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Women's Rights

Global Gender Inequality

Secondary, Middle

Description

Women's Rights is a classroom resource created by Amnesty International, containing six activities dealing with the topic of global gender inequality.  The activities range from a consciousness raising approach towards language and its gendered uses to discussions and research on major issues of inequality facing women. This resource is the first of three booklets developed by Amnesty International dealing with violence against women, and women's and human rights.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

  • Detecting bias and the ability to discuss these biases are the main skills taught in this resource

Strengths

  • There is a good deal of sensitivity built into the resource. The reader (teacher) is asked to keep in mind how students might react to some of the material (i.e. help sites, phone and internet hotlines are provided). Websites are also given throughout the resource and although most of them seem to be working properly, not all of them do. The information presented in the resource is interesting and accessible. The issues presented are relevant and well thought out and almost subtly presented. If anything, the tone of the material could be stronger.

Weaknesses

  • The main weakness of this resource for classroom use is the lack of structure and assessment for the six activities. Otherwise, the material is accessible and easy to use. There is no teacher support but websites are provided for further information (i.e. links mainly to Amnesty International).
  • Some of the activities include activity and/or information sheets however, there is no teacher's guide provided.

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        • Exploring and sharing multiple perspectives extends our thinking.
    • Grade 8
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
        • Texts are socially, culturally, and historically constructed.
    • Grade 9
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world.
        • People understand text differently depending on their worldviews and perspectives.
    • Grade 10
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Creative Writing 10: Language shapes ideas and influences others
        • Spoken Language 10: Language shapes ideas and influences others
        • Spoken Language 10: People understand text differently depending on their world views and perspectives
    • Grade 11
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • English/Language Arts
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Composition 11 : Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
        • Composition 11: The exploration of text and story deepens our understanding of diverse, complex ideas about identity, others, and the world.
        • Creative Writing 11:Language shapes ideas and influences others.
        • Literary Studies 11: Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
        • Spoken Language 11: Language shapes ideas and influences others.
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        • Composition 12: Language shapes ideas and influences others
        • Creative Writing 12: Language shapes ideas and influences others.
        • Creative Writing 12::Creative writers are observant of the world
        • Spoken language 12: Language shapes ideas and influences others.
      • Law
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Law Studies 12: A society’s laws and legal framework affect many aspects of people’s daily lives.
        • Law Studies 12: Laws are interpreted, and these interpretations may evolve over time as a society’s values and worldviews change
        • Law Studies 12: Laws can maintain the status quo and can also be a force for change
        • Law Studies 12: Understanding legal rights and responsibilities allows citizens to participate more fully in society
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Comparative Cultures 12: Value systems and belief systems shape the structures of power and authority within a culture.
        • Political Studies: Decision making in a democratic system of government is influenced by the distribution of political and social power.
        • Social Justice: The causes of social injustice are complex and have lasting impacts on society

Themes Addressed

Human Health & Environment (1)

  • Quality of Life

Human Rights (2)

  • Gender Equality
  • Social Justice

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Good
  • Since this resource provides opportunities for students to build both knowledge and consensus around the issues presented, and since discussion and debate are an inherent part of the activities, it could be said that many different points of view are represented.
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Good
  • By addressing questions on how language is gendered, students gain insight into attitudes towards women (and men). This is a good grounding before tackling some of the bigger issues of gender inequality.
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Good
Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered
Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Good

      Students are asked to:

  • examine their own use of language as it relates to gender
  • look at their attitudes towards gendered subjects
  • view their own actions in regards discrimination
Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Satisfactory
  • The resource aims to address the issues of discrimination and violence against women worldwide.
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Poor/Not considered
Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good
  • Students are encouraged to examine their own uses of language, attitudes and lifestyles in terms of gender inequalities. There is also a provision to research local statistics on the status of women.
Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Satisfactory
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Good
  • Students examine their own language and attitudes as well as issues for debate and/or discussion.
Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Satisfactory
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good
Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Satisfactory
  • Activities in this resource are built around discussion and dialogue. How a student works in groups and how they manage in discussion/debate does not enter the picture as a problem. Some of the activities suggest a visual component, e.g. poster, chart, but this is not specifically encountered or fully valued. Some moving around the room based on where a student stands on an issue is positive, but again, not fully developed in any pedagogical way.
Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Good
Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory
Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Poor/Not considered
  • Suggestions are given as to how to proceed with activities; these appear weak and unstructured. This resource contains no assessment methods or tools.
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Good
  • The case studies relate to the students' ability and willingness to examine their own attitudes.
Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Satisfactory
  • Some suggestions are offered for further involvement in the issues. The activity sheets offer a bare minimum of potential and could be further developed by the students themselves, e.g. by adding to lists of words, participating in further activities, viewing the world through the lens of gender, etc. Students are encouraged to become involved in the work of Amnesty International.
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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