Teacher Leadership and Human Rights Education
The Canadian Museum of Human Rights (CMHR) is partnering with the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba to deliver a professional development program to advance human rights training opportunities available to educators.
The program creators, Drs. Jerome Cranston and Melanie Janzen in the Faculty of Education in collaboration with CMHR Learning and Programming specialists explain that they envision this program to be one of many opportunities to ignite conversations about teaching and leading human rights education. In addition the course is intended to help teachers acquire more knowledge and skills for teaching about human rights.
“This unique program will provide educators an opportunity to consider and discuss stories of democracy, historical atrocities, and issues of social justice. These conversations are intended to help educators think differently about how Human Rights are taught and their role as educators in the community.” Dr. Janzen further explains, “We intend for this program to help educators think deeply and critically about how they choose to represent the stories of human rights including those that sometimes compete with each other.”
Dr. David Mandzuk, Dean of the Faculty of Education explains that “We are pleased be to be able to offer a program that considers what and whose stories get told by whom and for what purpose? The new understandings generated through these discussions will act as a lens for teachers and educational leaders to critically reflect on each of our own practices.”
The partnership between the Faculty of Education and the CMHR was formalized at the Faculty of Education on March 14th. At this event, University of Manitoba President and Vice Chancellor, Dr. David Barnard expressed his pleasure in seeing faculties working with the CMHR staff to offer programs that address Human Rights, and that reflect the agreement already in place between the University of Manitoba and the CMHR.
Stuart Murray, CMHR president and CEO remarked on the significance of helping teachers teach human rights, “One of the best ways to educate students about human rights is to teach the teachers. That’s why we’re already beginning to address gaps in human rights education through strong partnerships that will better equip educators at all levels.”
The Summer Institute as part of Extended Education’s Summer Session program at the University of Manitoba is titled The Fourth R: Teaching and Leadership for Human Rights Education/ l’enseignement et le leadership au service de l’éducation aux droits de la personne.
The CMHR and Extended Education have provided funding for program coordination.
Students enrolled in this Summer Institute will have the rare opportunity to study at the CMHR for one day during the summer institute. It is our hope that students will be inspired by the experience.
The summer institute, which runs from July 16-29, is open to teachers, administrators and other members of the community at-large through Extended Education. The 2014 program is offered in English only.
Students enrolled in a University of Manitoba program, and who are not graduating in spring 2014, are able to register for summer session programs beginning March 17.
Interested teachers who are not currently enrolled in a University of Manitoba program can contact the Faculty of Education, Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Education Office at (204) 474-7886 or pbde [at] umanitoba [dot] ca and/or Extended Education at (204) 474-9921 or extended [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.
For more information please contact:
Dr. Jerome Cranston
jerome [dot] cranston [at] umanitoba [dot] ca
or
Dr. Melanie Janzen
melanie [dot] janzen [at] umanitoba [dot] ca
(204) 474-9015