the activities over a longer period (evenings or shorter sections over a longer period of time) are suggested.

The activities and resources provide ideas and methodologies to engage students in discussing and taking action on equality, human rights and social justice issues in the classroom, the school and the community. These include issues relating to the 9 equality grounds in Irish equality legislation: gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and the Traveller community.

Exploring and taking action in these areas supports the development of key skills across curricula including critical and creative thinking, communication, active citizenship and working together.

This resource includes a focus on using existing curriculum based resources in order to:

• explore equality, human rights and social justice issues with students in the classroom
• work with students to take action on equality, human rights and social justice issues
• take a whole-school approach to equality, human rights and social justice education, and
• help students develop skills such as critical and creative thinking, communication, active citizenship and working together.

Expected learning outcomes:

• understanding and knowledge of equality,
• understanding of the link between equality and human rights standards,
• understanding of the process involved in supporting students to engage critically and creatively
• with equality, human rights and social justice issues in the classroom,
• tools and techniques to deal with controversial issues,
• tools and techniques to encourage a whole-school approach to equality, human rights and social
• justice issues, and
• awareness of the range of relevant curriculum resources available.

The manual is designed to be user friendly and each of the training sections comprises a number of activities. Each activity is presented under the following headings:

• rationale
• key learning points
• materials required
• time required
• process

This resource includes:

• educator-friendly layout and presentation of information
• tips and notes for trainers
• a wide mix of methodologies and learning approaches
• 13 worksheets that are photocopy-friendly
• a vast and thorough annotated collection of teaching and learning resources with teaching aids, videos, documentaries, websites and video clips

Contents:

Section 1: Preparation

Section 2: Training Day 1

Activity 1. Introductions

Activity 2. Creating a Conducive Learning Climate

Activity 3. Personal Identity

Activity 4. How we see Other People’s Identity

Activity 5. More than a Single Story – The Impact of Stereotyping

Activity 6. Introducing the Concept of Equality and Considering Issues Using an Equality and Human Rights Lens

Activity 7. Methodologies for Teaching about Equality

Activity 8. Planning for Equality and Human Rights

Activity 9. Closing and Evaluation

Section 3: Training Day 2

Activity 10. Introduction and Learning Environment

Activity 11. Classroom Practice – Equality of Participation

Activity 12. Sharing Practice

Activity 13. Opportunities for Teaching About Equality and Human Rights

Across the Curriculum

Activity 14. Equality – Respect and Recognition: Debating the Issues

Activity 15. Clarifying Values and Goals

Activity 16. Teacher’s Stance

Activity 17. Classroom Practice that Promotes Equality and Human Rights

Activity 18. Action in the School

Activity 19. How School Policies Promote Equality and Human Rights

Activity 20. What Students Learn

Activity 21. Evaluation and Review

Section 4: Resources

Appendix: SPHE Curriculum – Primary

Production note: this resource was developed with the extensive assistance of a large advisory council of practitioners and educationalists and based on a range of well-established human rights and citizenship education resources.