This is My Home - e-Newsletter

Issue 2 - March 2006

The This is My Home e-Newsletter is designed specifically for teachers, administrators, and other school partners, working to integrate Human Rights Education into their curriculum and schools. This forum will showcase Human Rights Education news from across the state of Minnesota as well as the emerging human rights practices conducted in our classrooms, schools, and larger communities.

As of March 20, 2006, This is My Home has reached educators and activists throughout Minnesota, the United States, and even the world; 823 people have registered for This is My Home in the United States, as well as 82 people from outside the U.S., bringing our current registration total to 905.

In this issue:

Human Rights in Schools: "Getting to the H/Art of the Matter"
What Works: the UDHR in the Classroom
This is My Home Collaborating with Multicultural Resource Center in Interdistrict Partnerships
Updates: Inter-District Partnerships and This is My Home Funding
Featured Event: Minnesota Immigration Teach-In
Featured HRE Links and Resources:
- Energy of a Nation
- Cool Planet
- United Nations CyberSchoolBus

Getting to the H/Art of the Matter

By Patrick Finnegan (Editor)

Starting out as a short exploratory course, Crossroads Elementary’s H/Arts Camp (Human Rights and Arts) has become an annual event combining a multitude of artistic mediums with the expression of human rights principles. During the camp, children learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and how to apply human rights in their daily lives.

The H/Arts camp places a strong emphasis on dance. This year, the students worked with indigenous dance artist Larry Yazi and Chinese folk dancer Chong Yang. “Movement is a key piece for the urban learner,” explains Martha James, an instructor at Crossroads Elementary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a coordinator of the camp.

Students also composed poetry, created a human rights mobile, quilt, and mural, and created other artwork and media production. Though the camp mostly involved fourth grade participants, other grades in the school contributed performances for the culminating celebration. While the fourth graders performed dance pieces, the kindergarteners performed songs focusing on social justice and human rights.

In addition to their artistic activities, the children incorporated human rights principles into their everyday academic learning. For example, students wrote journal entries on human rights topics and solved math problems based on social and economic justice principles.

The H/Arts idea developed three years ago out of a proposed short course for 4-6 graders during the Crossroads intercession. The response from the children was so positive, explains Ms. James, that it was expanded into a full blown arts camp, which included participation from parents, the Human Rights Center, and the Perpich Center for Arts Education.

Ms. James is one of the driving forces behind the H/Arts camp. Her passion for dance and human movement is matched by her commitment to human rights and human rights education. In March, Ms. James was presented with Education Minnesota’s annual Human Rights Award for her efforts to combine human rights and the arts. “I would like to…make certain that there is enduring learning and enduring change,” she said. She is also optimistic about the future of the H/Arts camp. “I definitely think we’re on the right track.”

The UDHR in the Classroom

Ellen Bisping, a Minnesota High School Teacher, recently used the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in a unit on Holocaust memoirs. She used UDHR booklets to get students to think about the Holocaust in terms of human rights violations, as well as the importance of such a document as a universal guiding principle. She leant the UDHR booklets to other social studies teachers, who have used them in a variety of different lessons. “Our students have certainly benefited from having the UDHR booklets,” she said.

This is My Home Collaborating with Multicultural Resource Center in Interdistrict Partnerships

By Patrick Finnegan (Editor)

The Multicultural Resource Center in St. Paul and This is My Home are happy to announce collaboration on the Inter-District Classroom Partnership initiative between schools in eastern metro area districts. The Partnerships seek to create inclusive learning environments that promote cross-cultural understanding, bring students, parents, teachers, and urban and suburban schools together in cooperation.

On March 20, 2006, the Human Rights Center and the Multicultural Resource Center held a reception and training session on This is My Home. Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, Co-Director of the Human Rights Center, presented the This is My Home website (www.thisismyhome.org) to attendees, including the online process model for developing human rights lessons and curricula. The reception was attended by 15 teachers, principals, and educational administrators from around the Twin Cities metro area.

This is My Home would like to extend its gratitude to the Multicultural Resource Center for its collaboration and the use of its facilities for the This is My Home Launch Reception.

Funding for This is My Home

By Kevin Chin (U.S.-Canadian Fulbright Scholar)

A one-year grant of $100,000 has been received from the Otto Bremer Foundation (fdncenter.org/grantmaker/bremer/home.htm). The Human Rights Center will collaborate with educators and community members to carry out a number of exciting activities to further the goals of This is My Home. Some examples of these initiatives include: Delivering This is My Home training sessions for educators and community partners; collecting feedback from teachers who are interested in using Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) videos in their work; disbursing grants to community groups for carrying out human rights education projects; and strengthening online communication tools for educators and community partners.

A two-year Impact grant of $30,000 has been received from Education Minnesota’s Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (www.educationminnesota.org). Impact grants are awarded to Education Minnesota members who coordinate efforts to make a difference in the policies and practices that affect professional development for its constituency. This year, Lynn Schultz of St. Paul is partnering with the Human Rights Center, the League of Human Rights Commissions, and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights to advance the work of This is My Home. With the help of Foundation funds, this collaboration will build and strengthen cultural competencies for teachers and students statewide. Through training and Web site support, teachers will support students in becoming literate about human rights and competent cross-cultural leaders.

Minnesota Immigration Teach-In

Minnesota Immigration Teach-In

Presented by Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

Dates: April 24-28, 2006

Website: www.energyofanation.org

Here’s how you can participate!

● Go to www.energyofanation.org.

Starting April 1st, there will be a link to the Immigration Teach-In Resources.

● Select one day from April 24-28, 2006, for your teach-in.

● Choose lessons and activities to download or teach directly online.

● Involve students in individual reflective assignments or classroom projects related to immigration.

● Submit student work to Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights to receive prizes. Selected works will be published online!

● Complete a survey to provide feedback to Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights about the usefulness of the activities.

● Spread the word to other educators to get them involved!

Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

● Implements international human rights standards to promote civil society and reinforce the rule of law.

● Involves volunteers in research, education, and advocacy, and build broad constituencies in the United States and selected global communities.

● Investigates human rights violations internationally and in the United States.

● Represents immigrants and refugees who are victims of human rights abuses.

● Trains and assists groups that protect human rights.

● Works through education and advocacy to engage the public, policy-makers, and children about human rights and cultural understanding.

Featured HRE Links and Resources

Energy of a Nation: www.energyofanation.org

The Energy of a Nation project is a comprehensive educational resource on immigration and immigrant rights. It is an integral part of the continuing activism of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights (www.mnadvocates.org) for immigration rights. The Energy of a Nation: Immigration Resources website features the Energy of a Nation curriculum (Grades 8-Adult), as well as reports, links, events, and ways to take action on immigration issues.

Cool Planet: www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/index.htm

Cool Planet is an educational resource designed by the British NGO Oxfam. It is designed specifically for teachers looking to educate their students on human rights issues. Using the concept of “Global Citizenship,” Cool Planet is designed to instill a sense of global awareness in students. Cool Planet offers a variety of resources to teachers, including hot topics for the classroom, free online materials and links to other teacher resources, including Oxfam’s teacher catalog.

United Nations CyberSchoolBus: http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus

The United Nations CyberSchoolBus was created as part of the UN’s Global Education and Learning Project. It is designed to promote global awareness among students, as well as instill in them a sense that they can help form solutions to global problems. The CyberSchoolBus is meant to promote the internet as an effective teaching tool while providing teachers with access to free resources. The site is available in 6 languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish).

This e-Newsletter is evolving and your input and sharing is essential.

We encourage you to write to us and tell us how you are using Human Rights in your classrooms, schools,and communities.


	e-Newsletter
News and Action Overview & Registration Human Rights & Human Rights Education Toolkit Library & Resources Training & Pilots Feedback & Impact Contributors Contact Us Support This is My Home Usage Statistics Copyright	Issue 2 - March 2006 The This is My Home e-Newsletter is designed specifically for teachers, administrators, and other school partners, working to integrate Human Rights Education into their curriculum and schools. This forum will showcase Human Rights Education news from across the state of Minnesota as well as the emerging human rights practices conducted in our classrooms, schools, and larger communities. As of March 20, 2006, This is My Home has reached educators and activists throughout Minnesota, the United States, and even the world; 823 people have registered for *This is My Home* in the United States, as well as 82 people from outside the U.S., bringing our current registration total to 905. In this issue: Human Rights in Schools: "Getting to the H/Art of the Matter" What Works: the UDHR in the Classroom This is My Home Collaborating with Multicultural Resource Center in Interdistrict Partnerships Updates: Inter-District Partnerships and This is My Home Funding Featured Event: Minnesota Immigration Teach-In Featured HRE Links and Resources: Energy of a Nation Cool Planet United Nations CyberSchoolBus Getting to the H/Art of the Matter By Patrick Finnegan (Editor) Starting out as a short exploratory course, Crossroads Elementary’s H/Arts Camp (Human Rights and Arts) has become an annual event combining a multitude of artistic mediums with the expression of human rights principles. During the camp, children learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and how to apply human rights in their daily lives. The H/Arts camp places a strong emphasis on dance. This year, the students worked with indigenous dance artist Larry Yazi and Chinese folk dancer Chong Yang. “Movement is a key piece for the urban learner,” explains Martha James, an instructor at Crossroads Elementary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a coordinator of the camp. Students also composed poetry, created a human rights mobile, quilt, and mural, and created other artwork and media production. Though the camp mostly involved fourth grade participants, other grades in the school contributed performances for the culminating celebration. While the fourth graders performed dance pieces, the kindergarteners performed songs focusing on social justice and human rights. In addition to their artistic activities, the children incorporated human rights principles into their everyday academic learning. For example, students wrote journal entries on human rights topics and solved math problems based on social and economic justice principles. The H/Arts idea developed three years ago out of a proposed short course for 4-6 graders during the Crossroads intercession. The response from the children was so positive, explains Ms. James, that it was expanded into a full blown arts camp, which included participation from parents, the Human Rights Center, and the Perpich Center for Arts Education. Ms. James is one of the driving forces behind the H/Arts camp. Her passion for dance and human movement is matched by her commitment to human rights and human rights education. In March, Ms. James was presented with Education Minnesota’s annual Human Rights Award for her efforts to combine human rights and the arts. “I would like to…make certain that there is enduring learning and enduring change,” she said. She is also optimistic about the future of the H/Arts camp. “I definitely think we’re on the right track.” The UDHR in the Classroom Ellen Bisping, a Minnesota High School Teacher, recently used the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in a unit on Holocaust memoirs. She used UDHR booklets to get students to think about the Holocaust in terms of human rights violations, as well as the importance of such a document as a universal guiding principle. She leant the UDHR booklets to other social studies teachers, who have used them in a variety of different lessons. “Our students have certainly benefited from having the UDHR booklets,” she said. This is My Home Collaborating with Multicultural Resource Center in Interdistrict Partnerships By Patrick Finnegan (Editor) The Multicultural Resource Center in St. Paul and This is My Home are happy to announce collaboration on the Inter-District Classroom Partnership initiative between schools in eastern metro area districts. The Partnerships seek to create inclusive learning environments that promote cross-cultural understanding, bring students, parents, teachers, and urban and suburban schools together in cooperation. On March 20, 2006, the Human Rights Center and the Multicultural Resource Center held a reception and training session on This is My Home. Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, Co-Director of the Human Rights Center, presented the This is My Home website (www.thisismyhome.org) to attendees, including the online process model for developing human rights lessons and curricula. The reception was attended by 15 teachers, principals, and educational administrators from around the Twin Cities metro area. This is My Home would like to extend its gratitude to the Multicultural Resource Center for its collaboration and the use of its facilities for the This is My Home Launch Reception. Funding for This is My Home By Kevin Chin (U.S.-Canadian Fulbright Scholar) A one-year grant of $100,000 has been received from the Otto Bremer Foundation (fdncenter.org/grantmaker/bremer/home.htm). The Human Rights Center will collaborate with educators and community members to carry out a number of exciting activities to further the goals of This is My Home. Some examples of these initiatives include: Delivering This is My Home training sessions for educators and community partners; collecting feedback from teachers who are interested in using Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) videos in their work; disbursing grants to community groups for carrying out human rights education projects; and strengthening online communication tools for educators and community partners. A two-year Impact grant of $30,000 has been received from Education Minnesota’s Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (www.educationminnesota.org). Impact grants are awarded to Education Minnesota members who coordinate efforts to make a difference in the policies and practices that affect professional development for its constituency. This year, Lynn Schultz of St. Paul is partnering with the Human Rights Center, the League of Human Rights Commissions, and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights to advance the work of This is My Home. With the help of Foundation funds, this collaboration will build and strengthen cultural competencies for teachers and students statewide. Through training and Web site support, teachers will support students in becoming literate about human rights and competent cross-cultural leaders. Minnesota Immigration Teach-In Minnesota Immigration Teach-In Presented by Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights Dates: April 24-28, 2006 Website: www.energyofanation.org Here’s how you can participate! ● Go to www.energyofanation.org. Starting April 1st, there will be a link to the Immigration Teach-In Resources. ● Select one day from April 24-28, 2006, for your teach-in. ● Choose lessons and activities to download or teach directly online. ● Involve students in individual reflective assignments or classroom projects related to immigration. ● Submit student work to Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights to receive prizes. Selected works will be published online! ● Complete a survey to provide feedback to Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights about the usefulness of the activities. ● Spread the word to other educators to get them involved! Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights ● Implements international human rights standards to promote civil society and reinforce the rule of law. ● Involves volunteers in research, education, and advocacy, and build broad constituencies in the United States and selected global communities. ● Investigates human rights violations internationally and in the United States. ● Represents immigrants and refugees who are victims of human rights abuses. ● Trains and assists groups that protect human rights. ● Works through education and advocacy to engage the public, policy-makers, and children about human rights and cultural understanding. Featured HRE Links and Resources Energy of a Nation: www.energyofanation.org The Energy of a Nation project is a comprehensive educational resource on immigration and immigrant rights. It is an integral part of the continuing activism of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights (www.mnadvocates.org) for immigration rights. The Energy of a Nation: Immigration Resources website features the Energy of a Nation curriculum (Grades 8-Adult), as well as reports, links, events, and ways to take action on immigration issues. Cool Planet: www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/index.htm Cool Planet is an educational resource designed by the British NGO Oxfam. It is designed specifically for teachers looking to educate their students on human rights issues. Using the concept of “Global Citizenship,” Cool Planet is designed to instill a sense of global awareness in students. Cool Planet offers a variety of resources to teachers, including hot topics for the classroom, free online materials and links to other teacher resources, including Oxfam’s teacher catalog. United Nations CyberSchoolBus: http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus The United Nations CyberSchoolBus was created as part of the UN’s Global Education and Learning Project. It is designed to promote global awareness among students, as well as instill in them a sense that they can help form solutions to global problems. The CyberSchoolBus is meant to promote the internet as an effective teaching tool while providing teachers with access to free resources. The site is available in 6 languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish). This e-Newsletter is evolving and your input and sharing is essential. We encourage you to write to us and tell us how you are using Human Rights in your classrooms, schools,and communities.