Galilee Dreamers, University of Cincinnati & the HOPE Foundation - joint teacher training course
Galilee Dreamers, University of Cincinnati & the HOPE Foundation- joint teacher training course on building a class community based on Shared Society values:
Stories of challenges and success in promoting peace education in the classroom- local and international perspective
Overview and Rationale:
Teachers all over the world experience within their classrooms challenges regarding controversial issues raised by their students followed by heated discussions leading to conflicts and disengagement between the students. This course offers a theoretical and pedagogical perspective of the challenges to bridge between disagreement and heated conversations in the classroom. In the words of Radan.
“I believe that if we want to make a change, we have to start changing ourselves first and the way we think. We should learn how to listen and respect the other side, because change starts with us… By joining this program, I have the chance to live with Jewish kids, and to get to know them better, to learn about their culture and traditions, and they learn about mine. I will try to do everything I learned from this…and will improve my society.”
Radan S, a teen from Sakhnin, an Arab city in the Galilee
Purpose of the course:
The purpose of this course is to give in service teacher and pre- service teacher pedagogical tools to nurture mutual respect and meaningful connections in their classrooms. Through dialogue, leadership training, and experiential learning we wish to raise awareness and action towards creating a shared society. Within the various meetings, we seek to break down barriers of mistrust and replace them with bridges of hope and understanding.
Participants:
Teachers, educational leaders, social leaders, pre service teachers, local municipality representatives
Course Facilitators:
Dr. Rachel Ravid, Oranim College - Rachel_r@oranim.ac.il
Professor. Steve Kroeger, University of Cincinnati- kroeges@ucmail.uc.edu
The course Goals:
Create a community of practice among the participants
Create a common language regarding the idea of shared society in conflicting socio- cultural environments
Teach strategies to promote moral commitment, caring and tolerance in the classroom
Teach strategies to promote critical and reflective thinking in the classroom
Teach strategies to overcome in difference to social justice issues
The structure of each meeting:
· Get to know each other activity
· Case study – sharing incidents of conflicting situations in the classroom
· A bit of theory
· Closure
Integrated Topics:
Shared society definitions and value base
Centrality of war in history – history of the conflict in Israel
The effects of destruction- global and local perspective
How Patriotism and Religion affect engagement with the peace process
Israel's movement for Pacifism & Human rights
Race issues in the classroom: comparative experience
Teacher's identity and the challenge for education
Educating moral people - a caring alternative for character education
● Sources of morality
● Social-emotional learning
● Care and moral education
● Learning to care and be cared for
● Care and critical thinking
● Moral commitment
● Conversations in the classroom
● The media threat
● Restorative justice
Approaches to promoting dialogue: engagement, narrative, problem based learning, project
Leadership for shared society
Role of Course Facilitators:
To engage students with meaningful learning based on active and project based dialogues.
To direct discussions of highlighted case studies and panels with selected guest speakers.
Prerequisites:
No prerequisites; open to all interested
Success Criteria:
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
1. Understanding the context and consequences of war and conflict within local and global perspective
2. Define what is shared society and recognize the values embedded in it
3. Recognize the role of educators and civic action in promoting shared society
4. To suggest and activate strategies to promote shared society in their classrooms and outer communities
5. To create a safe space to sharing different perspectives, motives and thoughts
6. To reflect on the process of implementing the values of shared society
Required Readings for the Course:
Bamberg, M. (2011). Who am I? Narration and its contribution to self and identity. Theory & Psychology, 21(1), 3-24.
Bergman, R. (2004). Caring for the ethical ideal: Nel Noddings on moral education. Journal of Moral Education, 33(2), 149-162.
Campbell, E. (2008). The ethics of teaching as a moral profession. Curriculum inquiry, 38(4), 357-385.
Costello, B., Wachtel, J. & Wachtel, T. (2018). The restorative practices handbook for teachers, disciplinarians, and administrators: Building a culture of community in schools. International Institute for Restorative Practices.
Esteban-Guitart, M., & Moll, L. C. (2014). Funds of identity: A new concept based on the funds of knowledge approach. Culture & Psychology, 20(1), 31-48
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Seabury.
Hicks, D. (2021). Dignity: Its essential role in resolving conflict. Yale University Press.
Hicks, D., & Waddock, S. (2016). Dignity, wisdom, and tomorrow's ethical business leader. Business and society Review, 121(3), 447-462.
Hicks, D. (2019). Reflections on Love and Dignity in Resolving Conflict. Journal of Interreligious Studies, (27), 67-72.
Hicks, D. (2016). A culture of indignity and the failure of leadership. Humanistic Management Journal, 1(1), 113-126.
Ladson-Billings, G. (2021). I’m here for the hard re-set: Post pandemic pedagogy to preserve our culture. Equity & Excellence in Education, 54(1), 68-78. DOI:10.1080/10665684.2020.1863883. Link to article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2020.1863883
Noddings, N. (2012). The caring relation in teaching. Oxford review of education, 38(6), 771-781.
Nogueira, A. L. H. (2014). Emotional experience, meaning, and sense production: Interweaving concepts to dialogue with the funds of identity approach. Culture & Psychology, 20(1), 49-58.
Menkel-Meadow, C. (2007). Restorative justice: What is it and does it work? Georgetown Public Law Research Paper, (1005485).